Qonto Crosses Major Milestone, Eyes Full Banking Status
On July 3, 2025, Qonto, the Paris-based B2B neobank, officially announced it has surpassed 600,000 small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers across Europe. The announcement came with another major strategic move: Qonto has applied for a full credit institution license with French and European regulators. This would allow the company to move beyond payment and e-money services, and offer a broader range of banking products under its own regulatory umbrella.
Until now, Qonto has operated under an e-money license with partner banks handling core banking infrastructure. This new licensing pursuit marks a turning point not just for Qonto but for the broader European neobanking landscape. It signals a move toward deeper financial integration and long-term sustainability in the hyper-competitive fintech space.
How Qonto Became a B2B Neobank Powerhouse?
Founded in 2016 by Alexandre Prot and Steve Anavi, Qonto was launched to fill a glaring gap in traditional banking: modern, intuitive business banking for freelancers, startups, and small businesses. With features like multi-user access, smart expense management, integrated invoicing, and real-time transaction tracking, Qonto positioned itself as the Stripe of business banking.
The platform supports:
- Business accounts with IBANs for SEPA and SWIFT transfers
- Corporate cards with spend limits and mobile controls
- Automated expense categorization
- Easy team permissions and user roles
- Integrations with QuickBooks, Slack, and over 80 SaaS platforms
Qonto is currently available in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, and has grown aggressively through its acquisitions (notably the German fintech Penta in 2022) and strong customer retention among SMBs, solopreneurs, and digital-first agencies.
A Shifting Landscape in European B2B Banking
The neobanking sector in Europe has matured significantly in recent years, particularly within B2B financial services. While consumer-facing neobanks like N26 and Revolut grapple with profitability and churn, Qonto has carved out a strong position by targeting a long-underserved segment: small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Recent fintech trends show that SMBs are driving strong demand for digital-first solutions like embedded finance, invoice factoring, and automated payroll, all those segments where traditional banks often fall short. By applying for a full French banking license, Qonto is positioning itself to broaden its suite of adjacent services and deepen its role in the financial operations of European businesses.
Moreover, Qonto’s rivals are also moving fast. UK-based Tide has made inroads in Germany, and German startup Kontist continues to grow among freelancers. But Qonto’s scale, infrastructure partnerships, and branding as a pan-European solution give it a unique position in the market.
Why a Full Banking License Matters?
Applying for a full banking license means Qonto wants to bring everything in-house, from holding deposits to issuing loans. This move will:
- Allow Qonto to hold customer funds directly instead of relying on third-party banks
- Enable the launch of credit products, overdrafts, and business loans
- Strengthen trust and long-term regulatory credibility
- Improve unit economics by reducing third-party fees and infrastructure costs
- Open up cross-border banking operations within the EU
The neobank plans to maintain its user-centric UX while scaling its backend infrastructure. It also gives Qonto more autonomy in rolling out new financial products faster and with better margins.
This move is aligned with the trend of “verticalizing fintech stacks,” where companies integrate licensing, core banking, customer acquisition, and lending under one brand.
Data Speaks: The Rise of SMB Fintech
Emerging fintech data also indicates that B2B neobank users tend to have stronger retention rates and are more likely to adopt value-added services such as invoicing, payroll automation, and real-time expense management making them a high-LTV segment for neobanks.
Moreover, recent surveys in markets like France, Spain, and Germany reveal that a growing percentage of SMBs are open to switching to neobanks that offer better digital tools, faster loan approvals, or integrated financial services. This demand for modern, streamlined banking aligns closely with Qonto’s expanding product roadmap and supports its broader strategy of acquiring a full banking license to deepen customer value and scale across Europe.
What Comes Next for Qonto?
If Qonto’s license is approved by the French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority (ACPR) and the European Central Bank, it will join the ranks of other fully licensed digital banks in Europe, such as Bunq and Solaris.
With that milestone, Qonto is expected to:
- Launch working capital lines and invoice factoring
- Expand into more EU markets, possibly Belgium and the Netherlands next
- Deepen AI-based financial analytics and smart accounting features
- Increase its API ecosystem for developers and fintechs building on top of Qonto infrastructure
Also worth noting: the neobank could eventually explore IPO pathways or large-scale partnerships with telcos, ERP vendors, or e-commerce platforms to embed financial services more deeply.
This Is More Than a License for Qonto
At The Futurism Today, we view Qonto’s milestone not just as another funding or user growth story, but as a clear signal of where B2B fintech is headed.
In a world where agility, transparency, and data-driven financial services are becoming foundational for SMBs, Qonto is building more than a bank. It’s architecting the infrastructure for a new generation of business owners who expect the same speed and elegance in their finances as they do in their SaaS tools.
The full banking license is not just about regulation. It’s about trust, control, and scale. And in the next five years, we believe that platforms like Qonto will lead the charge in transforming how Europe’s entrepreneurial economy banks, borrows, and builds.