Question 1

What is Solaris?

Accepted Answer

Solaris is an EEA branch of a German technology company with a full banking license, operating as one of Europe's leading Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platforms. The French branch operates under the authorization of its German parent institution, Solaris SE, which is headquartered in Berlin.

Solaris specializes in providing white-label banking infrastructure through API-based solutions, enabling businesses—from global brands to fintech startups—to embed financial services directly into their products. The company serves a B2B2X model, allowing partners to offer fully branded banking services without obtaining their own banking license.

Question 2

When was Solaris founded?

Accepted Answer

The parent institution, Solaris SE (formerly Solarisbank AG), was established in 2015 as part of Finleap, a fintech company builder based in Berlin, Germany. Founded by Andreas Bittner and Marko Wenthin, the company officially launched in March 2016 after receiving its German banking license from BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority).

The French branch was established in 2021 as part of Solaris's pan-European expansion strategy. The branch received authorization from the French competent authority (ACPR) on May 17, 2021, enabling it to offer local IBANs and access to the French financial ecosystem.

Question 3

Where is Solaris headquartered?

Accepted Answer

The French branch of Solaris is located in Paris, France. The parent institution is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, with additional branches across Europe including London, Milan, Madrid, and Vilnius.

Question 4

Where does Solaris operate?

Accepted Answer

Within France, Solaris operates through its Paris branch, providing services throughout the French market. The branch enables partners to offer French IBANs and access to local payment systems, serving clients across the entire country.

As an EEA branch, Solaris benefits from passporting rights, allowing it to provide services across the European Economic Area from its French base.

Question 5

What services does Solaris offer?

Accepted Answer

Solaris offers a comprehensive suite of Banking-as-a-Service solutions through its API platform:

Digital Banking: Current accounts, savings accounts, sub-accounts, and multi-accounts with local French IBANs for consumers, freelancers, and businesses.

Card Services: Issuance and management of physical and virtual Visa and Mastercard debit, prepaid, and credit cards with Apple Pay and Google Pay integration.

Payment Solutions: SEPA Credit Transfer, SEPA Direct Debit, SEPA Instant payments, and batch payment processing.

Lending Products: Consumer loans, overdraft facilities, installment payments (Splitpay), and buy-now-pay-later solutions.

Identity Verification: Fully digital KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYB (Know Your Business) onboarding processes for individuals and businesses.

Digital Banking Features: Real-time transaction notifications, instant transfers, customizable card limits, and account management tools.

Question 6

What makes Solaris unique?

Accepted Answer

API-First Architecture: Solaris operates one of the most advanced RESTful API platforms in Europe, designed for rapid integration and scalability. Partners can go from concept to market in weeks rather than months.

True White-Label Solution: As a B2B2X provider, Solaris maintains complete neutrality, never competing with its partners for end customers. All products are fully customizable to partners' brand identities.

Regulatory Expertise: Solaris handles all banking license requirements and regulatory compliance, allowing partners to focus on customer experience without navigating complex financial regulations.

Cloud-Native Infrastructure: The entire banking stack is built on cloud-based architecture with a state-of-the-art data mesh design, enabling exceptional scalability and real-time data access.

Local Market Access: With branches in multiple European countries, Solaris provides local IBANs and access to domestic payment infrastructures in Europe's largest markets.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Solaris?

Accepted Answer

Solaris operates as an EEA Branch (Succursale d'Établissement de Crédit de l'EEE) in France. This means it is a branch of a credit institution authorized in another European Economic Area country (Germany) and operating in France under passporting rights.

The parent institution, Solaris SE, holds a full German banking license as a credit institution (Kreditinstitut) regulated by BaFin and the European Central Bank. In France, the branch is supervised by the ACPR (Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution) and registered with the Banque de France.

This structure allows Solaris to provide the full range of banking services in France while maintaining its regulatory home base in Germany, where deposits are protected by the German deposit guarantee scheme (Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken GmbH) up to €100,000 per depositor.

Question 8

Who leads Solaris in France?

Accepted Answer

The French branch is led by Jean-François Guillaumin, who serves as General Manager France. Guillaumin brings extensive fintech and banking experience, having previously worked for trade finance platform Incomlend Europe, neobanks Nickel and Anytime, as well as Western Union. He joined Solaris in early 2021 to spearhead the company's entry into the French market.

Question 9

Who are Solaris's partners?

Accepted Answer

Solaris enables a diverse range of partners to offer financial services, including global brands like Samsung, ADAC (Germany's largest automobile club), and fast-growing fintechs such as Vivid Money and Tomorrow (a sustainable banking platform). The company has onboarded over 20 companies onto its platform and supports partners ranging from established corporations to innovative fintech startups across multiple sectors.

Question 10

What is Solaris's financial backing?

Accepted Answer

Solaris has raised over €450 million in funding through multiple rounds, with investors including SBI Group (which became the majority shareholder in March 2025), BBVA, Visa, ABN AMRO's Digital Impact Fund, Samsung Catalyst Fund, HV Capital, Lakestar, Storm Ventures, Vulcan Capital, and finleap. The company achieved net revenues of €130 million in 2022 and serves over one million end-users across Europe.

Solaris

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About Solaris in France