Fintech Visits to DG FISMA: Spotlight on Latvia’s Ecosystem
Bridging Markets and Regulation: Spotlight on Latvia
As part of our ongoing effort to bridge the gap between market realities and regulatory ambition, the Fintech Visits to DG FISMA program continues to deliver powerful insights and foster a future-ready European fintech ecosystem.
March 2025 marked another successful instalment of the program, this time welcoming the Latvian fintech community, represented by Fintech Latvia Association and three standout companies from their national ecosystem: Mintos, Lande, and Paynt.
A Dynamic Latvian Ecosystem on Display
Latvia’s fintech sector is nimble, globally oriented, and deeply integrated with digital innovation. Despite its smaller market size—home to just 1.8 million residents—the country boasts more than 135 fintech companies, many of which are scaling internationally from day one. Latvia’s highly digitalized public services (with over 91% of services accessible online) and an innovation-friendly regulatory environment make it a fertile ground for fintech growth.
The representing companies:
- Mintos: The largest marketplace for investing in loans in Europe, recognized five years in a row by the Financial Times as one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies.
- Lande: A specialized lending platform focused on financing agriculture, playing a critical role in democratizing access to capital in rural economies.
- Paynt: A rapidly growing provider of digital payments infrastructure, enabling merchants to scale quickly and efficiently across Europe.
Market Insights, Regulatory Dialogue
The discussion facilitated valuable exchanges between regulators and innovators, surfacing key challenges and opportunities that impact fintechs across the continent. Discussions covered:
- Streamlining passporting and licensing procedures, especially for smaller players.
- Need for clarity around MiCA Article 70(3) implementation regarding crypto-asset service providers and fund placement requirements.
- The divide between licensed vs. non-licensed investment platforms, and implications for consumer protection and investor confidence.
Such candid dialogues not only improve mutual understanding but also ensure regulation evolves hand-in-hand with market innovation.
Bridging Markets and Regulation: A Shared Mission
The Fintech Visits to DG FISMA program was created with a clear mission: to align regulatory ambition with market reality, and to build a Europe where innovation, clarity, and competitiveness go hand in hand. By bringing national fintech ecosystems into direct conversation with European policymakers, we help ensure that regulation evolves in step with industry progress—fostering a future-ready financial landscape.
We extend our sincere thanks to the European Commission for their openness, engagement, and thoughtful dialogue. Their willingness to listen and collaborate is what makes this initiative truly impactful.
A special thank you as well to the guests—from Fintech Latvija Association and the companies Mintos, Lande, and Paynt—for sharing insights, challenges, and opportunities from one of Europe’s most dynamic fintech ecosystems. Your contributions are essential to shaping a regulatory environment that works for everyone—large and small, local and global.
Together, we are building a more connected, competitive, and innovative Digital Single Market for financial services.
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