Qonto requests a bank license

French Fintech specialized in the proposal of financial services to professionals, Qonto works for several years now multiply services and enrich the experience of its clients. It was thus taking a new major step in diversification last May, in launching in cashing. But today it goes even further by applying for a bank licence.

FACTS

• Qonto has therefore just formalized the filing of its application for credit institution approval with the Prudential Supervisory Authority and the ACPR Resolution.

• This licence must allow it to impose itself as a full bank by densifying its offer of services. The FinTech also wishes to propose:
  • loans,
  • savings products,
  • investment solutions.

• These offers will complement Qonto's current portfolio of services. In particular, it expects Pay Later, a split payment offer which, according to FinTech, has already granted more than EUR 50 million of financing since the beginning of 2024.

ISSUES

• Become a full bank : Qonto's application for a bank licence today represents nothing less than FinTech's ambition to become a full bank. As a reminder, Qonto operates today with a payment establishment license.

• Wider support to clients This announcement also gives FinTech the opportunity to specify that it now has more than 600,000 TPE, independent and SME clients in its portfolio across Europe (in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Austria). It plans to cover the broad financial needs of nearly 2 million SMEs and independents in Europe by 2030.

PERSPECTIVE

• Qonto's goal today is to gain autonomy, while FinTech has so far had to limit its offers or rely on partners to complete its range. She Signed For example, in 2021 his association with October to accelerate the market for small business loans.

• Its Pay Later offer is also limited in terms of amount. Financing is a major activity to meet the needs of Qonto's client companies, and a full market.

• Thus, according to the figures of the Bank of FranceEUR 1 380 billion in loans were granted to companies in France at the end of April 2025, representing an increase of 65% over 10 years. The Fédération Bancaire Française also points out that 96% of SMEs obtained all or a large part of the desired investment credits during the period, and 84% of the requested cash credits.

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