Buying an Existing EMI vs Applying From Scratch
Founders often describe this as a speed question. It is not only a speed question. Yes, buying an existing EMI can, in principle, shorten the path to market because the target already holds authorisation. But that does not mean you are escaping regulatory scrutiny. In the Czech Republic, the CNB has a separate authorisation route […]
How to Prepare for EMI Licensing Before Filing the Application
Most EMI applications do not fail because of one missing document or one weak paragraph in the submission file. They become weak much earlier — usually at the stage where founders still see licensing as a paperwork exercise instead of building a real regulated financial institution. That misunderstanding creates most of the problems regulators later […]
Why EMI Licensing Is Not Just a Legal Filing
Many fintech teams still approach EMI licensing as if it were primarily a legal stage of the project: prepare the documents, assemble the policies, complete the forms, attach the supporting materials, and submit everything to the regulator. Formally, the process does look like that. An EMI licence application is a substantial regulatory package that includes […]
EMI License vs Bank License: Which One Fits Your Business Model?
At first glance, an Electronic Money Institution and a bank can look almost identical. Both may offer accounts, cards, transfers, mobile applications, and digital financial services that feel familiar to customers. That is exactly why many fintech founders initially treat an EMI license as a lighter version of a bank license. In reality, these are […]
Building an EMI Business Plan That Regulators Take Seriously
Most EMI founders think about the business plan the way investors do. The regulator does not. An investor deck is allowed to be optimistic. A licensing file is not. An investor wants upside. A supervisor wants evidence that the institution can survive stress, stay inside its permissions, fund its controls, and operate without improvisation. That […]
Can a Startup Get an EMI License or Is It Only for Large Fintechs?
The short answer is yes: a startup can get an EMI license. In EU law and in the EBA’s authorization framework, the test is not whether the applicant is already a famous fintech or a large group. The test is whether the applicant can prove that it is properly capitalized, governable, controllable, and ready to […]
AML Compliance for EMI License Applicants
For many EMI founders, AML enters the conversation too late. First comes the commercial model. Then the product. Then the banking discussion. Then the licence pack starts taking shape, and suddenly everyone remembers that the application also needs an AML framework. That sequence is one of the fastest ways to make an EMI file look […]
Governance Structure for an EMI
When founders prepare an EMI licence application, they often focus first on capital, safeguarding, AML documents, and the business plan. All of those matter. But one area regularly decides whether an application looks credible or fragile: the governance structure for an EMI. Regulators do not look at governance as a corporate formality. They look at […]
Safeguarding Requirements for EMI Companies Explained
If you are building or acquiring an electronic money institution, safeguarding is one of the first areas regulators, banking partners, auditors, and serious counterparties will examine. It is not a side topic. It is one of the core prudential disciplines that separates a credible EMI from a weakly structured payments business. In simple terms, safeguarding […]
What Is a PI License?
A Clear Guide for Founders and Fintech Teams When people ask what is a PI license, they often expect a short legal definition. In practice, a PI licence is much more than a label. It is a regulatory permission that allows a non-bank business to provide certain payment services in a supervised market. In the […]
How to Get a PI License
What Regulators Actually Expect From a Payment Institution Founders often ask how to get a PI license as if the answer were a checklist of forms, signatures, and incorporation papers. In reality, a payment institution licence is not granted because a company completed a filing package. It is granted when the regulator is satisfied that […]
PI Initial Capital in the Czech Republic
How Much Is Needed for a Licence and Why One Amount Alone Is Not Enough When a company first starts considering obtaining a payment institution licence (PI) in the Czech Republic, the very first question is almost always about capital. Usually, an entrepreneur quickly finds three figures — EUR 20 000, EUR 50 000 and […]