API License For Sale — Buy an Authorized Payment Institution in the EU
Buy a PSD2-Authorised Payment Institution
API license for sale — Authorized Payment Institutions (PSD2 Article 11) across the EU available for acquisition. Every API license for sale we broker carries full payment services authorisation and EU-wide passporting rights.
At Zalewski Consulting, we specialize in facilitating the acquisition and sale of Authorized Payment Institutions (APIs), connecting buyers and sellers in the thriving payments industry. With the rise of digital payments and the implementation of PSD2 in the European Union, APIs have become essential entities in the modern financial landscape. Whether you are seeking to buy a licensed API or sell your Authorized Payment Institution, our team ensures a streamlined, compliant, and profitable process tailored to your needs.
What Are Authorized Payment Institutions (APIs)?
Authorized Payment Institutions (APIs) are licensed entities that provide a range of payment services under the PSD2 directive, including:
- Payment initiation services (PIS).
- Payment accounts with bank accounts functionality.
- Account information services (AIS).
- Money transfers and remittances.
APIs are the backbone of digital payment systems, enabling businesses to facilitate transactions securely and efficiently. These licenses are critical for companies looking to expand their payment offerings or enter regulated financial markets.
Why Invest in or Sell an API?
For Buyers:
- Access to Regulated Markets: Operate across the European Economic Area (EEA) with passporting rights.
- Diversified Revenue Streams: Provide a range of payment services to clients and partners.
- Market Positioning: Enhance your business’s reputation and credibility by operating within a regulated framework.
For Sellers:
- Maximize Value: Leverage increasing demand for APIs to achieve a favorable sale price.
- Focus on Core Activities: Divest from the payments sector to focus on other business areas.
- Capitalize on Market Trends: Sell while demand for licensed payment institutions is at an all-time high.
Our API M&A Services
For Buyers:
- Comprehensive access to fully licensed APIs in key jurisdictions such as Lithuania, Malta, and Poland.
- Identification of businesses aligned with your goals.
- In-depth due diligence to assess regulatory compliance and operational readiness.
For Sellers:
- Connecting API owners with serious, qualified buyers.
- Valuation services to maximize your payment institution’s market value.
- Ownership transition handled with all regulatory and operational requirements.
Regulatory and Licensing Support:
- Expertise in PSD2 compliance, ensuring all regulatory frameworks are met.
- Handling license transfer approvals and providing ongoing compliance guidance post-acquisition.
The Growing Importance of APIs in the Payments Sector
As the world shifts toward a cashless society, APIs are at the forefront of the digital payments revolution. The PSD2 directive has unlocked new opportunities
for open banking, allowing APIs to provide cutting-edge services like payment initiation and account aggregation. The demand for APIs is growing rapidly due to:
- Increased E-commerce Transactions: APIs enable seamless online payments for businesses and consumers.
- Adoption of Open Banking: APIs play a central role in facilitating access to financial data.
- Global Expansion of Digital Payments: Licensed APIs allow businesses to operate across borders with ease.
Why Choose Zalewski Consulting?
- Specialized Expertise: Decades of experience in the fintech and payments sectors.
- Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth understanding of PSD2 requirements and EU regulatory frameworks.
- Extensive Network: Access to a global network of buyers, sellers, and regulatory bodies.
- Customized Solutions: Strategies tailored to meet the unique needs of both buyers and sellers.
- Full-Service Approach: From valuation and due diligence to ownership transfer and compliance, we handle every aspect of the transaction.
Call us now
Ready to buy, sell, or acquire an Authorized Payment Institution (API)? At Zalewski Consulting, we provide comprehensive M&A services tailored to your goals.
Contact us today to discuss your needs and begin your journey toward a successful transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Authorized Payment Institution (API)?
An API is a company licensed under the EU Payment Services Directive (PSD2) to provide payment services such as money transfers, payment execution, payment initiation, and account information services. The license is granted by the national financial authority.
What are the benefits of acquiring an existing API vs applying new?
Acquiring an existing API saves 12-18 months of licensing time, provides an established compliance framework, existing banking relationships, and proven operational infrastructure. It also eliminates the uncertainty of a new application being rejected.
Can an API license be passported across the EU?
Yes. An Authorized Payment Institution licensed in any EU/EEA country can passport its services across all member states through notification to the host country regulators, without needing separate licenses in each country.
Content prepared by the Zalewski Consulting fintech M&A team. Reviewed for accuracy as of 2026.
API License For Sale — Jurisdictions
The Authorized Payment Institution (API) under PSD2 Article 11 is a full payment services authorisation with EU-wide passporting rights. Acquiring an existing API in the right jurisdiction can accelerate time-to-market by 12–24 months compared with a fresh application. Our current inventory spans all major EU API hubs.
API License in Sweden
Finansinspektionen (SFSA). Sweden has issued a significant number of APIs and maintains a pragmatic, English-friendly regulatory culture. Strong local banking infrastructure for payment institutions. Well suited to Nordic and cross-border European payment businesses.
API License in Lithuania
Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos Bankas). Lithuania is the single most active EU API and EMI jurisdiction by authorisation count. English-language regulation, efficient processing, and a mature payment institution ecosystem. Widely used for pan-EU passporting strategies.
