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    Revolut’s Double HQ – Banks on EU as London Wobbles

    FintechFetchBy No Comments11 Mins Read


    Revolut sets up a Western Europe HQ in Paris to lock in local growth, push for
    a French banking license, and hedge against London’s fading fintech sparkle.

    Revolut is packing its bags—well, half of them—and moving to Paris. The
    UK-born fintech unicorn is launching a new Western Europe headquarters in the
    French capital, marking a major pivot toward continental control. It might not
    be abandoning London, but this move says what many in fintech have been whispering:
    post-Brexit Britain isn’t what it used to be.

    Revolut isn’t just eyeing Paris for the croissants. The
    company plans to invest more than €1 billion in France over three years     and
    apply for a local banking license, all while creating 200+ new jobs in due
    course. The message is clear: Europe needs a localized strategy, and Paris is
    central to that plan.

    A Tale of Two Headquarters

    This isn’t a so much a relocation, it’s more of a recalibration.
    Revolut is adopting a dual-HQ model, with Lithuania continuing to serve as its
    base for Eastern and Central Europe, and Paris eventually taking charge of the
    West: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland.

    As explained in Revolut’s own announcement, this split is about
    agility. By aligning each HQ with its target regions, the company can stay
    closer to regulators, tailor offerings more precisely, and bring new services
    to market faster.

    It’s also about showing regulators that Revolut isn’t just playing the
    passporting game. A French banking license would give it deeper roots—and
    greater independence—inside one of its fastest-growing markets, where it
    already serves
    around 5 million users    .

    Brexit Burnout and London’s Slide

    Let’s be honest: London’s grip on the fintech crown is slipping.
    Post-Brexit red tape, regulatory uncertainty, and delayed IPOs have all taken a
    toll. The UK’s once-thriving startup scene has seen a brain drain—and Revolut’s
    Paris pivot only underscores the shift.

    As Euronews reports, Revolut’s strategy highlights how fintechs are
    beginning to hedge their bets. Why gamble on an
    increasingly isolated London     when you can build a second home in the heart
    of the EU?

    The
    UK government may be trying to woo fintechs     with light-touch regulation, but
    for Revolut, embedding in the EU means fewer compliance headaches and more
    market access. It also doesn’t hurt that France’s President Macron has gone
    full throttle with his “Choose France”
    investor roadshow, which Revolut attended in May.

    France Gets the Flex—and the Jobs

    The real winner in all of this? Paris. Revolut’s €1 billion investment
    will generate 400 new jobs across compliance, banking operations, tech, and
    marketing. The firm already employs 300 people in the city—so by 2029, the
    Paris office could be home to 700 Revoluters.

    This is more a fintech expansion. It’s one of the biggest foreign
    investments in France’s financial sector in the last decade, and it plants
    Revolut firmly in the region’s economic fabric. As Yahoo Finance notes, it’s also a smart political move—showing commitment
    not just to users, but to European regulators who want boots on the ground.

    What’s Next for Revolut?

    • License, please: The next major step is getting that French banking
      license from the ACPR. If granted, expect faster launches of credit products,
      savings accounts, and insurance bundles tailored for EU markets.
    • Paris products inbound: The new HQ will lead product development for
      Western Europe, giving the company more local nuance in its offerings.
    • IPO ambitions sharpen: Revolut’s long-awaited IPO may still be on the
      back burner, but this kind of expansion gives global investors a stronger EU
      growth narrative—and a hedge against UK instability.

    Bottom Line

    Revolut is evolving. By choosing Paris for its Western Europe HQ, the
    fintech juggernaut is signalling that the future of European banking won’t be
    dictated from London alone. This is a bet on proximity, on trust, and on the
    power of planting flags where the customers—and regulators—live.

    For the City of London, this is another bruise in a growing list of
    missed fintech opportunities. For Paris? It’s a coup. Vive la révolution,
    indeed.

