Viva Wallet
Also a provider — view Viva Wallet’s profile →“Can a licensed European tech bank become the default acquirer and financial OS for pan-European SMBs?”
Founded2000
HQAthens, Greece
FoundersHaris Karonis, Makis Antypas
Total raised€862.2M
Latest roundSecondary - Private
IndustryFintech / SMB banking
The story
Founded in 2000 as a Greek software house, Viva pivoted into voice/travel/e-ticketing, then in 2011 into payments under PSD2. Acquired Praxia Bank in 2020 to become a fully licensed European tech bank for businesses — one of very few fintechs to buy a bank outright. JPMorgan's 48.5% strategic stake in 2022 established Viva as a pan-European SMB acquiring and neobank platform, now operating in ~29 European countries with acquiring, card issuing, deposit accounts, and lending.
Last 12 months
Product timeline
2000
Founded by Haris Karonis as Realize SA software house· founding
2011
Viva Payments licensed as EEA payment institution under PSD2· banking
2020
Acquired Praxia Bank's banking licence to become a bank· acquisition
2022
JPMorgan Chase acquires 48.5% stake; becomes first Greek unicorn· funding
2023
UK FCA authorizes Viva Wallet as e-money institution· banking
Acquisitions
Regulated entities
3
regulatory licences held by Viva Wallet
Licence types, jurisdictions and registered entities are in the Embedded Finance Index report.
The stack
5 layers disclosed in Viva Wallet’s embedded-finance stack
Payments / PSP
Viva.com Payments (self-operated)
Banking / BaaS
in the full report
Card issuing
in the full report
Card network
in the full report
Lending
in the full report
Accounting gap: none
8 more providers across 4 layers, with confidence-scored evidence and source URLs, are in the Embedded Finance Index report.