Revolut has successfully obtained a full French banking license, following a joint review by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) and the European Central Bank (ECB). This decision, formally adopted by the ECB Council on August 10, 2026, marks a significant milestone for the global fintech company and strengthens its position as a major retail bank in Europe. The new license will enable Revolut Bank S.A. to gradually serve customers, starting with France, and then expanding to other European markets such as Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
This move comes after Revolut's earlier announcement to invest over $1.1 billion (€1 billion) in France over the next three years, creating more than 200 new jobs and establishing Paris as its new Western European headquarters. Revolut already employs around 300 people in France, which is its fastest-growing market in the EU with over five million customers. The company highlighted that having a second banking license within the EU will facilitate closer relationships with regulators and allow for more tailored services for its French customers, complementing its existing Lithuanian banking license.
Revolut views France as a leading financial center with a dynamic ecosystem and robust regulatory framework. The company's Western European unit, Revolut Bank S.A., will operate under an experienced leadership team, including Frédéric Oudéa as Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier as CEO for Western Europe. The Lithuanian entity, Revolut Bank UAB, will remain a central part of the group's structure, with both entities overseen by the European Central Bank as part of a dual-hub model designed for scalability.
Revolut has committed to strengthening its presence in Western Europe, which is its largest and fastest-growing region with around 30 million customers, nearly 8 million of whom were added in 2025 alone. The French license provides a foundation to serve this customer base at the highest regulatory and operational levels, also supporting its rapidly growing business banking platform across the continent. This strategic move aims to solidify Revolut's goal of becoming one of Europe's largest and most trusted banks through local relevance, regulatory trust, and continuous product innovation.
Nik Storonsky, founder and CEO of Revolut, emphasized that this license provides the foundation to build the next generation of banking for over 30 million customers in Western Europe. Frédéric Oudéa, Chairman of Revolut Western Europe, noted that the French banking license is a significant milestone reflecting the company's long-term commitment to high standards in governance, regulation, and compliance, as well as constructive dialogue with French and European authorities. Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier, CEO Western Europe, acknowledged the close collaboration with the ACPR and ECB in creating a strong foundation for long-term growth.
