Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleBunq secures a US broker-dealer license, enabling it to sell US stocks and marking the first step in its US expansion plans.
(Reuters) -Dutch online bank Bunq said on Monday that it had received a licence to operate as a broker-dealer in the United States, part of a drive to expand outside of Europe.
Being a broker-dealer would allow Bunq, which has more than 20 million users in Europe, to sell U.S. stocks to American customers.
Bunq sought a U.S. banking licence in 2023, but withdrew that application and intends to restart it "once everything is ready", a spokesperson told Reuters, adding that it sees the broker-dealer licence as the first step to becoming a U.S. bank.
Bunq aims to refile for a U.S. banking licence "as soon as we can", the spokesperson added.
In August, the Dutch central bank said Bunq had received a 2.6 million euro ($3 million) fine for failures in its money laundering controls. Bunq said it disagreed with the decision.
Bunq is one of several finance apps to have emerged in Europe in the last decade. British fintech Revolut is also trying to expand in the United States.
($1 = 0.8575 euros)
(Reporting by Elizabeth HowcroftEditing by Mark Potter)
A broker-dealer is a person or firm that buys and sells securities on behalf of clients (broker) or for its own account (dealer). They facilitate transactions in financial markets.
A banking license is a legal authorization granted by a regulatory authority that allows a financial institution to operate as a bank and offer banking services.
Money laundering is the process of making illegally obtained money appear legitimate. It typically involves three steps: placement, layering, and integration.
A fine is a monetary penalty imposed by a regulatory authority on an individual or organization for violating laws or regulations, often related to compliance issues.
A financial app is a software application designed to help users manage their finances, including budgeting, investing, and tracking expenses, often through mobile devices.
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