The Big Question: Can Revolut continue to grow without a French banking licence?

Published on 20/10/2025 - 6:47 GMT+2

Revolut is expanding its business successful Europe, though obtaining further banking licences isn’t necessary, according to Western Europe CEO Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier.

The British neobank, which now boasts complete 65 cardinal customers worldwide, presently holds a afloat licence successful Lithuania, which allows it to connection banking services crossed nan European Economic Area.

When announcing a €1 cardinal investment successful France this year, Revolut said that it would beryllium applying for a French banking licence. Cossa-Dumurgier told Euronews that specified a move would let nan neobank to get person to customers done much tailored merchandise offerings.

“Having a 2nd licence successful Europe is going to thief america amended localise our connection and guarantee that we complement this very world exemplary of ours,” she said.

“We're successful nan process of getting this licence, but we are not specifically successful a hurry, because we are already operating successful these countries, pinch nan support of nan licence successful Lithuania.”

While Cossa-Dumurgier stressed that nan permits aren’t a priority, she besides claimed that nan “very demanding” attack taken by French regulators is “excellent” for nan firm.

“Trust successful banking is key. In bid to build trust, you request to beryllium fantabulous successful compliance. So being exposed to very demanding regulators…allows america to fortify our operations globally,” she said.

After a three-year wait, Revolut past twelvemonth obtained its banking licence successful nan UK, but nan licence remains successful nan "mobilisation" period. The hold-up intends that Revolut isn’t yet capable to connection definite products to British customers, peculiarly erstwhile it comes to lending.

Transforming into a superior slope for customers

“Revolut started arsenic an e-money business and deliberately aimed to beryllium nan 2nd slope and not nan superior slope for clients,” said Cossa-Dumurgier.

“And what we observe is that much and more, we are becoming nan superior slope for our customers because we are proposing products and services that simplify their life,” she added.

Revolut markets itself arsenic an efficient, low-fee, integer replacement to accepted banks, notably allowing customers to do distant pinch paperwork and clasp aggregate currencies successful 1 place.

Integral to nan marque is its pan-European identity, arsenic it seeks to simplify transactions crossed borders.

“What we want to do successful nan coming years is support immoderate pan-European initiatives…that would further harmonise regulation,” noted Cossa-Dumurgier.

“We judge regularisation is good, because it strengthens standards… But what is not bully is erstwhile location is nary harmony betwixt nan various countries, because … it prevents players from competing successful a azygous [unified] European market,” she said.

Revolut is 1 of galore businesses calling for much unified financial rules crossed nan eurozone, echoing calls from politicians specified arsenic erstwhile ECB President Mario Draghi.

According to Cossa-Dumurgier, specified a move would let Europe to much efficiently compete pinch different nations.

Will Revolut spell public?

When asked whether Revolut is eyeing up an IPO (public stock listing) successful Europe aliases nan US, Cossa-Dumurgier again stressed that nan customer acquisition is nan firm’s focus.

“I don't judge an IPO is an extremity successful itself. It's conscionable a measurement to get to different point. There is decidedly nary timeline astatine each today,” she said.

“And nan cardinal focus… for everyone, is not astatine each astir that. It is conscionable astir building an operating exemplary successful Europe to make our maturation sustainable and successful complete clip [and] to bring nan champion invention to our customers.”

While an IPO whitethorn not beryllium connected nan contiguous horizon, Revolut is considering a dual listing successful New York and London for its stock sale, according to a caller study successful The Times.

If specified a woody were to return place, it would beryllium nan first clip a institution has simultaneously listed successful New York and entered London’s flagship FTSE 100 index.

The Big Questionis a bid from Euronews Business wherever we beryllium down pinch manufacture leaders and experts to talk immoderate of nan astir important topics connected today’s agenda.

Watch nan video supra to spot nan afloat chat pinch Revolut’s Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier.