Why get a payment/EMI license in Ireland?
Ireland is an English-speaking, common-law EU member and the natural EU base for many UK and US fintechs after Brexit. The Central Bank of Ireland carries a strong regulatory reputation, runs a bespoke pre-application engagement process, and sits at the centre of a deep ecosystem of large fintechs, banks, and professional services. It is also one of the more demanding EU regulators, with high expectations on governance, local substance, and board and senior-management presence, so Ireland skews toward larger, well-funded fintechs.
English-speaking EU member. An English-speaking, common-law EU jurisdiction, the natural EU base for many UK and US fintechs post-Brexit.
Respected regulator. The Central Bank of Ireland carries a strong regulatory reputation that lends credibility with banks and institutional partners.
Pre-application engagement. The CBI runs a bespoke pre-application engagement process, with meetings to clarify requirements before a formal application.
Full EU passporting. A full EMI or PI authorisation can be passported across the EU/EEA on a freedom-of-services or branch basis.
Deep fintech ecosystem. A deep ecosystem of large fintechs, banks, and professional services firms supports complex payments operations.
Small EMI option. A lighter Small Electronic Money Institution tier exists for threshold-limited, domestic-only activity.
Ireland licence types and activities
We map your model to the correct Central Bank of Ireland authorisation:
Electronic Money Institution (EMI)
Issuing e-money (wallets, prepaid balances, stored value) under the E-Money Regulations, plus the full range of EU payment services.
Small EMI
A lighter EMI tier that is threshold-limited (monthly payment transactions must not exceed roughly 3 million euro) and cannot passport payment services outside Ireland.
Payment Institution (PI)
Executing payment services (accounts, transfers, card issuing/acquiring, money remittance) under the Payment Services Regulations without issuing e-money.
EU/EEA Passporting
Providing services across member states from the single Central Bank of Ireland authorisation, via freedom of services or a branch.
Safeguarding & AML/CFT
Segregated client-fund safeguarding plus a complete AML/CFT framework, both of which the CBI expects in place before authorisation.
Governance & Substance
Genuine local presence, including governance, board, and senior management in Ireland, which the CBI assesses closely.
Note: Costs are indicative and may change with your requirements and regulations. Contact us for a tailored quote.