Payward has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Saldo Finance Oy, the Finnish holding company of Lithuania-licensed Saldo Bank UAB, in a transaction intended to broaden its banking presence in Europe. The agreement was announced on Oct. 14, 2026, and would put Payward in control of a bank with operations in four European markets and authorization passported to the Netherlands.
Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, with completion expected in 2027, according to a Saldo Bank announcement. Until those approvals are secured and the transaction closes, the planned expansion remains prospective.
Pending 2027 purchase
Payward has proposed acquiring Saldo Finance Oy, the Finnish holding company above its Lithuania-licensed subsidiary, Saldo Bank UAB. Payward said in its announcement that the agreement would extend its banking operation in Europe through the Lithuania-licensed institution. The parties have not disclosed a purchase price or other financial terms, and the transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, with completion expected in 2027 rather than guaranteed on a fixed date.
Saldo Bank’s European footprint
Saldo Bank is licensed in Lithuania and operates across Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Germany. Its authorization is also passported to the Netherlands.
The bank reported €163.9 million, or $180 million, in total assets at the end of 2025, up 22.7% year over year, according to data cited by CoinDesk.
If the acquisition receives regulatory approval, Payward could use the existing licensed bank and its operations rather than build a European banking operation from scratch. The asset figure does not disclose the deal’s valuation or the size of any post-closing investment, and neither announcement set out a fuller integration plan.
Payward Chief Commercial Officer Mark Greenberg and Saldo Bank President Jarkko Mäensivu. — Source: Saldo Bank press release via STT Info
Deposit, lending and SEPA plans
Following approval, Payward expects the acquisition to support interest-bearing deposits, consumer and small- and medium-sized business lending, card issuance and SEPA payment services for European customers, CoinDesk reported. Those services would expand the range of banking products the company says it can offer through the acquired institution.
SEPA services would place payments alongside the proposed deposit, credit and card offerings. The stated product plans are contingent on the transaction closing and the relevant approvals, rather than services announced as immediately available.
Payward said its banking business has originated more than $2 billion in loans. It also said it holds a Federal Reserve limited-purpose master account and an Irish electronic-money institution license, positioning the Saldo Bank agreement alongside its existing lending and payments-related regulatory footprint.
The proposed purchase therefore links Payward’s stated lending activity with a European bank that already operates in Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Germany. The next material milestone is the regulatory process that will decide whether the parties can complete the acquisition on their expected 2027 timetable.
