Glossary
EMI licence (e-money institution)
An EU/EEA authorisation to issue electronic money and provide payment services - the workhorse licence behind most European fintech products.
An e-money institution can issue stored value (balances), execute payments and issue cards - everything a neobank-style product needs except credit and deposit-taking. Customer funds are safeguarded (segregated at a credit institution), not covered by deposit guarantee schemes.
EMIs passport across the EEA, which is why licensing hubs like Lithuania (95 EMIs - more than Germany and France combined) matter: your "German" fintech may legally be a Lithuanian EMI. Fintechnologica shows the licence type, home regulator and register reference on every profile.