Why international buyers target Lithuanian fintechs

International companies including Checkout.com, Ebury, Zilch and Lloyds Banking Group have acquired Lithuanian fintech firms to obtain European licences, compliance teams and faster entry to EU markets. Targets include Blue EMI, ArcaPay and Curve Europe, and Zilch has announced plans to buy Fjord Bank.

Deals clustered in 2025 and 2026. A McKinsey report found M&A value in financial services rose about 40% in 2025 and that fintech M&A more than doubled in value. In 2026 buyers focused on smaller, capability-driven transactions that prioritise licences, compliance infrastructure and experienced teams over scale.

Ebury completed the purchase of ArcaPay and Checkout.com bought Blue EMI. Zilch announced its intended acquisition of Fjord Bank, and Lloyds Banking Group is acquiring Curve Europe. Executives on both sides framed the transactions as expansions of capability. Guillaume Pousaz, founder and CEO of Checkout.com, said the Blue EMI purchase will “ensure we continue to drive the high-skilled innovation required to keep our customers ahead in a rapidly evolving global digital economy.” Kees Veerman, managing director for Ebury in Europe, the UK, Switzerland and Canada, described the ArcaPay deal as “a strategic expansion that brings together the strengths of both teams, combining ArcaPay’s local expertise with Ebury’s international reach to create even greater opportunities for clients.”

Lithuania issues more fintech licences than any other EU country, creating a pool of companies that hold electronic money, payment institution or specialised banking licences. Buyers can acquire an operating licence and existing compliance teams rather than apply for a new licence, and they gain passporting routes that allow services to be offered across the EU.

Founders, employees and investors of sold companies gain access to larger capital pools, wider distribution networks and established operational systems. A fintech overview for 2025–2026 reported that 77% of surveyed Lithuanian fintechs planned to increase headcount in 2026.

The Lithuanian government’s 2023–2028 fintech strategy emphasises stronger risk management and more developed compliance functions over issuing larger numbers of licences. Market participants have cited the Bank of Lithuania’s supervisory reputation as a factor in decisions to acquire local firms.

A modernised Law on Joint-Stock Companies, effective 1 July 2026, introduces measures to make corporate governance more flexible, streamline M&A processes, strengthen investor protections and expand options for private equity and venture funds. Legal advisers and dealmakers expect those changes to shorten transaction timelines and simplify post-acquisition corporate adjustments.

Compliance officers, risk managers, operations leads and technology teams developed in Lithuania are being incorporated into international groups. Market participants expect further targeted, capability-driven transactions as international firms continue to enter or expand in EU markets through Lithuanian fintech platforms.