{{short description|German banking-as-a-service credit institution}} {{Update|date=December 2024}} {{use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Solaris SE | logo = Logo-Solaris.png | type = Societas Europaea | industry = {{plainlist|*Banking<br>*Financial services}} | founded = {{Start date and age|2016|03|df=y}} | founder = {{unbulleted list|Andreas Bittner<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Dolan|first=Shelagh|title=The top banking-as-a-service platform providers & banks using BaaS technology|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/banking-as-a-service-platform-providers|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref name=VB>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/03/14/solarisbank-raises-28-million-to-expand-its-european-fintech-platform/|title=SolarisBank raises $28 million to expand its European fintech platform|website=VentureBeat|date=14 March 2017 |access-date=2017-11-18}}</ref>|Marko Wenthin<ref name=":3"/><ref name=VB/>}} | hq_location_city = Berlin | hq_location_country = Germany | area_served = Europe | key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Carsten Höltkemeyer<br>(CEO)}} | services = Banking-as-a-Service, KYC, Cards, Digital Asset, Lending | revenue = $130.900.000 | revenue_year = 2022 | num_employees = 700+ | website = https://solarisgroup.com/ }} '''Solaris SE''' is a credit institution licensed in Germany. Known as ''Solarisbank AG'' until November 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Finanz-Start-up: Aus Solarisbank wird Solaris: Berliner Fintech benennt sich um |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/banken-versicherungen/banken/finanz-start-up-aus-solarisbank-wird-solaris-berliner-fintech-benennt-sich-um/28548928.html |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=www.handelsblatt.com |language=de}}</ref> it is headquartered in Berlin and has branches in London, Paris, Milan, Madrid and Vilnius.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dohms |first=Heinz-Roger |date=2020-11-13 |title=Fintech: Solarisbank bereitet offenbar die große Europa-Expansion ein |url=https://finanz-szene.de/digital-banking/solarisbank-bereitet-offenbar-die-grosse-europa-expansion-ein/ |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=Finanz-Szene.de |language=de-DE}}</ref>
The company's business is the operation of digital banking (bank accounts, debit and credit cards, consumer loans, e.g. buy-now-pay-later) and other financial services (e-money, payment transactions)
== Background == === Overview === Solaris SE was established in 2015 as a part of Finleap,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lesechos.fr/13/05/2016/LesEchos/22191-132-ECH_la-banque-en-kit-prend-corps-avec-solarisbank.htm|title=La banque en kit prend corps avec solarisBank|work=Les Echos.fr|author=Ninon Renaud|date=13 May 2016|access-date=2022-09-04|language=fr}}<br>- {{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/13/finleap-of-faith/|title=German fintech company builder FinLeap raises €21M at €121M valuation|last=O'Hear|first=Steve |work=TechCrunch|date=13 June 2016|access-date=2017-11-18}}</ref> a fintech company builder based in Berlin, Germany, with Andreas Bittner and Marko Wenthin<ref>{{Cite news |author=Caspar Tobias Schlenk |date=21 November 2016 |title=Es tut extrem weh, zu guten Geschäften Nein zu sagen |url=https://www.gruenderszene.de/allgemein/marko-wenthin-solarisbank-bilanz |access-date=2022-09-04 |work=Gründerszene |language=de}}</ref> as its founders.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2016-03-14 |title=SolarisBank, a bank for digital and fintech startups, gets banking license |work=Finextra Research |url=https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/28604/solarisbank-a-bank-for-digital-and-fintech-startups-gets-banking-license |access-date=2017-11-18}}</ref> Solaris was officially launched in March 2016, after receiving its banking license.<ref name=":3"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/03/14/solarisbank/|title=FinLeap's solarisBank to offer Banking-as-a-Platform so startups can ride fintech gravy train|last=O'Hear|first=Steve|work=TechCrunch|date=14 March 2016|access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref>
In October 2016, the company entered into a strategic partnership with MasterCard in order to develop novel banking modules.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |author=Antony Peyton |date=11 October 2016 |title=MasterCard and SolarisBank partner for digital banking push |url=http://www.bankingtech.com/606552/mastercard-and-solarisbank-partner-for-digital-banking-push/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012192811/http://www.bankingtech.com/606552/mastercard-and-solarisbank-partner-for-digital-banking-push/ |archive-date=2016-10-12 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Banking Technology}}<br />- {{Cite web |date=12 October 2016 |title=SolarisBank partners MasterCard to develop new banking modules |url=https://www.thepaypers.com/online-mobile-banking/solarisbank-partners-mastercard-to-develop-new-banking-modules/766493-12 |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=The Paypers}}</ref>
In February 2017, Solaris raised €26.3 million in its series A funding round from Yabeo Capital, Arvato Financial Solutions, Finleap, Unicredit and the Japan-based SBI group.<ref name="finews">{{Cite news|url=https://www.finews.asia/finance/24149-solarisbank-roland-folz-deutsche-bank-expansion-asia-andreas-bittner-marko-wenthin-gerrit-seidel-peter-grosskopf|title=German Fintech Partners with Japan|work=finews.asia|date=14 March 2017 |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> The company also brought in Dr. Roland Folz as CEO.<ref name=VB/>
