How to Get a License for Payment Service Providers
A Payment Institution (PI) license lets you offer payment processing, money remittance, and payment-instrument issuance — a lower capital threshold than an EMI license in most jurisdictions.
Capital requirements by country
- Estonia
- €125,000
- Lithuania
- €125,000
- Switzerland
- Ask us for the current figure
Steps to obtain a PI license
Establish your legal entity
Register the appropriate company structure in your chosen country.
Meet the capital requirement
Fully paid and available for use — confirm the exact figure for your country and scope of services.
Prepare your documentation
Business plan, KYC/AML policies, risk management strategy, and operational/technological infrastructure overview.
Appoint qualified management
Relevant experience in financial services and payment processing, including a compliance officer.
Submit your application
To the relevant regulator, with all documentation and the application fee.
Await review and obtain your license
Background checks and business-model evaluation; once approved, maintain ongoing capital reserves and compliance.
Common questions
What can a PI license actually do?
Payment processing, money remittance, issuing payment instruments like debit cards, and fund transfers between accounts — without issuing electronic money like an EMI.
Is Switzerland's PI capital the same as its EMI figure?
Not necessarily — Swiss sources indicate PI requirements may differ depending on the specific scope of services. We confirm the exact threshold for your case.
Country guides
Estonia · Lithuania · Switzerland
Why work with BIZ TRP
The line between a Payment Institution license and an EMI license genuinely confuses many founders — and choosing the wrong one means redoing the application under a different framework entirely.
- We confirm PI is really what your business needs. Payment processing and remittance are different from issuing electronic money — we check which applies to your model.
- We prepare your application. Business plan, KYC/AML policies, and operational documentation, ready for submission.
- We confirm the current capital requirement. For your specific chosen country, rather than assuming it matches the EMI figure.
Ready to apply for a PI license?
BIZ TRP confirms the real capital requirement and application process for your chosen jurisdiction.
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