    Stay across the latest Fintech and Trending news in our dedicated sections.

    Revolut sets up a Western Europe HQ in Paris to lock in local growth, push for
    a French banking license, and hedge against London’s fading fintech sparkle.

    Revolut is packing its bags—well, half of them—and moving to Paris. The
    UK-born fintech unicorn is launching a new Western Europe headquarters in the
    French capital, marking a major pivot toward continental control. It might not
    be abandoning London, but this move says what many in fintech have been whispering:
    post-Brexit Britain isn’t what it used to be.

    Revolut isn’t just eyeing Paris for the croissants. The
    company plans to invest more than €1 billion in France over three years     and
    apply for a local banking license, all while creating 200+ new jobs in due
    course. The message is clear: Europe needs a localized strategy, and Paris is
    central to that plan.

    A Tale of Two Headquarters

    This isn’t a so much a relocation, it’s more of a recalibration.
    Revolut is adopting a dual-HQ model, with Lithuania continuing to serve as its
    base for Eastern and Central Europe, and Paris eventually taking charge of the
    West: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland.

    As explained in Revolut’s own announcement, this split is about
    agility. By aligning each HQ with its target regions, the company can stay
    closer to regulators, tailor offerings more precisely, and bring new services
    to market faster.

    It’s also about showing regulators that Revolut isn’t just playing the
    passporting game. A French banking license would give it deeper roots—and
    greater independence—inside one of its fastest-growing markets, where it
    already serves
    around 5 million users    .

    Brexit Burnout and London’s Slide

    Let’s be honest: London’s grip on the fintech crown is slipping.
    Post-Brexit red tape, regulatory uncertainty, and delayed IPOs have all taken a
    toll. The UK’s once-thriving startup scene has seen a brain drain—and Revolut’s
    Paris pivot only underscores the shift.

    As Euronews reports, Revolut’s strategy highlights how fintechs are
    beginning to hedge their bets. Why gamble on an
    increasingly isolated London     when you can build a second home in the heart
    of the EU?

    The
    UK government may be trying to woo fintechs     with light-touch regulation, but
    for Revolut, embedding in the EU means fewer compliance headaches and more
    market access. It also doesn’t hurt that France’s President Macron has gone
    full throttle with his “Choose France”
    investor roadshow, which Revolut attended in May.

    France Gets the Flex—and the Jobs

    The real winner in all of this? Paris. Revolut’s €1 billion investment
    will generate 400 new jobs across compliance, banking operations, tech, and
    marketing. The firm already employs 300 people in the city—so by 2029, the
    Paris office could be home to 700 Revoluters.

    This is more a fintech expansion. It’s one of the biggest foreign
    investments in France’s financial sector in the last decade, and it plants
    Revolut firmly in the region’s economic fabric. As Yahoo Finance notes, it’s also a smart political move—showing commitment
    not just to users, but to European regulators who want boots on the ground.

    What’s Next for Revolut?

    • License, please: The next major step is getting that French banking
      license from the ACPR. If granted, expect faster launches of credit products,
      savings accounts, and insurance bundles tailored for EU markets.
    • Paris products inbound: The new HQ will lead product development for
      Western Europe, giving the company more local nuance in its offerings.
    • IPO ambitions sharpen: Revolut’s long-awaited IPO may still be on the
      back burner, but this kind of expansion gives global investors a stronger EU
      growth narrative—and a hedge against UK instability.

    Bottom Line

    Revolut is evolving. By choosing Paris for its Western Europe HQ, the
    fintech juggernaut is signalling that the future of European banking won’t be
    dictated from London alone. This is a bet on proximity, on trust, and on the
    power of planting flags where the customers—and regulators—live.

    For the City of London, this is another bruise in a growing list of
    missed fintech opportunities. For Paris? It’s a coup. Vive la révolution,
    indeed.

    Stay across the latest Fintech and Trending news in our dedicated sections.





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