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Solaris

Fintech · Berlin, Germany · Founded 2016

Solaris is a German-licensed credit institution that operates a leading European embedded finance platform. Founded in 2015 by Andreas Bittner and Marko Wenthin as part of the fintech company builder Finleap, Solaris was officially launched in March 2016 after receiving its German banking license. The company, formerly known as Solarisbank AG, rebranded to Solaris SE in November 2022. The firm's core business is providing a Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform. This allows other businesses, ranging from fintech startups to large non-financial companies, to integrate financial services directly into their own products and applications via APIs. Solaris's modular, B2B technology stack offers a suite of services that includes digital bank accounts, payment cards (debit, credit, and prepaid), KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYB (Know Your Business) identification services, payment processing, and consumer lending products like 'buy now, pay later' (BNPL). The platform is cloud-based and designed for scalability and customization, enabling partners to offer branded financial products. Clients include businesses in sectors such as SaaS, ERP, mobility, and travel. Solaris has expanded internationally and operates in several European countries. It generates revenue through its BaaS partnerships. In 2022, the company reported net revenues of €130 million. Solaris has secured significant funding over multiple rounds, raising over €530 million in total from investors including SBI Group, Börse Stuttgart Group, Visa, BBVA, and ABN AMRO. In February 2025, a Series G funding round of €140 million was announced, with Japan's SBI Group set to become the majority shareholder. This followed a €96 million Series F round in March 2024. The company has undergone significant transformation, including acquiring the UK-based company Contis in 2021 to add e-money licenses and expand its payment solutions. However, Solaris has since decided to discontinue major parts of its UK EMI (Electronic Money Institution) operations, selling its Engage business to fintech firm Suits Me in late 2024. The company has also undertaken strategic restructuring to improve profitability and efficiency, which has included layoffs. The current CEO is Steffen Jentsch, who took over from Carsten Höltkemeyer. Keywords: Banking-as-a-Service, BaaS, embedded finance, API platform, fintech, digital banking, white-label banking, payment solutions, consumer lending, KYC solutions, open banking, financial services API, pan-European banking, core banking platform, card issuing, BNPL solutions, digital assets custody, financial technology, Berlin, regulatory compliance