What does this move hold for the Lithuanian fintech ecosystem?

Mantas Katinas, Managing Director of Invest Lithuania, comments on the latest development:

“The Lithuanian fintech sector has the potential to become the calling card of Lithuania, an exclusive niche, in which we are not only ahead of other countries, but also able to offer unprecedented solutions.

Throughout the last few years we have developed a strong community, encompassing more than 150 companies, of which the majority serves clients all across Europe. The community has its hubs – co-working spaces, incubators, regular events and hackathons, mostly held in English. The community – is also rich in non-Lithuanian talent, with companies from EU and non-EU countries alike having established their divisions here. Lithuania-based fintech companies rarely compete for the same clients, meaning they are keen to share their knowledge and experience.

The key success factor that was instrumental in our progress in this field has undoubtedly been the initiative and leadership of the Bank of Lithuania, which has guaranteed transparent and effective regulatory environment. If in other European countries the regulator often plays the part of an overseer or a watchdog, the Bank of Lithuania lends a helping hand to newcomers out and is always improving procedures that take several times longer elsewhere.

Despite the rapid growth and astounding indicators, the Lithuanian fintech industry lacked the recognition of a world-famous name. Revolut, which today has linked its future success to Lithuania, is the high-calibre player that will help Lithuania to attract the attention of the global fintech industry.”

Fintech in Lithuania

London’s status as the financial capital of the Old World will become less relevant after Brexit, at least for banks and financial technology (fintech) players. UK-based financial services providers will soon lose the ability to serve customers in the EU, and many are already seeking a second home in mainland Europe. One country particularly stands out due to its flexible regulation and eagerness to attract the best there are in Fintech. That country is Lithuania.

In 2013, the country set out, with the Bank of Lithuania very much at the wheel, to become one of the EU’s hottest destinations for Fintech. The announcement of Brexit served as additional fuel to this ambition, as the announcement put hundreds if not thousands of fintech companies in search of a European base. In the years that followed, Lithuania rolled out multiple incentives that led to the number of fintech companies grow from single-digit numbers to more than 150.

As time-to-market is as essential in Fintech as in any other cutting-edge industry, Lithuania offers one of the most streamlined and efficient licensing procedures in the EU. Thanks to a single-window approach and a well-calibrated process, it takes as little as 3 months to get a Payment Institution or Electronic Money Institution license in Lithuania.