What's the difference between these license types (EMI, MSO, AD-II, etc.)?

License types vary by jurisdiction and determine the services a regulated entity can provide, such as issuing e-money, money transfer, payment processing, FX, or remittance services.

Which Nium capabilities can I access in my region?

Available capabilities depend on the local regulatory perimeter and Nium product configuration in each market. Nium can help map payment, wallet, card, FX, and local rail access to your target regions.

Do I need my own licenses to operate through Nium?

Many customers can access Nium's licensed infrastructure without holding the same local licenses themselves, subject to onboarding, due diligence, product scope, and applicable regulatory requirements.

What compliance responsibilities do I have if I partner with Nium?

Responsibilities are defined by the partnership model and product setup. Nium supports the licensed infrastructure layer, while customers typically retain responsibilities for their customer experience, data, and agreed compliance controls.

Global licences and regulatory coverage, worldwide

Nium’s global licensing footprint spans 40+ licences, authorizations, and registrations across key markets - enabling payments, cards, wallets, and FX at scale.

40+ licences, authorizations and registrations spanning 40 countries, with more underway

Cards, wallets, payouts & FX

Access to local and real-time payment rails

Expanding our global licensing footprint

We are actively investing in new licences and regulatory approvals to deepen local capabilities and extend our global reach.

Mexico MTL license

Chile CMF license

Colombia SEDPE license

UAE DIFC license

Enabling stablecoin products through new licences in existing markets across the UK, EU and Singapore

Building direct infrastructure with central bank payment systems in EU, Singapore, Brazil and Canada

Built for global scale

Our licences aren’t just regulatory requirements - they power a full-stack payments infrastructure, enabling you to launch and scale globally with speed and confidence.

Card issuing

Multi-currency accounts

Foreign exchange

Domestic & international payments

Licensed where it matters

Nium operates under licences, authorizations, and registrations across major financial hubs globally. Each licence enables specific capabilities, from payments and card issuing to FX and local rail access, enabling us to deliver compliant, scalable solutions worldwide.

Australia

AFSL + AUSTRAC Registration

Granted: 2014

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Card issuing

Regulatory details:

Nium Pty Limited (ABN: tel:45601384025) holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (Licence No. 464627) issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and is registered with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) as an independent remittance dealer (Registration No. IND100432795-001).

Canada

Money Services Business (MSB)

Granted: 2015

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Regulatory details:

Nium Canada Corporation is a registered Money Services Business (Registration No. M15669293) and is regulated by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).

European Union - EEA Lithuania

Electronic Money Institution (EMI)

Granted: 2017

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Card issuing

Regulatory details:

UAB Nium EU is an Electronic Money Institution (License No. 14 issued on 28 September 2017) regulated by Lietuvos Bankas (Bank of Lithuania) and is licensed to issue e-money and provide payment services in the EEA through the passporting regime.

Ixaris Financial Services Malta Limited, registered in Malta (company registration number C98342) and registered office at Capital Business Center, The penthouse suite 1 Triq Taż-Żwejt SĠN3000, San Ġwann, Malta, is authorized by the Malta Financial Services Authority (office address: Triq l-Imdina, Zone 1, Central Business District, Birkirkara CBD 1010, Malta) under the Financial Institution Act (Chapter 376 of the laws of Malta) for the issuing of electronic money and provision of payment services.

Hong Kong

Money Service Operator (MSO)

Granted: 2016

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Regulatory details:

Nium Limited is licensed by the Customs and Excise Department as a Money Service Operator Licence (Licence No. 16-01-01797).

India

AD1 / AD2 Model + AD-II License

Status: Active (PA licence in-principle Jan 2024)

Enables:

Cross-border remittance via AD1/AD2 bank partner model

FX services via Nium Forex (AD-II)

Regulatory details:

Nium India Pvt Ltd. operates in partnership with its AD-1 Bank partners, under specific approvals granted by the Reserve Bank of India to the AD-1 Bank partners.

Indonesia

Category 3 Payment Service Provider

Granted: 2021

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Regulatory details:

PT Nium Mitra Indonesia is regulated by Bank Indonesia as a Category 3 Payment Service Provider (License No. 21/261/Jkt/1).

Japan

Type I & II Funds Transfer Service Provider

Granted: 2024

Enables:

High-value cross-border transfers (Type I)

Standard transfers (Type II)

Real-time domestic payouts via Zengin

Regulatory details:

Nium Japan Kabushiki Kaisha is regulated by the Kanto Local Finance Bureau as a Type I and Type II Funds Transfer Service Provider (License No. 00073).

Malaysia

Class B MSB + International Remittance Hub (IRH)

Granted: 2017 (expanded May 2022)

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Regulatory details:

Nium Sdn. Bhd. with Registration No. 201701000367 is licensed by Bank Negara Malaysia as a Class B Money Service Business (Remittance Business) (Licence No. 00340, valid until 7 January 2025).

