United States

Regulator sites

• FinCENFinancial Crimes Enforcement Network (US)
• State regulators (NMLS)US state banking departments, via NMLS
• OCCOffice of the Comptroller of the Currency (US)
• Federal ReserveBoard of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (US)
• CFPBConsumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)

• Money Services Business registrationMSBFederal registration with FinCEN for money transmission, currency exchange, money orders and prepaid access.

  Permitted activities

  Money transmission, currency dealing/exchange, money orders, traveller’s cheques and prepaid access, as defined in the BSA.

  Typical holders

  Money transmitters, foreign-exchange desks, prepaid-access providers that operate in the United States.

  Application path

  Register with FinCEN (and keep the registration current). This is a federal registration, not a substitute for state MTL.

  Key limits

  Does not authorise taking deposits. State money-transmitter licences are still required in each state of operation.

  Money transfer & remittanceOfficial source
• State money transmitter licenceMTLLicensed in each state where you transmit money — usually with surety bonds and minimum net-worth tests.

  Permitted activities

  Transmitting money for customers in that state (definitions vary by statute).

  Typical holders

  Remittance firms, payout platforms and wallet operators serving US residents.

  Application path

  File through NMLS with each state banking department. Bonds, net worth and resident-agent rules are set state by state.

  Key limits

  A licence in one state does not passport into another. Unlicensed transmission is typically a criminal offence.

  Money transfer & remittanceOfficial source
• National bank or trust charterNational charterA federal charter that lets a fintech hold deposits and settle payments without a state-by-state patchwork.Banking & deposit-takingOfficial source
• State bank or trust charterState charterDeposit-taking under a state charter, supervised by the state and a federal regulator.Banking & deposit-takingOfficial source
• Remittance Transfer RuleRemittance ruleDisclosure, cancellation and error-resolution duties for cross-border remittances — a compliance regime, not a licence.Payment institution / PSPOfficial source

A hand-picked sample for orientation — not the full register.

• AdyenHolds a Dutch banking licence, so it settles as a bank in Europe and licenses locally elsewhere.BankingMTLEMIAFSLMPISVFIPLicensed inEuropean Union / EEAUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaSingaporeHong Kong, ChinaBrazilUnited Arab EmiratesSearch coverage
• AirwallexCross-border accounts, cards and acquiring with one of the widest licence footprints in APAC.AFSLAPIEMISVFMPIMSBLicensed inAustraliaUnited KingdomHong Kong, ChinaSingaporeUnited StatesMalaysiaNew ZealandChina (mainland)Search coverage
• Block (Square)Merchant acquiring and Cash App, licensed state by state and in each international market.MTLMSBEMIAFSLLicensed inUnited StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaJapanEuropean Union / EEASearch coverage
• Checkout.comEnterprise acquiring with local acquiring licences across four regions.APIEMIMTLMPISVFLicensed inUnited KingdomEuropean Union / EEAUnited StatesUnited Arab EmiratesSingaporeHong Kong, ChinaAustraliaJapanSearch coverage
• CircleStablecoin issuer holding US money transmitter licences and an EU e-money licence.MSBMTLEMIMPILicensed inUnited StatesEuropean Union / EEAFRSingaporeSearch coverage
• CoinbaseCrypto exchange and custody with licences across the US, EU and Asia-Pacific.MSBMTLEMICASPMPILicensed inUnited StatesEuropean Union / EEAUnited KingdomDESingaporeAustraliaSearch coverage
• FiservMerchant acquiring and issuer processing at scale.MTLEMILicensed inUnited StatesUnited KingdomEuropean Union / EEASearch coverage
• FlutterwaveAfrican payments infrastructure with licences across the continent and in the UK/US.PSSPMMOPSPEMIMSBLicensed inNigeriaKenyaGhanaSouth AfricaEgyptUnited KingdomUnited StatesCanadaSearch coverage
• GoCardlessBank payments and open banking with licences in Europe, Australia and the US.EMIAPIAFSLMTLLicensed inUnited KingdomAustraliaUnited StatesEuropean Union / EEASearch coverage
• KlarnaBuy-now-pay-later backed by a Swedish banking licence.BankingEMILicensed inEuropean Union / EEAUnited KingdomUnited StatesAustraliaSearch coverage
• MarqetaModern card issuing platform — licensed where it issues and settles.MTLEMILicensed inUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaSingaporeSearch coverage
• NiumReal-time cross-border payments and card issuance for banks and businesses.MPIEMIAPIMTLAFSLLicensed inSingaporeUnited KingdomUnited StatesAustraliaHong Kong, ChinaIndiaMalaysiaSearch coverage
• NuveiPayment technology and acquiring with local licences across its footprint.MSBMTLEMIMPIAFSLLicensed inCanadaUnited StatesUnited KingdomEuropean Union / EEASingaporeAustraliaSearch coverage
• PayoneerCross-border payouts and receivables for marketplaces and SMBs.MSBMTLEMIAPISVFAFSLLicensed inUnited StatesUnited KingdomEuropean Union / EEAHong Kong, ChinaAustraliaSingaporeIndiaSearch coverage
• PayPalRuns a Luxembourg banking licence alongside US state money transmitter licences.BankingMTLEMIAFSLLicensed inUnited StatesEuropean Union / EEAUnited KingdomAustraliaSingaporeSearch coverage
• PaysafeWallets and processing under UK and EU e-money licences plus US registrations.EMIAPIMTLMSBLicensed inUnited KingdomUnited StatesCanadaEuropean Union / EEASearch coverage
• PPROLocal payment methods platform for PSPs and merchants.EMIMTLMPILicensed inUnited KingdomEuropean Union / EEAUnited StatesSingaporeBrazilMexicoSearch coverage
• RapydFintech-as-a-service with licensed entities across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific.EMIAPIMTLMPILicensed inUnited KingdomIsraelUnited StatesSingaporeMexicoBrazilSearch coverage
• RemitlyDigital remittance with money transmitter licences in its send markets.MSBMTLAPIEMIAFSLLicensed inUnited StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaSearch coverage
• RevolutEMI plus a banking licence in Lithuania; separate licences in each expansion market.BankingEMIAPIMTLMPIAFSLLicensed inEuropean Union / EEAUnited KingdomUnited StatesSingaporeAustraliaJapanMexicoBrazilIndiaSearch coverage
• RippleCross-border settlement infrastructure with money transmitter and e-money authorisations.MSBMTLEMIMPILicensed inUnited StatesEuropean Union / EEAUnited KingdomSingaporeSearch coverage
• StripeGlobal acquiring, payouts and issuing; licensed separately in each market it settles in.MSBMTLEMIAPIMPIAFSLLicensed inUnited StatesEuropean Union / EEAUnited KingdomSingaporeAustraliaJapanSearch coverage
• ThunesCross-border payout network connecting wallets, banks and mobile money.MPIAPIMTLLicensed inSingaporeUnited KingdomUnited StatesSearch coverage
• WiseCross-border accounts and transfers, licensed market by market.EMIMTLMPIAFSLLicensed inUnited KingdomEuropean Union / EEAUnited StatesSingaporeAustraliaJapanMalaysiaSearch coverage

Region

• Canada
• Mexico