Electronic Money Institutions (E-Money Institution, EMI) are a new era in banking with a focus on remote services, mobile apps, and streamlines, simple services. The most noteworthy examples are probably Paysera, LeuPay, and N26.
Most of these EMIs are riding on new EU/EEA regulations meant to increase competition in banking, which is why there practically aren’t any from outside this region that offer the same level of services with unique, individual bank accounts (IBAN with SEPA capability for rapid, low-cost EUR transfers within EU/EEA).
Many of these institutions do not hold banking licenses and a few are relying entirely on third-party licensing. Based on a forum thread, Online/Mobile Banks or Bank-like Payments Institutions, I have pieced together the list below. Many thanks to the contributors of the thread for making the list possible and helping keep it alive.
Nonetheless, no guarantees are made for the accuracy or validity of the information presented here.
EMI / Bank | Jurisdiction | Platform | IBAN | Card | Card country | License | Platform | Bank | Restrictions | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anytime | France | All | France | Visa | UK | Unclear | ? | R. Raplhael & Sons | EU/EEA (not all) | All |
Bred Espace | France | Web | France | No | N/A | Bank | BRED | BRED | France? | All |
Bunq | Netherlands | Mobile | Netherlands | Maestro | Netherlands | Bank | Own | ? | EU/EEA | All |
Deutsche Handelsbank | Germany | Web | Germany | No | N/A | Bank | Sofort | Own | None | Business |
Hello Bank | France | Web | France | No | N/A | Bank | BNP | BNP | France | Personal |
Holvi | Finland | All | Germany | MasterCard | Germany | E-money | Wirecard | BBVA | EU/EEA | Business |
ImaginBank | Spain | All | Spain | Bank | Caixa Bank | Caixa Bank | EU/EEA | Personal | ||
LeuPay | Malta / Bulgaria | All | Malta | MasterCard | Bulgaria, others | E-money | Own | Satabank | None | All |
MisterTango | Lithuania | Web | Lithuania | No | N/A | E-money | Own | SEB | None | All |
Monese | Estonia | Mobile | UK domestic, aggregate IBAN | Visa | UK | E-money | Own | Lloyds | EU/EEA | Personal |
MoneyPlusCard | Malta | Web | Malta | No | N/A | E-money | ? | ? | ? | All |
N26 | Germany | All | Germany | MasterCard | Germany | Bank | Own | Own | EU/EEA (not all) | Personal, sole trader |
PayMix | Malta | Web | Malta | MasterCard | Malta | E-money | Own | ? | None | All |
Paysera | Lithuania | All | Lithuania | Visa | UK | E-money | Own | SEB | None | All |
Revolut | UK | Both | UK domestic, aggregate IBAN | MasterCard | UK | E-money | ? | ? | EU/EEA | Personal |
Swirl Card | Ireland | Web | Unclear | MasterCard | ? | Unclear | ? | ? | Ireland, UK | Personal |
Viabuy | Germany | Web | Germany | MasterCard | Germany | Unclear | PPRO | ? | EU/EEA | Personal |
Worldcore | Czech Republic | Web | Czech Republic | MasterCard | Gibraltar | E-money | Own | ? | None | All |