How to Find and Buy a European EMI License: A Complete Investor's Guide

How to Find and Buy a European EMI License: A Complete Investor's Guide

How to find and buy a European EMI license

A ready-made payment company with an EU EMI license offers quick entry into the fintech market: card issuance, IBAN accounts, payment infrastructure, and operations throughout the European Union. However, acquiring such a company requires extensive legal due diligence and direct interaction with the regulator.

Jurisprudential Consulting Group provides turnkey EMI license acquisition support, including audits, license verification, negotiations, regulatory approvals, compliance, and subsequent business launch.

1. Access to the EU payment market
2. Full regulatory audit
3. Structuring the transaction for the investor
4. Launch and compliance support

Consultation cost from 250 euros

EMI (Electronic Money Institution) license — this is permission to issue electronic money, open client accounts, handle international payments, provide acquiring and subsequent fintech services.
Purchasing a ready-made company with a license allows you to skip the annual registration and approval period—but only with proper due diligence.

Where to find ready-made EMI companies in the EU

1. Professional fintech brokers with licenses

These are closed platforms that work only with qualified investors.
Advantages: verified assets, document structure, access to regulators' lawyers.

2. Legal and consulting groups

Companies that assist with licensing in the EU (Lithuania, Ireland, Malta, Poland) often know owners planning to sell.

3. Private deals between existing fintech groups

Large fintech companies periodically sell subsidiaries to redistribute capital.

4. EU regulators

Some regulators in Lithuania, Ireland, or Malta publish registers of companies in liquidation or seeking investors—this is a source of undervalued assets.

Which EU jurisdictions are most frequently sold to by EMI companies?

1. Lithuania (Bank of Lithuania) — one of the most popular EMI jurisdictions.
2. Ireland — access to SEPA, strong compliance control.
3. Malta — flexible regulation, access to a pan-European license.
4. Poland — a rapidly growing market, with investor interest from 2023–2025.

For most buyers, Lithuania and Malta are key: deep pools of specialists, developed compliance infrastructure, and strong regulators.

What does an EMI license in Europe include?

1. issuance of electronic money;
2. opening of client accounts (IBAN);
3. working with payments and transfers;
4. SEPA/SEPA Instant support;
5. issuing cards (Visa/Mastercard via BIN sponsoring);
6. agency network;
7. integration via API.

Having a license does not guarantee access to the entire list; it is important to look at the scope of permissions.

What to Look for When Buying: 10 Key Criteria

1. Authorized capital and actual paid-up capital

EMI requires from €350,000 (depending on the country).

2. Open bank accounts and correspondent partners

It is important to check real banks, not “dormant accounts”.

3. No violations by the regulator

Only a legal inquiry will show whether:

1. orders,
2. fines,
3. AML requirements.

4. AML/KYC system

Checked:

1. politics,
2. procedures,
3. reports,
4. transaction monitoring system.

5. Active clients and business model

Buying a "blank license" is one thing, buying an active EMI is quite another (and much more expensive).

We offer a solution at the level of international standards

6. License for passporting in the EU

Is cross-border access permitted? Have notifications been submitted to regulators in other countries?

7. Compliance officers and key personnel

In many countries, changing controllers requires separate approval.

8. Corporate structure

Who owns it, are there any sanctioned or high-risk beneficiaries?

9. Contracts with providers (BIN sponsor, payment gateways, SWIFT/SEPA partners)

10. Licensing history

If there were attempts to sell it or the company was subject to audits, the risks are higher.

How does the process of buying an EMI company work?

1. NDA + preliminary review

Obtaining a basic dossier, checking jurisdiction and licensing.

2. Full regulatory due diligence

Checked:

1. license,
2. AML processes,
3. reporting,
4. interaction with the regulator,
5. banking partners.

3. Access to the EU regulator

In many countries, the purchase of an EMI company without regulatory approval prohibited.
Coordination takes 1–3 months.

4. Structuring the transaction

SPA, escrow, fix-price or earn-out.

5. Transfer of control

Change of beneficiaries, directors, key personnel.

6. Compliance Restart

After purchase, you need to update:

1. AML policy,
2. risk model,
3. IT infrastructure,
4. reporting to the regulator.

The value of EMI companies in 2025

The price depends on:

1. countries;
2. license history;
3. banking partners;
4. client portfolio risk.

What does Jurisprudential Consulting Group do?

We provide turnkey EMI purchase support:

1. search for ready-made licenses;
2. preliminary verification of the seller;
3. legal and regulatory due diligence;
4. requests to the regulator;
5. negotiations with the seller;
6. transaction structuring;
7. coordination with the regulator;
8. change of beneficiaries and directors;
9. post-purchase compliance setup;
10. support during the first 12 months of work.

We work with Lithuania, Ireland, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, and other EU jurisdictions.

Сonclusion

Obtaining a European EMI license is a quick way to enter the fintech market, but only with professional due diligence and full regulatory approval. Failure to properly verify a company can lead to blocking, fines, and license revocation. We will find a suitable EMI company, conduct due diligence, and guide the transaction to a legally secure conclusion.