シンガポール

Major Payment Institution (MPI)

Granted: 2021

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Card issuing

Regulatory details:

NIUM Pte. Ltd. is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a Major Payment Institution (Licence No. PS20200276). Socash Pte Ltd is is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a Major Payment Institution (Licence No. PS20200515).

United Kingdom

Authorised Electronic Money Institution (AEMI)

Granted: 2020

Also includes:

Nium Payments UK Limited (EMI); Nium Solutions Limited (Authorised Payment Institution).

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Card issuing

Regulatory details:

Nium Fintech Limited is authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (Reference Number 901024) for the issuing of electronic money and provision of payment services.

Entropay Limited (company registration number 04072405) is authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (Reference Number 900800) for the issuing of electronic money and provision of payment services.

Ixaris Solutions Limited (company registration number 09024600) is authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulation 2017 (Reference Number 721549) for the provision of payment services.

United States

Money Transfer Licences (MTLs)

Status: 28 states approved, nationwide expansion in progress

Enables:

Domestic & international payments

Multi-currency accounts

Regulatory details:

Nium continues to expand licensing coverage across all US states, with approvals ongoing through 2025-2026.

Regulatory details:

Nium, Inc. operates in the United States under programs sponsored by Community Federal Savings Bank and Column National Association. Payment services are provided by Community Federal Savings Bank and Column National Association, to which Nium, Inc. acts as a service provider.

Ixaris USA LLC is incorporated under the laws of the state Delaware, and operates under a program sponsored by Metropolitan Commercial Bank.

Power your global expansion with Nium’s licensed infrastructure

FAQs

Everything you need to know about Nium Licenses

Nium holds different license types depending on each jurisdiction's regulatory framework. Here's what each enables:

EMI (Electronic Money Institution) — EU/EEA standard. Allows issuing e-money, payments, card issuing, and multi-currency wallets. Nium holds this in Lithuania, Netherlands (in progress), and Malta.

MSO (Money Service Operator) — Hong Kong's equivalent. Enables payments and card issuing, but not multi-currency wallets under the current license.

MPI (Major Payment Institution) — Singapore's highest tier. Covers domestic/international payments, wallets, and card issuing.

AD-II (Authorized Dealer Category II) — India's FX license. Specifically for foreign exchange services; Nium's remittance services operate through bank partner AD-I relationships.

Type I & II Funds Transfer Service Provider — Japan's tiered approach. Type I handles high-value cross-border; Type II covers standard transfers.

MTL (Money Transfer License) — US standard. Permits domestic and international payments; multi-currency capability varies by state.

The type varies because each regulator defines “payment services” differently. We tailor our licensing strategy to each market's rules.

We can onboard you in any of our licensed jurisdictions. Once onboarded, you and your customers can collect funds and make payouts in any of the currencies listed on our 'Nium Payments Playbook' page.

No. When you partner with Nium, you operate through our licensed infrastructure across 35+ markets. Nium remains the licensed entity—you benefit from our regulatory footprint without needing your own approvals in those markets.

This means:

No licensing overhead or waiting periods in Nium's covered jurisdictions
Faster time-to-market across multiple markets simultaneously
Nium maintains ongoing compliance and regulatory reporting

You access Nium's payments rails, card issuing, wallet platform, and FX services directly through the partnership. For specifics on what's available in your target markets, see the capabilities breakdown above or contact our partnerships team.

Partner with Nium and you're using a licensed entity to deliver compliant payments infrastructure. Your compliance scope depends on your business model and customer base.

For specifics on shared responsibilities, customer due diligence, and compliance integration, discuss with our partnerships and legal teams. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and use case.

Note: Customization and white-labeling availability varies by product and partnership structure. Confirm options with our team.

Depending on your use case, customization may be available for API integration, reporting dashboards, or workflows specific to your customer segment. White-labeling (branding the user-facing experience) depends on product type and regulatory requirements in your jurisdictions—some regulators may require transparent Nium branding for compliance transparency.

For your specific needs, discuss customization and branding options with our partnerships team.

Questions about partnership structure, licensing availability in your markets, or technical integration? Contact [email protected] or visit our contact us page.

This means:

No licensing overhead or waiting periods in Nium's covered jurisdictions
Faster time-to-market across multiple markets simultaneously
Nium maintains ongoing compliance and regulatory reporting

Note: Customization and white-labeling availability varies by product and partnership structure. Confirm options with our team.

For your specific needs, discuss customization and branding options with our partnerships team.

Questions about partnership structure, licensing availability in your markets, or technical integration? Contact [email protected] or visit our contact us page.

Global licences and regulatory coverage, worldwide

Expanding our global licensing footprint

Built for global scale

Licensed where it matters

Australia

Canada

European Union - EEA Lithuania

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Japan

Malaysia

シンガポール

United Kingdom

United States

Power your global expansion with Nium’s licensed infrastructure

Everything you need to know about Nium Licenses

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