Revolut has secured a full banking licence in France from the country’s banking regulator and the European Central Bank, strengthening its regulatory position as it expands its banking operations across Western Europe.
The approval allows Revolut to establish a fully licensed French banking entity and gradually move customers in several major European markets onto the new structure. France will initially become the centre of the company’s Western European banking operations, with Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain expected to follow.
The French licence adds to Revolut’s existing banking infrastructure in Europe. The fintech already operates a licensed bank in Lithuania, Revolut Bank UAB, which is regulated by the Bank of Lithuania and the ECB and continues to serve customers across the European Economic Area.
Building a Western European Banking Hub
France’s role in Revolut’s strategy is significant. The company announced plans to establish Paris as its Western European headquarters and has committed more than €1 billion to its regional expansion.
The new French banking structure will allow Revolut to offer a broader range of locally regulated banking products, including loans and savings products, while strengthening its relationship with regulators and customers in some of its largest European markets.
Revolut has already built a substantial customer base in France, with around 7 million customers, making the country an important market for its next phase of European expansion.
“Establishing our Western Europe HQ in Paris and applying for a French banking licence positions us closer to our largest and fastest-growing customer base.”
Revolut
The French approval also gives Revolut another foundation for scaling its banking operations within the EU’s regulatory framework. Under European banking rules, licensed institutions can use the European passporting framework to provide services across other member states, subject to the relevant regulatory process.
Expanding Beyond Payments
The move is part of Revolut’s broader transformation from a payments-focused fintech into a global banking group. The company launched its UK bank earlier in 2026 after receiving approval from the UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority to exit its mobilisation phase, allowing it to operate as a fully licensed bank in the UK.
The French licence strengthens that strategy on the European continent. Instead of relying on a single regulatory base for its entire Western European operation, Revolut is building a more locally focused banking structure while retaining its Lithuanian banking entity for other EEA markets.
For customers, the expansion could translate into a broader range of locally regulated products as Revolut migrates services to the French entity. For the company, it represents another step toward establishing the regulatory infrastructure needed to compete more directly with traditional banks across major European markets.
Revolut’s latest regulatory milestone illustrates the changing position of digital banks in Europe. The most successful fintechs are increasingly moving beyond payments and e-money services toward full banking models, taking on greater regulatory responsibilities while expanding into lending, savings, investments, and other financial products.
With banking licences now established in the UK, France, and Lithuania, Revolut is building a multi-jurisdictional banking network designed to support its continued expansion across global markets.
