The Electronic Money Regulations 2011

Conditions for registration U.K.

13.—(1) The Authority may refuse to register an applicant as a small electronic money institution only if any of the conditions set out in paragraphs (2) to (10) is not met.

(2) The application must comply with the requirements of, and any requirements imposed under, [F1 regulations 12 and 20].

(3) The total business activities of the applicant immediately before the time of registration must not generate average outstanding electronic money that exceeds 5,000,000 euro.

(4) The monthly average over the period of 12 months preceding the application of the total amount of relevant payment transactions must not exceed 3,000,000 euro.

[F2 (4A) The business to which the application relates must not include the provision of account information services or payment initiation services.]

(5) The applicant must immediately before the time of registration hold such amount, if any, of initial capital as is required in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 2.

(6) The applicant must satisfy the Authority that, taking into account the need to ensure the sound and prudent conduct of the affairs of the institution, it has—

(a) robust governance arrangements for its electronic money and payment services business, including a clear organisational structure with well-defined, transparent and consistent lines of responsibility; and

(b) effective procedures to identify, manage, monitor and report any risks to which it might be exposed,

which are comprehensive and proportionate to the nature, scale and complexity of electronic money to be issued and payment services to be provided by the institution.

(7) The applicant must satisfy the Authority that—

(a) the directors and persons responsible for the management of its electronic money and payment services business are of good repute and possess appropriate knowledge and experience to issue electronic money and provide payment services;

(b) it has a business plan (including for the first three years, a forecast budget calculation) under which appropriate and proportionate systems, resources and procedures will be employed by the institution to operate soundly; and

(c) it has taken adequate measures for the purpose of safeguarding electronic money holders' funds in accordance with regulation 20.

(8) None of the individuals responsible for the management or operation of the business has been convicted of—

(a) an offence under Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (money laundering) M1 or under [F3 the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017];

(b) an offence under section 15 (fund-raising), 16 (use and possession), 17 (funding arrangements), 18 (money laundering) or 63 (terrorist finance: jurisdiction) of the Terrorism Act 2000M2 ;

(c) an offence under the 2000 Act;

[F4 (ca) an offence under Part 3, 4 or 5 of the Counter-Terrorism (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019;]

(d) an offence under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010M3 [F5 , the Al-Qaida and Taliban (Asset-Freezing) Regulations 2010 or [F6 the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida (Asset-Freezing) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2742 as renamed by S.I. 2016/937)]];

[F7 (da) an offence under Part 3, 5, 6 or 7 of the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida (United Nations Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 or Part 3, 6 or 7 of the Counter-Terrorism (International Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019;]

(e) an offence under these Regulations or the Payment Services Regulations [F8 2017]; or

(f) any other financial crime.

(9) The applicant must be a body corporate whose head office is situated in the United Kingdom.

(10) The applicant must comply with a requirement of [F9 the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017] to be included in a register maintained under those Regulations where such a requirement applies to the applicant.

(11) For the purposes of paragraph (4), where the applicant has yet to commence the provision of payment services which are not related to the issuance of electronic money, or has been providing such payment services for less than 12 months, the monthly average may be based on the projected total amount of relevant payment transactions over a 12 month period.

(12) In paragraph (4) “relevant payment transactions” in respect of a small electronic money institution means payment transactions which—

(a) are not related to the issuance of electronic money; and

(b) are executed by the institution, including any of its agents who are in the United Kingdom.

(13) In paragraph (8) “financial crime” includes any offence involving fraud or dishonesty and, for this purpose, “offence” includes any act or omission which would be an offence if it had taken place in the United Kingdom.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 13(2) substituted (13.8.2017 for specified purposes, 13.10.2017 for specified purposes, 13.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by The Payment Services Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/752), reg. 1(2)(c)(iii)(3)(f)(i)(6), Sch. 8 para. 5(10)(a) (with reg. 3)

F2 Reg. 13(4A) inserted (13.8.2017 for specified purposes, 13.10.2017 for specified purposes, 13.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by The Payment Services Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/752), reg. 1(2)(c)(iii)(3)(f)(i)(6), Sch. 8 para. 5(10)(b) (with reg. 3)

F3 Words in reg. 13(8)(a) substituted (26.6.2017) by The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/692), reg. 1(2), Sch. 7 para. 28(4)(a) (with regs. 8, 15)

F4 Reg. 13(8)(ca) inserted by S.I. 2019/577, reg. 34C(2) (as inserted (31.12.2020 immediately after IP completion day) by The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Consequential Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1289), regs. 1(2), 4(2)); S.I. 2020/1514, reg. 21)

F5 Words in reg. 13(8)(d) substituted (16.11.2011) by The Al-Qaida (Asset-Freezing) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2742), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 5 (with reg. 18)

F6 Words in reg. 13(8)(d) substituted (22.9.2016) by The Al-Qaida (Asset-Freezing) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/937), reg. 1, Sch. para. 5

F7 Reg. 13(8)(da) inserted (31.12.2020 immediately after IP completion day) by The Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/591), regs. 1(2), 10(1); S.I. 2020/1514, reg. 5

F8 Word in reg. 13(8)(e) substituted (13.8.2017 for specified purposes, 13.10.2017 for specified purposes, 13.1.2018 in so far as not already in force) by The Payment Services Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/752), reg. 1(2)(c)(iii)(3)(f)(i)(6), Sch. 8 para. 5(10)(c) (with reg. 3)

F9 Words in reg. 13(10) substituted (26.6.2017) by The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/692), reg. 1(2), Sch. 7 para. 28(4)(b) (with regs. 8, 15)

Marginal Citations

M1 2002 c.29. Part 7 was amended by S.I. 2007/3398.

M2 2000 c.11.

M3 2010 c.38.