API License in Estonia
Finantsinspektsioon (FI). Digital-first administrative infrastructure. Post-2019 regulatory tightening has raised substance requirements — current APIs require meaningful local presence, but the regulator remains accessible and the jurisdiction retains strong appeal for technology-focused payment businesses.
API License in Belgium
National Bank of Belgium (NBB). Central-EU location. Strong financial infrastructure. Regulator is rigorous, particularly on AML/CFT. Attractive for APIs focused on Benelux and core-EU corporate payments.
API License in Poland
Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego (KNF). Large domestic market, growing payment institution sector. Polish-language regulatory interaction in most cases. Attractive if Poland is a strategic market or if combined with other Polish operational presence.
API License in Netherlands
De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). Major EU financial hub, high substance expectations, thorough regulator. Strong banking infrastructure. Suitable for larger payment institutions with material operational presence.
API License in Ireland
Central Bank of Ireland (CBI). Post-Brexit destination for UK payment institutions needing continued EU passporting. Substance-first supervision, English-language regulation, higher cost base.
API License in Luxembourg
Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). Institutional-grade financial centre. Higher cost base. Preferred where prestige with corporate counterparties matters.
API License in Malta and Cyprus
Malta (MFSA) and Cyprus (CBC/CySEC) both authorise payment institutions and offer English-language regulatory frameworks. Both jurisdictions have faced stricter ECB scrutiny in recent years; applications succeed when substance and governance frameworks are robust.
What Does an API License Cover?
Under PSD2 Article 11, an Authorized Payment Institution can provide all payment services listed in PSD2 Annex I:
- Services enabling cash to be placed on a payment account (cash-in)
- Services enabling cash withdrawals from a payment account (cash-out)
- Execution of payment transactions (credit transfers, direct debits, card payments)
- Execution of payment transactions where funds are covered by a credit line
- Issuing of payment instruments (e.g., payment cards) and/or acquiring of payment transactions
- Money remittance
- Payment initiation services (PISP)
- Account information services (AISP)
Key difference from EMI: an API cannot issue electronic money (that is the defining activity of an EMI). An API can hold client funds only for the duration of a payment transaction — not as stored value. For many payments business models (cross-border remittance, card issuing without e-money wallets, open banking PISP/AISP, merchant acquiring) an API is the right authorisation.
EU passporting: a single API authorised in any EEA member state can operate across all 30 EEA countries on the basis of notification to host-state regulators. This is the single biggest reason to prefer an EU API over a UK or non-EU payment license.
Capital Requirements
Capital requirements vary by activity scope under PSD2 Article 7:
- €20,000 — money remittance services only
- €50,000 — payment initiation services only
- €125,000 — execution of payment transactions, card issuing, acquiring, and other services listed in Annex I points 1–5
Plus ongoing own funds requirements computed using one of three methods (A, B, or C) as set by the home-state regulator.
API Acquisition vs Fresh Application
A fresh API application in most EU jurisdictions takes 6–12 months from submission to authorisation (and longer in some jurisdictions or for complex applications). Acquiring an existing API compresses this to the 60–120 days required for change-of-control regulatory non-objection — saving 6–18 months of time to market. For businesses with commercial pipelines waiting on licensing, this acceleration is often the dominant commercial rationale.
The trade-off: acquisition price and the due diligence scope required to confirm the target is acquirable. We run the full feasibility assessment before recommending any target.
Frequently Asked Questions
What services can an API provide?
All eight payment services listed in PSD2 Annex I — credit transfers, direct debits, card issuing and acquiring, money remittance, payment initiation, account information, cash-in and cash-out. Not electronic money issuance (that requires an EMI authorisation).
API vs EMI — what’s the difference?
EMI can issue electronic money (stored value); API cannot. Everything else an API can do, an EMI can also do — an EMI is effectively a superset. If your business model involves holding client funds as stored value (wallets, prepaid cards with balance, e-money accounts), you need an EMI. If you only move money from A to B without holding stored value, an API is sufficient and has lower capital requirements.
Which EU country is best for an API license?
Lithuania and Sweden have the deepest payment institution ecosystems and fastest regulatory processes. Ireland is the post-Brexit UK-alternative of choice. Luxembourg is preferred for institutional prestige. Poland is attractive for domestic focus. “Best” depends on your target markets, capital base, substance, and operational preferences.
How long does an API acquisition take?
Typical range 3–6 months from engagement to closing. Change-of-control regulatory non-objection is usually 60–120 days depending on jurisdiction, transaction complexity, and buyer profile. Simpler ready-made APIs (minimum capital, no operations) can close faster than operating APIs with active client books.
Can an API be passported across the EU?
Yes — EU passporting is the core rationale for choosing an EU API. One home-state authorisation allows operation across all 30 EEA countries via notification to host-state regulators. Services can be provided cross-border or via branches.
What happens to client money during the acquisition?
Client funds must remain segregated in safeguarding accounts throughout the transaction. The acquisition does not disturb client money — the entity holding the funds is the same before and after, only the shareholders change. This is why licensed fintech M&A is almost always structured as share purchase rather than asset purchase.
Related Fintech Licensing Services
- EMI License — for stored-value/e-money issuance
- SPI License — PSD2 Article 32 exemption
- Fintech M&A Advisory
- Ready-Made Licensed Companies hub
Considering acquiring an API license? Contact us for confidential scoping. We will return with a targeted shortlist from current live inventory within days.
