Qonto Files for French Banking License After Hitting 600K Customers

Lloyd
Qonto Files for French Banking License After Hitting 600K Customers
Qonto Banking License: What It Means for Fintech and SMBs in Europe “Is Qonto a real bank?” That question frequently pops up among freelancers, small business owners, and fintech watchers alike. The answer has always been no—until now. After reaching a significant milestone of 600,000 customers across Europe, French fintech Qonto has officially applied for a banking license in France. This move marks a pivotal shift from its current operations under a payment institution license to potentially becoming a fully licensed credit institution. The implications are massive, especially for its core customer base of freelancers and SMBs seeking broader financial solutions under one digital roof. Image Credits:Qonto Qonto Banking License to Unlock Lending, Savings, and Investment Services With its existing payment institution license obtained in 2018, Qonto has successfully provided essential financial tools, including a limited form of buy now, pay later (BNPL). However, a full credit institution…