Bankcharter Advisory / Questions and answers
Questions and answers · Bankcharter Advisory
What people ask Bankcharter Advisory before a quote: the authority, the capital, the fees, the file and what happens after the licence.
The application
How do I get a quote?
Ask for a quote on this site or book a free 20-minute call. After the scoping call we send a firm written quote, before anything is signed.
How are the fees paid?
Once the quote is signed, an invoice is issued and paid by bank transfer or in USDT on the TRON network (TRC20).
Do you guarantee the licence?
No. The licence is granted by the authority after its own review. Our commitment is the quality of the file, its filing and its follow-up until the decision.
What does the authority examine?
A programme of operations: the activities, the clients targeted and the countries served over the first years. A business plan with capital and liquidity projections, including a stressed scenario. Governance: a board and senior managers whose fitness and propriety the authority assesses one by one. The shareholders with qualifying holdings, and the origin of their funds. Risk management, internal control, compliance and internal audit functions. An anti-money-laundering framework: client acceptance, monitoring and reporting. The IT and security architecture, and any outsourcing.
What should be settled before the call?
Which activities will the bank carry out, and for which clients? Who are the shareholders, and where do their funds come from? Who will run the bank day to day, and with what track record? How much capital can be committed, and from when? Where will the bank have its premises and its staff?
What continues after the licence is granted?
Capital and liquidity requirements, met at all times and reported. Regular reporting to the supervisor. An annual audit of the accounts and of internal control. Prior approval of new shareholders or managers, where the rules require it. Supervisory fees set by the authority.
What should I know before applying?
In the EU, the initial capital is at least €5 million, with national derogations. The supervisor reviews shareholders, directors and the business plan in depth. No time to approval is announced: the decision belongs to the supervisor.
Can I talk to someone before ordering?
Yes. Book a free 20-minute call on this site, at a time shown in your own time zone. You receive a confirmation and a video link by email.
The licences
Universal bank authorisation — EU / euro area: where, what capital, what fees?
EU / euro area. Capital: ≥ €5,000,000 (CRD; national derogations possible). From €329,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: No expiry. Preparation of the programme of operations, business plan, governance and risk management framework and the files on directors and shareholders; submission of the application to the national competent authority, responses to its questions and those of the ECB, and follow-up through to the authorisation decision.
Specialised / niche bank — EU / EEA: where, what capital, what fees?
EU / EEA. Capital: ≥ €5,000,000, unless a national regime allows otherwise. From €310,390, excluding VAT. Renewal: No expiry. Definition of the restricted business scope and pre-application discussions with the regulator; drafting of the programme of operations, risk and compliance policies and the files on directors and shareholders, submission to the competent authority and follow-up through to its decision.
Digital bank / neobank with a banking licence — EU / EEA: where, what capital, what fees?
EU / EEA. Capital: ≥ €5,000,000. From €329,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: No expiry. Drafting of the programme of operations and its governance, risk management, IT architecture and capital trajectory sections; compilation of the directors' and shareholders' files, submission to the competent authority, responses to its questions and follow-up through to its decision.
Branch of a third-country bank — EU / EEA: where, what capital, what fees?
EU / EEA. Capital: Endowment and requirements set by the host State. From €303,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: Depends on the jurisdiction. Analysis of the branch regime in the host State, preparation of the parent bank and branch file (organisation, responsible managers, endowment capital, controls), submission to the local authority, coordination of exchanges and follow-up through to its decision.
Acquisition of a bank / qualifying holding — EU / EEA: where, what capital, what fees?
EU / EEA. Capital: Acquisition financing + regulatory capital. From €256,890, excluding VAT. Renewal: One-off approval. Regulatory due diligence on the target bank and preparation of the qualifying holding file: identity and beneficial owners of the acquirer, source of funds, financing, post-acquisition business plan; notification to the competent authority, responses to its questions and follow-up through to its decision.
Banking authorisation — United Kingdom: where, what capital, what fees?
United Kingdom — PRA/FCA. Capital: Set by the PRA according to the model. From €329,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: No expiry. Management of the pre-application phase, preparation and submission of the authorisation file to the PRA and the FCA (business plan, governance, capital and liquidity, senior managers), then coordination of all responses to both regulators through to their decision.
Banking licence — Switzerland: where, what capital, what fees?
Switzerland — FINMA. Capital: Own funds according to activity and risks. From €369,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: No expiry. Design of the Swiss structure and organisation of the bank, preparation for the regulatory audit, drafting of internal regulations and the files on directors and shareholders; submission of the application to FINMA, responses to its questions and follow-up through to its decision.
FinTech licence / deposit-taking — Switzerland: where, what capital, what fees?
Switzerland — FINMA. Capital: Regulatory capital under the FinTech regime. On quote. Renewal: No expiry. Assessment of the business model's eligibility for the FinTech regime, followed by preparation of the file: organisation, risk management, compliance, directors and shareholders; submission of the application to FINMA, responses to its questions and follow-up through to its decision.
Commercial / digital bank licence — United Arab Emirates: where, what capital, what fees?
United Arab Emirates — CBUAE. Capital: According to category and CBUAE decision. From €369,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: To be confirmed. Scoping of the banking project, including confirmation of premises and local senior management requirements, drafting of the business plan, policies and directors' and shareholders' files; submission to the CBUAE, responses to its questions and follow-up through to its decision.
International banking licence — Selected jurisdiction: where, what capital, what fees?
Selected jurisdiction. Capital: Statutory minimum according to country. On quote. Renewal: Depends on the jurisdiction. Selection of the jurisdiction suited to the project, preparation of the licence file (business plan, governance, compliance policies, directors and shareholders), local coordination of formalities, submission to the competent authority and follow-up through to its decision.
Representative office / bank branch — Selected jurisdiction: where, what capital, what fees?
Selected jurisdiction. Capital: Endowment according to country. From €139,990, excluding VAT. Renewal: Depends on the jurisdiction. Definition of the scope of the office or branch, with no deposit-taking unless explicitly authorised, preparation of the parent bank and local managers' file, submission to the competent authority, responses to its questions and follow-up through to its decision.
About Bankcharter Advisory
Who operates Bankcharter Advisory?
Bankcharter Advisory is a service of AquaSands Trading AG, a Swiss stock corporation (Aktiengesellschaft, AG), c/o Kaurum GmbH, Hasenbüelweg 32, 6300 Zug, Switzerland. Orders, invoices and contracts are with AquaSands Trading AG.