🇫🇷 France vs 🇱🇹 Lithuania: e-money licensing compared
Choosing between France and Lithuania for a e-money licence starts with who you will answer to: ACPR (part of the Banque de France). Not the AMF, which handles markets and crypto. on one side, Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas). on the other, via the Etablissement de monnaie electronique. and the EMI licence (unrestricted) or Restricted EMI, via the Bank of Lithuania. respectively. The two regimes differ on 7 of 10 tracked decision dimensions, including timeline to authorisation and local substance. Every figure behind the comparison carries a last-verified date and a primary source.
France: verified 2026-07-03 · Lithuania: verified 2026-07-03
| Dimension |
🇫🇷 France
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
🇱🇹 Lithuania
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | Etablissement de monnaie electronique. | EMI licence (unrestricted) or Restricted EMI, via the Bank of Lithuania. |
| Regulator | ACPR (part of the Banque de France). Not the AMF, which handles markets and crypto. | Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas). |
| Capital requirement | France capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | France timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | France local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | France application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | France ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | France passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| EMIs authorised | France emis authorised is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania emis authorised is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | France key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Safeguarding | France safeguarding is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania safeguarding is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Recent changes | PSD3 and PSR merge the payment institution and EMI regimes into one payment institution licence that can issue e-money. Final texts published 23 Apr 2026, OJ expected mid to late 2026, PSR applies about 20 days after publication, PSD3 transposition within 18 months (applicability ~Q2/Q3 2028). Existing EMIs are grandfathered but must update their file. | PSD3 and PSR merge the payment institution and EMI regimes into one payment institution licence that can issue e-money. Final texts published 23 Apr 2026, OJ expected mid to late 2026, PSR applies about 20 days after publication, PSD3 transposition within 18 months (applicability ~Q2/Q3 2028). Existing EMIs are grandfathered but must update their file. Continued AML tightening. |
| Difficulty rating | France difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
The two regimes differ on 7 of 10 tracked decision dimensions, including timeline to authorisation and local substance. Unlock the pass to see each figure with its source and verification date.
What changed recently
🇫🇷 France (verified 2026-07-03): PSD3 and PSR merge the payment institution and EMI regimes into one payment institution licence that can issue e-money. Final texts published 23 Apr 2026, OJ expected mid to late 2026, PSR applies about 20 days after publication, PSD3 transposition within 18 months (applicability ~Q2/Q3 2028). Existing EMIs are grandfathered but must update their file.
🇱🇹 Lithuania (verified 2026-07-03): PSD3 and PSR merge the payment institution and EMI regimes into one payment institution licence that can issue e-money. Final texts published 23 Apr 2026, OJ expected mid to late 2026, PSR applies about 20 days after publication, PSD3 transposition within 18 months (applicability ~Q2/Q3 2028). Existing EMIs are grandfathered but must update their file. Continued AML tightening.
Quick answers
Who regulates e-money licensing in France and Lithuania?
France: ACPR (part of the Banque de France). Not the AMF, which handles markets and crypto.. Lithuania: Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas)..
What licence do you need in France compared with Lithuania?
In France the authorisation route is Etablissement de monnaie electronique.; in Lithuania it is EMI licence (unrestricted) or Restricted EMI, via the Bank of Lithuania.. The comparison table on this page lines the two up dimension by dimension.
Where can I see the full France vs Lithuania comparison?
The interactive benchmark lets you pin either jurisdiction and add up to five peers; a Founder Pass or Pro subscription unlocks every gated figure with its source and verification date. This page stays free at /e-money/compare/france-vs-lithuania.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.