Latvia's Ministry of Finance, working with Latvijas Banka, has issued for public consultation a 2025–2027 strategy for developing Latvia’s financial technology sector, aiming to position the country as a competitive FinTech hub in the Baltic and Nordic region. The strategy targets a 30% increase in the number of FinTech companies registered in Latvia (from 130 currently), a 15% increase in new capital investment into FinTech, and an 18% rise in FinTech-related employment. The plan is organised around four action areas: infrastructure and regulation, access to capital, promotion of Latvia abroad, and talent availability. Proposed measures include creating a single contact point for starting a FinTech business and accelerating administrative processes, expanding the use of English in public-sector procedures, improving funding eligibility criteria and access to capital markets in cooperation with ALTUM and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, and establishing a FinTech acceleration programme. The release also highlights existing initiatives such as a licensing regime for crypto-asset service providers, access to Latvijas Banka’s payment system for non-bank payment service providers, and supervisory support tools including a pre-licensing process, a regulatory sandbox, an innovation centre and a securities sandbox. The strategy is open for public consultation, with the supporting report published on Latvia’s Legal Acts Portal.
Latvia's Ministry of Finance launches consultation on 2025–2027 FinTech strategy with targets for 30% more firms, 15% more investment and 18% more jobs
Latvia's Ministry of Finance and Latvijas Banka have launched a public consultation on a 2025–2027 strategy to boost Latvia's FinTech sector, targeting growth in companies, investment, and employment. The strategy emphasizes infrastructure, regulation, capital access, international promotion, and talent, with measures like a single contact point for FinTech businesses and improved funding access. Existing initiatives include a crypto-asset licensing regime and access to Latvijas Banka’s payment system for non-bank providers.