In March 2017, Solaris is said to have brought over 20 companies onto its banking platform<ref name=VB/> and it is reported to have passported its banking license to six European countries.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.finsmes.com/2017/03/solarisbank-raises-e26-3m-in-series-a-financing.html|title=solarisBank Raises €26.3M in Series A Financing|date=2017-03-15|work=FinSMEs|access-date=2017-11-18}}</ref>
In March 2018, Solaris raised $70 million in Series B funding from Arvato Financial Solutions, SBI Group, BBVA, Visa, Lakestar and ABN AMRO's Digital Impact Fund.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/07/banking-platform-solarisbank-closes-e56-6m-series-b-from-bbva-visa-lakestar-and-others/|title=Banking platform solarisBank closes €56.6M Series B from BBVA, Visa, Lakestar, and others |website=TechCrunch|author=Steve O'Hear|date=8 March 2018|access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref>
In June 2020, Solaris raised €60 million in Series C funding led by HV Capital with participation from Vulcan Capital, Samsung Catalyst Fund and Storm Ventures.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://newsroom.solarisgroup.com/189970-solarisbank-europe-s-leading-banking-as-a-service-platform-raises-eur-60-million-in-series-c-round-to-further-accelerate-growth|title=solarisBank, Europe's leading Banking-as-a-Service platform, raises EUR 60 million in series C round to further accelerate growth|publisher=Solarisbank|date=30 June 2020|access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref>
In March 2025, SBI Group became the majority shareholder of Solaris after a €140 million Series G funding round.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Methri |first=Gloria |date=March 25, 2025 |title=SBI Group finalises majority ownership in Solaris |url=https://ibsintelligence.com/ibsi-news/sbi-group-finalises-majority-ownership-in-solaris/ |access-date=July 13, 2025 |work=Ibis Intelligence}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tipranks.com/news/company-announcements/sbi-holdings-completes-acquisition-of-solaris-se|title=SBI Holdings Completes Acquisition of Solaris SE|work=TipRanks|access-date=2025-11-13|language=en}}</ref>
=== Technology === Solaris provides a ''white label'' banking platform,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/solarisbank-raises-28-million-with-sights-set-on-asian-market-2017-3|title=Solarisbank raises $28 million with sights set on Asian market|work=Business Insider|access-date=2017-11-18}}</ref> which is said to allow its users, mostly digital companies and financial services startups, to access various banking service modules, which then can be integrated into their processes, websites or mobile applications.<ref name="finews"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://paymentweek.com/2016-3-21-solarisbank-receives-banking-license-9973/|title=SolarisBank Receives Banking License|author=Mike Dautner |date=2016-03-21 |work=Payment Week|access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref>
== Special audit == {{Update|section|date=December 2024}} In January 2022, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) of Germany ordered a special audit because of organizational deficiencies identified during a bank supervisory audit from 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solaris may only accept new customers with BaFin's permission |url=https://thepaypers.com/online-mobile-banking/solaris-may-only-accept-new-customers-with-bafins-permission--1259947 |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=thepaypers.com |language=en}}</ref> The independent external auditors are supposed to verify whether Solaris has implemented the respective measures which were agreed with BaFin as a result of the Art. 44 KWG standard audit. Folz publicly welcomed this action, claiming that the company held no secrets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/banken-versicherungen/banken/neobank-solarisbank-waechst-rasant-bafin-schickt-sonderpruefer/28017262.html |work=Handelsblatt |title= Solarisbank wächst rasant, BaFin schickt Sonderprüfer|author1=Dennis Schwarz|author2=Felix Holtermann|date=28 January 2022|access-date=2022-09-04|language=de}}<br>- {{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/die-bafin-sorgt-sich-um-die-solarisbank-und-schickt-einen-sonderpruefer |work=Business Insider|title=BaFin sorgt sich um Solaris Bank und schickt Sonderprüfer|date=29 January 2022|access-date=2022-09-04|language=de}}</ref> In late 2022, after the audit, Solaris was ordered by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority to take action to “ensure proper business organization in risk management and money laundering prevention and to limit risks”. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-18 |title=Bafin Threatens Fintech Company Solaris with Fine |url=https://born2invest.com/articles/bafin-threatens-fintech-solaris-fine/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:Logo-web-full_red_2.svg|thumb|upright|''Finom'' is one of the neobanks which uses Solaris' services as well as its bank code.]]
== Awards and recognition == Solaris SE was one of the finalists for the "Most Disruptive Innovation" Award at the 2016 Global Banking Awards, held in Spain.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.technologyrecord.com/Article/the-winners-of-the-2016-global-banking-awards-are-announced-56467#.We3BPWiCxPZ|title=The winners of the 2016 Global Banking Awards are announced|author=Lindsay James|work=Technology Record|date=27 October 2016|access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref>
==See also== * List of banks in Germany
== References == <references />
==External links== * [http://www.solarisbank.de Official website] {{Portal|Banks}}
{{Germany-bank-stub}} Category:Financial technology companies Category:Banks established in 2016 Category:Companies based in Berlin Category:2016 establishments in Germany Category:2025 mergers and acquisitions