CBI · Central Bank of Ireland · EU Payments Gateway
Ireland EMI & Payment Institution Licensing
A regulator-ready route for wallets, IBANs, card programmes, remittance and payment platforms. Licensium aligns your Irish structure, authorisation dossier, safeguarding, AML/CFT, technology evidence and banking strategy into one managed execution plan.
Regulatory briefing
The Ireland Regulatory Framework Behind Your Payment Business
Ireland combines EEA passporting with an English-language legal and commercial environment and a deep payments ecosystem. A Central Bank of Ireland EMI or PI application must explain the product, customer journey, capital, safeguarding, governance, technology, outsourcing and target markets in practical detail.
The authorisation is not a worldwide permission. Passporting into the EEA uses a notification process and still requires local conduct, agent, reporting and consumer obligations to be managed. Banks and card schemes will also expect a coherent transaction-flow and enhanced due-diligence file.
Licensium prepares the ownership chart, three-year business plan, AML/CFT framework, safeguarding policy, ICT controls, complaints process and regulatory responses as one consistent dossier.
Activities Covered
- Electronic money and payment accounts
- Card programmes and merchant settlement
- Remittance and cross-border transfers
- Safeguarding and ongoing reporting
Jurisdiction Advantage
Why Ireland Can Fit a Serious Fintech Strategy
Irish authorisation can combine EU/EEA market access with a recognised payments ecosystem, but the regulator expects genuine substance and a credible operating plan.
EEA Passporting
One authorisation can support a properly notified cross-border EEA strategy.
Payments Ecosystem
English-language infrastructure and access to experienced payments talent and counterparties.
Bankable Controls
We connect safeguarding, AML, governance and banking evidence before submission.
Application Standard
What a CBI Application Must Demonstrate
Ownership & Governance
Certified UBO evidence, fit-and-proper disclosures, board responsibilities, local substance and key-function appointments.
AML/CFT & Safeguarding
Risk assessment, KYC/KYB, monitoring, source-of-funds, safeguarding accounts, reconciliation and wind-down procedures.
Business Plan & Capital
Three-year forecasts, own-funds calculations, transaction-flow diagrams, funding narrative and customer-money assumptions.
ICT & Outsourcing
Security, resilience, incident response, vendor due diligence, data protection and critical outsourcing controls.
Execution Roadmap
From Product Fit to a Working Payment Institution
Product & Jurisdiction Fit
Map products, customers, markets, settlement and ownership against the Irish legal perimeter.
Compliance Dossier
Prepare AML/CFT, safeguarding, ICT, governance, complaints, outsourcing and wind-down controls.
Submission & Dialogue
Coordinate certified documents, management interviews and Central Bank follow-up questions.
Banking & Launch
Support safeguarding accounts, settlement partners, operational testing and post-authorisation reporting.
Financial Planning
Indicative Ireland EMI Setup Costs
Planning range: €100k–180k, excluding the €350,000 own-funds requirement itself. The final amount depends on product scope, substance, technology and regulator questions.
| Cost layer | Indicative range | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Application and legal dossier | €35k–65k | One-off |
| Local substance and governance | €25k–50k | Annual |
| AML, safeguarding and ICT controls | €20k–40k | Annual / setup |
| Banking and payment partner onboarding | €10k–25k | One-off |
Benchmarking
Ireland Compared With Other Fintech Hubs
| Jurisdiction | Regulator | Capital | Timeline | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | Central Bank of Ireland | €350k EMI / €125k PI | 6–9 months | Full EEA passporting |
| Lithuania | Bank of Lithuania | €350k / €125k | 4–6 months | Full EEA passporting |
| United Kingdom | FCA | £350k / £125k | 6–12 months | UK market |
| Malta | MFSA | €350k / €125k | 6–9 months | Full EEA passporting |
FAQ