# Electronic Money Institution licence (krajowa instytucja pieniądza elektronicznego - KIO) (Poland)

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/poland/

The Electronic Money Institution licence (krajowa instytucja pieniądza elektronicznego - KIO) is issued by Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) under Directive 2009/110/EC on electronic money institutions (EMD2). It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The legal decision period is 3 months from a complete application. The application fee is EUR 1,250, payable in PLN, for the permit application. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.

## At a glance

| Official name | Electronic Money Institution licence (krajowa instytucja pieniądza elektronicznego - KIO) [1] |
| --- | --- |
| Issued by | [Polish Financial Supervision Authority](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/knf-poland/) |
| Jurisdiction | [Poland](https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/poland/) |
| Licence family | [Electronic money institution (EMI)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/) |
| Legal basis | Directive 2009/110/EC on electronic money institutions (EMD2) [2] |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
| Application fee | EUR 1,250, payable in PLN, for the permit application [1] |
| Statutory decision time | 3 months from a complete application [3] |

## What it lets you do

- [Issuing electronic money](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/e-money-issuance/)
- [Execution of payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-execution/)
- [Money remittance](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/money-remittance/)
- [Issuing payment instruments and acquiring payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/card-issuing-acquiring/)
- [Payment initiation services](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-initiation/)
- [Account information services](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/account-information/)

- **Issuing electronic money.** Issuing monetary value stored electronically against funds received, redeemable at par and accepted by third parties as payment.
- **Execution of payment transactions.** Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account.
- **Money remittance.** Receiving funds from a payer solely to transfer them to a payee or another provider, without opening payment accounts.
- **Issuing payment instruments and acquiring payment transactions.** Issuing cards or other payment instruments to payers, and acquiring card and other payment transactions for merchants.
- **Payment initiation services.** Initiating a payment order at the user's request from an account held with another provider, as in open banking.
- **Account information services.** Providing consolidated online information on one or more payment accounts the user holds with other providers.

## Where it is valid

_Issued in Poland (gold); can be passported to the other EU/EEA states (blue) by notification._

## Cost

_Regulatory costs from the official sources above. Professional fees, staff, office and audit come on top and depend on the business model._

## How long it takes

Statutory: 3 months from a complete application [3]. Observed: not published. The statutory clock usually starts only when the regulator treats the application as complete, and pauses while it waits for answers to its questions.

## Buying a company that already holds it

**Prior notification with an objection period.** Acquiring or increasing a qualifying holding needs prior notification to the KNF, which can object within 60 working days (extendable by up to 20 working days while it waits for information). For national payment institutions the thresholds are 20%, 30% and 50% (Payment Services Act, Art. 72a); for banks they are 10%, 20%, one third and 50% (Banking Law, Art. 25). Shares acquired in breach carry no voting rights. [3]

Ready-made companies holding this licence: [see verified positions](https://protegra.io/companies/emoney-payments/).

## Laws behind it

- [Directive 2009/110/EC on the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/eu-emd2-2009-110/): Directive 2009/110/EC

## Sources

1. [knf.gov.pl: oplaty i koszty](https://www.knf.gov.pl/dla_rynku/procesy_licencyjne/platniczy/krajowe_instytucje_platnicze/oplaty_i_koszty): retrieved 2026-09-24
2. [eur-lex.europa.eu: TXT (32009L0110)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009L0110): retrieved 2026-09-24
3. [knf.gov.pl: zezwolenie rozpatrywanie wniosku](https://www.knf.gov.pl/dla_rynku/procesy_licencyjne/platniczy/krajowe_instytucje_platnicze/zezwolenie_rozpatrywanie_wniosku): retrieved 2026-09-24

Last verified 2026-09-24 · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.