Company registration · Lithuania
Company registration in Lithuania the European fintech hub with licences
- Support
- from €1 200
- Registration time
- Fintech licences
The country where most European electronic money and payment institution licences are issued, alongside a reduced corporate rate for small companies.
A serious base for financial technology.
Registration
from €1 200
Turnkey work by BRIDGES. Government fees and duties appear as a separate line in the estimate at actual rates.
See packagesFintech licences
Electronic money and payment institutions
3-7 days
Incorporation with the registry
EU
Passporting across the single market
Who it suitsLithuania
Who Lithuania suits
Working on the company structure- 01Payment and electronic money projects needing an EU licence
- 02Fintech products passporting across the Union
- 03IT companies with a local development team
- 04Small companies eligible for the reduced rate
- 05Businesses that need a regulated European entity
Does not suit
- A licence is expected quickly and cheaply: it is neither
- There is no capital or qualified management for the regulator
- You are counting on anonymity: the registry is public
- A fully remote company with no local substance
Company forms4
Which company to open
The private limited company is the base for both ordinary business and licensed projects.
- 01Uzdaroji akcine bendrove · UAB — private limited company
IT, services, trade, fintech projects.
Fast registration and the standard vehicle for licence applications.
Capital must be deposited before registration.
- 02Mazoji bendrija · MB — small partnership
Small service businesses.
Low entry cost and simple administration.
Only individuals may be members; not suitable for licensing.
- 03Akcine bendrove · AB — public limited company
Larger businesses and listed structures.
Higher standing and access to public capital.
Higher capital requirement and heavier governance.
- 04Branch · branch of a foreign company
An existing group entering the EU market.
No new legal entity is required.
The parent company carries the liability.
Packagesfrom €1 200
Three ways to launch
The scope is built from real scenarios, from an ordinary company to a licensed institution.
01 · 1-2 weeks
Company
from $1 700
An EU entity for contracts and invoicing
- Name check and preparation of the articles
- Capital deposit and filing with the registry
- Legal address for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
- Tax registration and a Lithuanian accountant
02 · 3-8 weeks
Company, VAT and account
from $3 200
An operating business with EU settlements
- Everything in the Company package
- VAT and EU VAT registration
- Bank or payment institution profile and submission
- Monthly accounting set-up
- Support with correspondence with the tax inspectorate
03 · from 6 months
Licensed institution
by project
A payment or electronic money project
- Everything in the Company, VAT and account package
- Preparation of the full licence application
- Business plan, policies and control framework
- Recruitment of responsible managers and staff
- Office and operational set-up
Regulatory capital, regulator fees and payroll appear as separate lines in the quote. Licensing projects are always priced individually.
TaxesLithuania
Taxes in Lithuania
A standard corporate rate with a reduced rate for small companies.
Taxes in Lithuania
Lithuania
- Fintech licences
- Electronic money and payment institutions
- from $1 700
- BRIDGES fee
- 3-7 days
- Incorporation with the registry
- EU
- Passporting across the single market
- Standard corporate tax
- Charged on taxable profit at the statutory rate.
- Reduced rate
- Available to small companies within statutory limits on turnover and headcount.
- First-year relief
- A qualifying new small company may benefit from a nil rate in its first period.
- VAT
- The standard rate applies, with reduced rates for certain supplies.
- Payroll charges
- Employer and employee contributions apply on top of gross salary.
- Obligations at home
- Owning a foreign company creates obligations in the beneficiary country of residence.
Annual upkeep
- Legal address
- Monthly accounting
- VAT returns
- Annual accounts
- Corporate tax return
- Regulatory reporting
- Audit
- Payroll and contributions
Regulatory capital, regulator fees and payroll appear as separate lines in the quote. Licensing projects are always priced individually.
Bank
The bank account after incorporation
For ordinary business the account is straightforward; for licensed projects safeguarding arrangements come first.
- 01What the bank looks at
The activity, the customers, expected turnover, the local presence and the source of funds.
- 02Which documents are needed
The corporate set, management identification, contracts and, for licensed projects, the authorisation.
- 03Where the account is opened
With Lithuanian banks, and with European institutions for safeguarding client funds.
- 04What we do
We prepare the file, choose the institution and run the submission through to the result.
Safeguarding accounts for a new payment institution are genuinely hard to arrange. We start that conversation at the same time as the licence application, not after it.
Stages1-2 weeks
How the work runs
Timelines are split by who is responsible.
- 01Consultation and structure
Model, licence type, capital, staff, banking.
One meeting - 02Quote and contract
We fix the scope of work and the amount.
1-2 days - 03Incorporation
Capital deposit and filing with the registry.
3-7 days - 04Licence preparation
Business plan, policies, recruitment, systems.
2-4 months - 05Regulator review
Application, queries and authorisation.
from 3 months - 06Accounts and launch
Operating and safeguarding accounts, start of operations.
The institutions set the timing
Result: The outcome is a European company, and where required a licensed institution with passporting rights, real staff and full reporting.
ComparisonLithuania
Lithuania or Ireland for fintech
| Lithuania | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing speed | faster on average | slower and more selective |
| Regulator approach | pragmatic, with growing scrutiny | conservative |
| Cost of the project | lower | higher |
| Passporting | across the EU | across the EU |
| Substance expected | local management and staff | local management and staff |
| Corporate tax | reduced rate for small companies | 12.5% on trading income |
| Who it suits better | launching a new payment product | established groups with capital |
Lithuania is the faster route to an EU payment licence. Ireland is slower but carries more weight with institutional partners.
TeamBRIDGES
Company team
Questions
Registration questions
Why is Lithuania known for fintech?+
It has issued more electronic money and payment institution licences than most European countries, and the regulator built a dedicated process for them.
How long does a licence take?+
Realistically six months or more from the start of preparation to authorisation.
How much capital is required?+
It depends on the licence type: a payment institution needs materially less than an electronic money institution.
Do I need local staff?+
Yes. The regulator expects management and key functions to be genuinely present in the country.
Can the licence be passported?+
Yes, authorisation allows the service to be offered across the European Union.
What is the corporate tax rate?+
The standard rate applies, with a reduced rate and a first-year relief for qualifying small companies.
How long does incorporation take?+
Three to seven days for an ordinary company once the capital is deposited.
How hard is it to open a bank account?+
Straightforward for ordinary business; safeguarding accounts for new payment institutions are genuinely difficult.
Are filings in Lithuanian?+
Yes, which is why a local accountant is part of the service.
Is the registry public?+
Yes, directors and shareholders are visible.
Do I have to declare the company at home?+
As a rule yes: owning a foreign company creates obligations in your country of residence.
What does upkeep cost?+
For an ordinary company, address, accounting and VAT. For a licensed institution, add staff, audit and regulatory reporting.
A company for your task
Tell us what the company will do: we will check whether the country fits and show the launch and upkeep budget before the contract.
- Other jurisdictionsA comparison of countries for company registration.
- A company in IrelandThe alternative European base for regulated business.
- Corporate accountsHow an account is opened and what the bank checks.
- BulgariaRegistration: 3-10 days · from €1 100
- CzechiaRegistration: 5-14 days · from €1 300
- HungaryRegistration: 3-7 days · from €1 400
Company registration
Want a company in Lithuania?
Write to us, we will set it up. We will choose the form, calculate the launch and the annual upkeep, register the company and help open the account.
