Revolut, the global FinTech serving more than 75 million customers, has secured a full banking licence for its French entity as it prepares to expand its banking services across Western Europe.
Revolut Bank S.A. (RBSA) received approval following a joint assessment by France’s Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) and the European Central Bank (ECB). The final decision was adopted by the ECB Governing Council, giving Revolut’s French operation full banking status.
The approval will allow RBSA to begin onboarding customers in France before expanding into Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Revolut’s existing Lithuanian banking entity, Revolut Bank UAB, will continue to support the company’s operations across the rest of the European Economic Area.
The company said the two entities will operate through a dual-hub structure, with each banking operation subject to oversight from its respective national regulator alongside the ECB.
The French licence forms part of a wider investment push by Revolut in Western Europe. The company has committed more than €1bn across the region over the past year and intends to add more than 600 employees.
Revolut will also establish its Western European headquarters in Paris in 2027. The leadership team will include RBSA board chair Frédéric Oudéa and Western Europe chief executive Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier.
Western Europe is Revolut’s largest and fastest-growing region, with approximately 30 million customers. Nearly eight million customers in the region joined the company during 2025.
The company said the new banking structure will enable it to adapt its products and services more closely to individual markets while developing relationships with customers, employees and local financial ecosystems.
Revolut has described the French licence as an important step towards its ambition of becoming one of Europe’s largest and most trusted banks. It said local operations, regulatory approval and continued product development will support its expansion strategy.
Revolut founder and CEO Nik Storonsky said, “This licence gives us the foundation to build the next generation of banking for more than 30 million customers across Western Europe. France has become a leading financial hub, supported by a dynamic financial ecosystem and a robust regulatory framework. It is the ideal platform to accelerate Revolut’s next phase of growth – bringing us one step closer to our ambition of becoming one of Europe’s largest and most trusted banks.”
Revolut Western Europe chairman Frédéric Oudéa added, “Receiving this licence is a significant milestone in Revolut’s evolution as a banking group. It reflects our long-term commitment to building a bank that meets the highest governance, regulatory and compliance standards, and the constructive engagement we’ve built with the French and European authorities. These foundations will support us as we continue to build trust with customers, regulators and partners across the region.”
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