What is an EMI License?

An EMI (Electronic Money Institution) license allows a company to issue electronic money, provide payment accounts with IBANs, process transfers, and issue payment cards — without being a bank. It is the licence behind most modern fintech apps and neobanks. Compared to a full banking licence, an EMI licence is faster and cheaper to obtain, while still giving access to payment infrastructure and safeguarding client funds.

Three premium dark navy payment cards lying flat at dynamic angles with a thin gold perimeter edge, embossed gold EMV chip and contactless symbol, guilloche wave texture, over a glowing golden world map backdrop

Premium smartphone glowing with a golden checkmark, golden arcs of light representing transfers over a world map of golden particles, currency-symbol coins and a security shield beside it

Golden embossed account numbers engraved on a dark navy premium surface beside a payment card

A Brief History

Electronic money as a regulated concept emerged in the European Union with the first E-Money Directive in 2000, followed by an updated framework in 2009 that opened the market to non-bank issuers. Since then, EMI and similar payment-institution licences have spread far beyond Europe, becoming the standard entry path into regulated payments. Below are the EMI jurisdictions we work with.

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