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.
Ministry of Finance (Latvia) 2025-08-11
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.