Revolut secures Colombian banking licence and prepares 2027 market entry
The British fintech has completed the regulatory process required to operate as a bank in Colombia. It will invest an additional €53.7 million in local infrastructure and says almost 200,000 people have joined its waiting list.
Revolut has obtained its banking licence in Colombia, clearing the final regulatory requirement before launching services in one of Latin America’s largest financial markets.
The authorisation to operate was granted by Colombia’s Financial Superintendence, known locally as the SFC, and allows the company to activate Revolut Bank Colombia S.A. as a regulated financial institution. The fintech is preparing to begin commercial operations in the country in 2027.
The decision follows the incorporation authorisation received in October 2025. That initial approval enabled Revolut to establish its local subsidiary and begin developing the technology, compliance systems, personnel and operational infrastructure required to function as a bank.
The new licence completes the second stage of the process and removes the principal regulatory barrier to launch. Revolut must now finish its operational preparations and define the timetable for introducing its products.
Additional investment in Colombia
Alongside the licence announcement, Revolut said it would invest an additional €53.7 million in digital banking infrastructure and financial technology in Colombia. The conversion is based on the European Central Bank’s reference exchange rate for 15 September 2026.
The company said the new commitment doubles its original investment in the market. The capital will support the construction of its local banking platform, regulatory operations, technology systems and commercial launch.
Revolut plans to offer Colombian customers a portfolio of digital financial products through its mobile application. Products previously outlined by the company include savings accounts, credit cards and instant international transfers between Revolut users without additional fees.
The group is also positioning cross-border money management and remittances as central parts of its Colombian proposition. These services could be particularly relevant in a country with significant migration flows and extensive financial links with the United States, Europe and other Latin American markets.
Deposits held through the Colombian subsidiary will be covered under the local protection framework administered by Fogafín, subject to the applicable conditions and limits.
Almost 200,000 people join waiting list
Revolut says almost 200,000 Colombians have already registered on its waiting list. The figure provides the company with an initial customer base before its formal launch, although registrations do not automatically translate into active accounts.
The fintech will enter a market where traditional banks, digital lenders and financial technology companies are competing for customers through mobile accounts, low-cost transfers, payment services and consumer credit.
Colombia has also become an important testing ground for digital banking models in Latin America. Smartphone use, demand for lower financial fees and the expansion of instant payment infrastructure have encouraged both domestic and international companies to increase investment.
Revolut will nevertheless face the challenge of converting its international brand and waiting-list demand into active use. It will also need to adapt its products to Colombian regulation, local payment systems, customer behaviour and credit conditions.
Revolut expands its Latin American footprint
The Colombian licence forms part of a wider regional expansion by Revolut. The company launched in Brazil in 2023 and has since advanced banking or regulatory projects in Mexico, Argentina and Peru.
Mexico has become a central component of the strategy after Revolut secured a banking licence there. In Peru, the company has also moved forward with the regulatory process required to establish a local bank, while its Argentine operation is being developed as another point in a potential regional network.
The objective is to connect domestic financial services with Revolut’s international platform, allowing customers to manage accounts, currencies, transfers, cards and other products from a single application.
Colombia becomes the sixth market in which the group has secured a banking licence, joining the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Lithuania and Mexico. Revolut has also received conditional approval to establish a national bank in the United States and obtained a payments licence in the United Arab Emirates.
This expansion reflects the company’s attempt to move beyond its origins as a travel and foreign-exchange application. Revolut increasingly operates as a regulated banking group offering deposits, payments, credit, investments and business services across multiple jurisdictions.
Scale provides support for the launch
Revolut reports more than 80 million customers worldwide and aims to reach 100 million by mid-2027.
Its financial position has also strengthened. In 2025, the group generated revenue equivalent to approximately €5.2 billion and pre-tax profit of around €2 billion, while customer balances reached close to €58.5 billion.
Those figures give the company greater capacity to finance market entries that require substantial spending before generating significant revenue. Establishing a regulated bank involves capital requirements, technology adaptation, compliance teams, cybersecurity systems and integration with local financial infrastructure.
Colombia will therefore test whether Revolut can reproduce its international growth in a competitive Latin American market while meeting the obligations associated with operating as a full bank.
The licence establishes the legal foundation. The next phase will depend on execution: completing the local platform, launching products that respond to Colombian demand and turning early interest into sustained customer activity.
