Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs) play a pivotal role in modern financial ecosystems, enabling businesses to issue electronic money, provide payment services, and expand their reach across the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK).
At Estrella, we connect buyers and sellers with licensed EMIs, ensuring seamless transactions that align with strategic goals. Whether you’re acquiring an EMI to enhance your financial services or selling your business to a qualified buyer, Estrella’s expertise ensures success in this regulated market.
An EMI license allows businesses to:
EMIs are essential for fintech companies seeking to provide scalable, compliant, and innovative payment solutions.
EMIs are highly sought after due to their:
Licensing ensures compliance and allows businesses to operate across the EU and UK.
Growing consumer reliance on digital payments drives demand for EMI services.
EMIs offer scalable models, enabling businesses to expand services rapidly.
With passporting rights in the EU (where applicable) or access to UK markets, EMIs provide significant opportunities for geographic growth.
Estrella connects buyers with licensed EMIs that meet their strategic objectives, offering:
Our tailored approach ensures you acquire an EMI that aligns with your goals and operational needs.
For sellers, Estrella provides access to:
Licensed companies in this sector hold significant value due to their:
Estrella connects buyers with crypto and blockchain licensed businesses offering:
Our tailored approach ensures buyers find businesses that align with their market strategies and long-term goals.
For sellers, Estrella provides:
A buyer acquired an EMI in the EU to enhance their digital payment services, leveraging passporting rights to operate across multiple member states.
A fintech firm purchased a UK-based EMI license to launch e-wallet solutions in the growing UK market.
An established EMI owner successfully exited their business, securing a high-value deal with a strategic buyer.
These examples demonstrate Estrella’s ability to deliver tailored solutions and drive success in the EMI market.
We specialize in navigating the complex licensing requirements of the EU and UK, ensuring compliance at every stage.
Our extensive network connects buyers and sellers with exclusive opportunities in the EMI sector.
Whether you’re buying or selling, our process is customized to meet your strategic goals.
Strict NDAs and secure systems protect sensitive information throughout the transaction.
An Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license is a regulatory authorisation under the EU Electronic Money Directive (EMD2) that permits the holder to issue electronic money — including e-wallets, prepaid cards, and digital balances — and provide associated payment services. EMI authorisation is granted by national regulators (KNF in Poland, NBS in Slovakia, FCA in the UK as AEMI, FINMA-equivalent in Switzerland, etc.) and provides EU-wide passporting rights for EU-based EMIs.
Estrella offers ready-made EMI licensed companies in multiple EU jurisdictions including Poland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom (where the equivalent authorisation is called AEMI — Authorised Electronic Money Institution). We also offer Swiss FinTech-licensed entities, which are the closest functional equivalent to EU EMIs in non-EU Switzerland.
Fresh EMI authorisation typically takes 9–18 months from initial application through approval, with substantial regulatory uncertainty. A ready-made EMI provides immediate operational capability — the licence is in place, capital is deposited, safeguarding arrangements are established, and in most cases banking relationships and payment scheme memberships are also active. Acquisition can complete in 4–6 months including regulatory change-of-control approval.
Yes — EMI authorisation by any EU member state regulator provides full passporting rights across all 27 EU member states plus the European Economic Area (EEA). Post-Brexit UK AEMI licences no longer have EU passporting rights but provide full UK domestic market access.
EU EMIs require minimum initial capital of €350,000 plus ongoing own-funds based on outstanding e-money issuance and payment volumes. UK AEMIs have similar capital requirements (£350,000 equivalent). Swiss FinTech licences require 3% of accepted public deposits, minimum CHF 300,000.
Yes, foreign ownership is permitted across all EU and UK EMI jurisdictions. Regulators require fit-and-proper assessment of qualifying shareholders (typically 10%+ direct or indirect ownership), including source-of-funds verification, regulatory history checks, and beneficial ownership transparency. Specific requirements vary by jurisdiction.
AEMI (Authorised Electronic Money Institution) is the UK’s terminology for what EU member states call EMI. The regulatory regime is substantively identical (PSD2 and EMD2 implementation), though post-Brexit UK AEMIs no longer have automatic EU passporting rights. Some operators maintain parallel UK AEMI and EU EMI licences for full coverage.
Pricing varies dramatically based on jurisdiction, capital position, banking relationships, payment scheme memberships (Visa, Mastercard, SEPA, TARGET2), operational history, and any active customer book. Polish and Czech EMIs are competitively priced; Luxembourg and Swiss licences command premium pricing reflecting jurisdictional credibility. Contact Estrella for current availability and indicative pricing.
EMIs are at the forefront of financial innovation, offering significant opportunities for growth and expansion. Whether you’re acquiring an EMI to enhance your services or selling your business to capitalize on market demand, Estrella is your trusted partner in navigating this dynamic sector.
Contact Us Today to explore opportunities in EMI acquisitions or sales.
© 2024 Estrella | All Rights Reserved
