Country: 🇱🇹 Lithuania,🇨đź‡Switzerland, đź‡đź‡° Hong Kong
An ambitious French FinTech startup with a brilliant idea for a crypto exchange and payment service platform. Like many startups, they were driven by a powerful vision but operated with the lean budget and limited resources characteristic of an early-stage venture.
The startup had initially set its sights on a Lithuanian crypto license to enter the EU market. However, as we began the document preparation process, a critical threat emerged. The true monthly operational costs of maintaining a fully compliant Lithuanian entity—including staffing, reporting, and governance—were far higher than their initial projections. They were on a path to burn through their capital just on overhead before their business could even achieve liftoff. Furthermore, their business model required payment services, which a standard crypto license did not cover, adding another layer of complexity and cost.
Our role immediately shifted from execution to rescue. We identified the impending financial crisis and advised a hard pivot. Instead of forcing them down a path they couldn’t afford, we architected a completely new, cost-effective global strategy. We proposed a “symbiosis” of two jurisdictions:
Switzerland: To handle their core crypto exchange operations within a respected regulatory framework.
Hong Kong: To manage the necessary payment services component of their business.
This combination was a strategic masterstroke. It not only solved their immediate problem of covering both crypto and payments but did so at a fraction of the monthly cost of a full EU-licensed entity. It also gave them a global operational footprint from day one, allowing them to serve clients beyond the EU.
Our strategic intervention pulled the client back from the brink of a potentially fatal financial mistake.
Drastic Cost Reduction: The client’s monthly operational expenses were minimized, preserving precious capital and giving them a much longer runway to achieve profitability.
Full Service Capability: The Swiss-Hong Kong structure allowed them to legally offer their full suite of crypto and payment services without needing multiple, expensive European licenses.
Faster Path to Breakeven: With a leaner operational model, the startup was positioned to reach self-sufficiency far more quickly.
A True Partnership: We proved our value is not in selling a service, but in protecting our clients’ interests and ensuring their long-term viability.
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