Day: May 19, 2025

  • Revolut Announces €1 Billion France Expansion and Banking Licence Bid

    Revolut Announces €1 Billion France Expansion and Banking Licence Bid

    British fintech Revolut announced at President Macron’s Choose France investment summit that it will invest €1 billion in France over three years and apply for a French banking licence. The company plans to open a new Paris office for its Western European operations and create at least 200 new jobs in France as part of the investment. This builds on Revolut’s existing French presence – the firm already employs roughly 300 people in France – and comes after it secured a UK banking licence in mid‑2024, following a three‑year approval process.  Revolut also confirmed that its Lithuanian unit will remain a “key base” for its European growth. The Choose France summit itself is intended to attract major capital: President Macron said it is expected to bring more than €20 billion in foreign investment.

    These announcements underscore France’s drive to draw in fintech investment under the Choose France initiative.  Macron’s summit at Versailles has been explicitly aimed at securing large-scale foreign investment, and Revolut’s expansion is seen as a coup for the French tech scene.  (For context, Macron noted that over €20 billion in new investment commitments are expected from the event .)


    Recent Banking Licences for Revolut

    Revolut has secured banking licences in several markets in recent years. Verified examples include:

    • Recent Global Banking Licences for Revolut: Revolut has secured banking licences in several markets in recent years. Verified examples include:
    • United Kingdom (July 2024): Revolut received a full UK banking licence (entering a “mobilisation” phase) after a three-year application process.
    • Mexico (April 2024): Mexico’s National Banking and Securities Commission authorised Revolut as a multiple banking institution, granting it a full banking licence.
    • Lithuania / European Union (December 2021): The European Central Bank approved a full EU banking licence for Revolut via its Lithuanian subsidiary.
    • Belgium (2022–2025): Revolut operates in Belgium under its EU banking licence through a registered branch. In 2022, it began offering full banking services in Belgium, including deposit protection. In 2025, it introduced Belgian IBANs and started migrating accounts from Lithuanian to Belgian identifiers.

    Each of these licences has allowed Revolut to broaden its services (deposits, loans, payments) in the respective market. The licence in Lithuania (via ECB approval) especially underpins Revolut’s EU-wide banking operations, even as it now pursues a French licence.