Payment Institution Licence — Lithuania
EU-wide passporting across all EEA member states, SEPA access. Bank of Lithuania regulated. Capital from €20k–€125k. Typical timeline 3–6 months.
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Why Lithuania for Your Payment Institution Licence?
Lithuania combines speed, cost efficiency, and full EU market access. The country has actively positioned itself as a fintech hub, offering a supportive regulatory environment, competitive operating costs, and direct access to SEPA payment infrastructure. Over 130 EMIs and PIs are licensed in Lithuania.
Lithuania has become one of the most popular EU jurisdictions for payment institution licensing thanks to the Bank of Lithuania's efficient and transparent application process. As an EU member state, a Lithuanian PI licence provides passporting rights across all EEA member states.
Licence Requirements
Detailed Requirements
Capital requirements mirror PSD2 minimums at €20,000 to €125,000 depending on services. Firms must appoint at least one local director, establish a local office, and implement robust AML/CFT frameworks compliant with Lithuanian and EU requirements.
Application Process
Regulatory Strategy
We assess your business model and regulatory position to develop a clear licensing strategy.
Business Plan
We prepare a comprehensive business plan meeting the regulator's expectations.
Programme of Operations
Detailed programme of operations covering governance, compliance, and operational arrangements.
Compliance Framework
Full AML/CFT framework, compliance monitoring programme, and risk management policies.
Application Submission
We compile and submit the complete application package to the regulator.
Regulator Review
We manage all regulator communications and information requests during the review period.
Authorisation
Upon approval, we support your transition to live operations.
Process Detail
Lithuania offers one of the fastest PI licensing timelines in the EU, typically 3 to 6 months. The Bank of Lithuania has a dedicated fintech team and provides pre-application consultations.
Lithuania vs United Kingdom
| Criteria | Lithuania | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | €20k–€125k | £20k–£125k |
| Timeline | 3–6 months | 6–12 months |
| Regulator | Bank of Lithuania | FCA |
| Key Feature | EU-wide passporting across all EEA member states, SEPA access | UK market access — no EEA passporting post-Brexit |
Frequently Asked Questions
The capital requirement for a payment institution licence in Lithuania is €20k–€125k. Capital requirements mirror PSD2 minimums at €20,000 to €125,000 depending on services. Firms must appoint at least one local director, establish a local office, and implement robust AML/CFT frameworks compliant with Lithuanian and EU requirements.
The typical timeline for a payment institution licence in Lithuania is 3–6 months. Lithuania offers one of the fastest PI licensing timelines in the EU, typically 3 to 6 months. The Bank of Lithuania has a dedicated fintech team and provides pre-application consultations.
Lithuania combines speed, cost efficiency, and full EU market access. The country has actively positioned itself as a fintech hub, offering a supportive regulatory environment, competitive operating costs, and direct access to SEPA payment infrastructure. Over 130 EMIs and PIs are licensed in Lithuania.
After receiving your payment institution licence in Lithuania, you must maintain ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements including safeguarding of customer funds, regular regulatory reporting, maintaining adequate capital, updating AML and compliance frameworks, and cooperating with supervisory reviews and inspections.
Most jurisdictions require local substance for a payment institution licence. In Lithuania, you will typically need a registered office, at least one locally resident director, and potentially additional operational staff. We can advise on the exact requirements and help you establish the minimum viable local presence.
Yes, a payment institution licence obtained in Lithuania provides EU-wide passporting rights across all EEA member states. This allows you to operate across 30 European countries from a single authorisation.