Pliant Secures FCA Authorisation as an Electronic Money Institution to Accelerate Expansion

FCA authorisation enables Pliant to issue payment products and serve UK customers through its own regulated entity, strengthening its foundation for continued growth in the market.

London, 14 October 2026 - Pliant, a global fintech specialising in modular B2B payment solutions, today announced that its UK subsidiary, Pliant Payments Limited, has received full authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI). The authorisation marks a significant milestone in Pliant's UK expansion, enabling the company to issue payment products and serve customers directly through its own UK-regulated entity.

The authorisation strengthens Pliant's position in one of its key international markets and provides a stronger regulatory foundation for expanding relationships with UK businesses, financial institutions and public-sector organisations, while supporting Pliant's continued investment in its commercial payment capabilities.

The approval follows an extensive FCA review of Pliant's business model, technology and operations, including its customer onboarding, risk management, safeguarding and financial controls. As an authorised EMI, Pliant can further develop its UK payment infrastructure and support increasingly complex commercial payment programmes through its locally regulated business.

“Securing our own UK EMI authorisation is a major step forward in building Pliant's long-term presence in the market,” said Malte Rau, CEO and co-founder of Pliant. “We've invested heavily in developing the regulated infrastructure behind our platform, and this authorisation gives us greater independence and flexibility to serve UK customers directly. It also puts us in a stronger position to bring our technology to more businesses, financial institutions and public-sector organisations as we continue to expand our capabilities and reach.”

About Pliant

Pliant is a modular B2B payments platform combining commercial card issuing, payment accounts, FX and spend management for businesses and AI agents. Businesses across travel, e-commerce, insurance and AI-native technology use Pliant to manage complex payment workflows, while fintechs, software platforms and banks use its infrastructure to build and operate their own commercial payment offerings. Pliant's API-first platform also enables AI agents and applications to access regulated payment infrastructure with permissions, controls and auditability built in. 

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Berlin, Pliant serves businesses and partners across Europe and North America. A principal member of Visa and Mastercard, Pliant issues commercial cards in 13 currencies across 32 countries under its European e-money license and through regulated partners in the UK and US. Learn more at www.getpliant.com.