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E-money issuers choose the Netherlands for a regulator that publishes its forms, notes and success factors, and for the customer accounts foundation, a safeguarding structure Dutch banks know well.
Selected engagements from more than 250 licences obtained since 2013, for payment, e-money and cryptoasset firms.
Volkswagen
Payment InstitutionObtained Nexpay’s FCA Authorised Payment Institution licence.
Electronic Money InstitutionObtained Dzing Finance’s FCA Authorised Electronic Money Institution licence.
Obtained Orbital’s FCA Authorised Payment Institution licence.
Our realistic timeline from submission to decision.
Safeguarding, operating and settlement accounts opened alongside the application, so you trade on authorisation.
We assemble your team: two directors based in the Netherlands.
The licence, the requirements, the cost and the timing for your business.
You will need at least two directors who run the business day to day from the Netherlands, plus any supervisory board members.
One programme, from scoping to launch. Speak to an expert about this licence.
Requirements, capital, timing, fees and common questions, drawn from the regulator’s own publications.
A business issuing stored value to customers in the Netherlands or, through passporting, across the EU and EEA needs a DNB authorisation. The Netherlands is a well-regarded EU base with a regulator that publishes its application forms, explanatory notes and success factors, and a safeguarding structure, the customer accounts foundation, that banks understand. An EMI may provide every payment service under the same licence.
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial capital | €350,000 |
| Ongoing own funds (Method D) | 2% of average outstanding e-money |
| Unrelated payment services | Method B generally; all three calculations submitted |
| Exemption | Outstanding e-money not above €5 million and €150 per account |
DNB applies the deductions in the capital requirements regulation to the own funds calculation.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory decision period | 3 months from a complete application, suspended during information requests | Financial Supervision Act (Wft) |
| Regulator’s published figure | DNB states the total period tends to be longer than three months | DNB application process timeline |
| Application preparation | 6 to 8 weeks | From instruction to submission, including banking in parallel |
| Our realistic timeline | 6 to 8 months after submission | Our own figure, from the regulator’s published data and our applications |
Regulator figures are quoted as published and converted to months. Our realistic timeline assumes a complete, well-prepared application.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | €10,400 | Payable on application; non-refundable |
| Annual supervisory fee | Set annually | DNB’s regular supervision costs are charged to licensed institutions |
| Initial capital | €350,000 | Held before authorisation |
| Professional fees | Fixed | Quoted after scoping |
A firm whose outstanding e-money stays below €5 million, with no more than €150 held on any e-money account, no agents and clean antecedents, may register under the exemption. It is registered but not supervised by DNB and must say so to customers; it may not passport; expansion outside the Netherlands must be reported.
A Dutch EMI passports throughout the EU and EEA on notification to DNB after authorisation, by branch, agent or distributor, or cross-border services.
DNB publishes its success factors for market access.
An EMI needs a safeguarding account, an operating account and settlement accounts in the currencies it serves. We open each alongside the application, so you trade from authorisation. See banking and payment processing.
Three months from a complete application by statute, suspended for each information request. DNB states the total tends to be longer; we plan for six to eight months after submission.
A customer accounts foundation: a separate legal entity that holds customer funds on the EMI’s behalf so that they are ring-fenced from the EMI’s creditors. It is the most common Dutch safeguarding method.
At least two natural persons in day-to-day management, working substantially from the Netherlands, each assessed by DNB for suitability and propriety.
No. The €10,400 fee is payable even if the application is withdrawn or refused.
Not under the Dutch licence. Groups serving both markets hold an FCA authorisation and a Dutch authorisation.
A regulatory advisory firm to payment, e-money and cryptoasset companies since 2013, with more than 250 licences obtained in more than 60 countries. The firm builds licensed payment, e-money, crypto and stablecoin businesses: the licence, the team, the technology, the bank accounts and card issuing.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements and fees change, and the regulator’s own publications take precedence.
The licence, your team, banking and technology, delivered as one programme.