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Payment Intermediary Services Licence

A Payment Intermediary Services (PIS) Licence is issued by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius. It authorises a company to provide payment intermediation—such as acquiring and executing payment transactions and money remittance—for clients outside Mauritius (cross-border only). In practice, PIS licensees often operate payment gateways and merchant-acquiring solutions for international e-commerce. 

Important distinction: domestic payment service providers in Mauritius are licensed by the Bank of Mauritius under the National Payment Systems Act 2018 (NPSA). The PIS licence is an FSC licence and is scoped to offshore activity.

Renesis Financial Services Ltd delivers end-to-end support: feasibility and licence scoping, entity setup and GBL structuring, FSCOne application with AML/CFT and governance policies, technology and security readiness including PCI DSS, banking setup and acquirer partnerships, and ongoing compliance - returns, monitoring, risk assessments, updates, and board reporting - so you launch and scale confidently.

Why choose Mauritius for a Payment Intermediary Services Licence?

Robust, well-regarded regulation

The FSC supervises non-bank financial services with a clear codified licensing framework and public register of licensees.

Cross-border focus by design

The PIS regime is explicitly intended for services delivered outside Mauritius, making it attractive for international fintech and merchant services operators.

Global Business platform & substance

PIS licensees typically operate as Global Business Companies (GBC/GBL), benefiting from Mauritius’ mature corporate, audit and professional services infrastructure.

Faster determinations (policy push)

Recent reforms introduced a statutory “determination of application” provision to accelerate FSC decisions when applications are complete.

What activities can a Payment Intermediary Services Licence be used for?

Acquiring & executing payment transactions

for merchants located outside Mauritius (e-commerce acquiring, card-not-present flows).


Money remittance and collection/settlement

 services linked to online purchases.

Payment gateway/aggregation

(routing to multiple acquirers, onboarding international merchants).

Note: If you intend to operate within Mauritius (eg, local e-money issuance, domestic PSP or payment system operation), you fall under the Bank of Mauritius licensing under the NPSA—different capital thresholds and rules apply.

Key features of Payment Intermediary Services Licence in Mauritius

Regulator
Financial Services Commission (FSC), Mauritius.
Legal form
Mauritius company typically holding a Global Business Licence (GBL/GBC) and meeting economic substance in Mauritius (eg, two resident directors, local bank account, records and audit in Mauritius).
Minimum stated unimpaired capital
MUR 2,000,000 (or equivalent). (Raised from MUR 500,000 via FSC circular; reiterated in 2024 FSC materials.)
Banking footprint
Maintain principal bank account in Mauritius (common licensing expectation).
Governance & compliance
Fit-and-proper controllers, robust AML/CFT, internal controls, and (if card data involved) evidence of PCI DSS readiness.
Public transparency
Inclusion on the FSC Register of Licensees once approved.
PIS vs PSP (quick contrast):
PIS (FSC): Cross-border focus; MUR 2m minimum capital; no domestic operations.
PSP (BoM under NPSA): Domestic focus; higher capital (generally MUR 5m+ depending on services) and different prudential requirements.
Processing & annual fees
FS-2.9 PIS shows a processing fee Rs 25,000 (USD 1,000) and fixed annual fee Rs 57,000 (USD 1,900) on the FSC Codified List.
Minimum capital (confirmed)
MUR 2,000,000 stated unimpaired capital since the FSC’s circular of 3 Oct 2018 (raised from MUR 500,000).
Application route
All applications go via the FSCOne portal (no paper filings), per the FSC’s licensing FAQ.
BoM consultation
The FSC requests the Bank of Mauritius’ views before granting a PIS licence (see the official FS-2.9 application form).
Key officers
Expect to appoint Compliance Officer, MLRO and Deputy MLRO; auditor details are also collected at application.
Audit & reporting
Audited financial statements (IFRS/ISA) filed within 6 months of year-end for GBCs conducting financial services, per FSC guidance/fact sheet and governance code.
Public register
Successful licensees appear on the FSC Register of Licensees.
Supervision model
Licensees are subject to risk-based supervision, off-site monitoring and on-site inspections by the FSC.
Change-control notifications
Share transfers and governance changes often require FSC approval or prompt notification under the Financial Services Act/licence conditions.
Data protection
Operations must comply with Mauritius Data Protection Act 2017 (GDPR-aligned) when handling personal data.

FAQs about the Payment Intermediary Services Licence in Mauritius

Is the PIS licence suitable for domestic (Mauritius) payments or e-money?

No. Domestic payment services and e-money issuance are regulated by the Bank of Mauritius under the NPSA 2018. PIS covers cross-border activity overseen by the FSC.

What capital do we need?

Current FSC guidance sets the minimum stated unimpaired capital at MUR 2,000,000 (or equivalent). Always check for the latest circulars/updates.

Do we need a Global Business Licence (GBL/GBC)?

In practice, yes—PIS applicants are generally structured as GBCs and must demonstrate economic substance in Mauritius (eg, two Mauritius-resident directors, principal bank account in Mauritius, books/audit in Mauritius).

How long does licensing take?

Timelines depend on completeness and due diligence. Mauritius has introduced a statutory framework to speed up determinations for complete applications, but actual timing varies case-by-case.

Can a PIS licence holder issue cards or wallets?

PIS can support gateway/acquiring and remittance models for offshore clients. Card issuance, wallets or domestic accounts generally fall under the BoM/PSP regime—requirements and capital are different.

Where can we verify approved licensees?

On the FSC’s Register of Licensees.

How Renesis Financials can help in applying for a Payment Intermediary Services Licence in Mauritius

Renesis Financial Services Ltd supports you end-to-end so you can launch and scale with confidence:

  1. Feasibility & licence scoping – Map your business model to the correct regime (FSC PIS vs BoM PSP) and jurisdictions involved.

  2. Entity setup & GBL structuring – Incorporation, Global Business Licence, and economic-substance blueprint (directors, banking, audit, office). 

  3. Licence application on FSCOne – Business plan, policies and procedures (AML/CFT, governance, risk, outsourcing, tech, incident response), and liaison with the FSC until approval. 

  4. Technology & security readiness – PCI DSS readiness roadmap (where card data is processed), vendor due diligence, and data-protection controls aligned to licence conditions. 

  5. Banking & operations – Principal bank account in Mauritius, acquirer partnerships, and settlement workflows consistent with cross-border scope. 

  6. Ongoing compliance – Periodic returns, transaction monitoring, risk assessments, policies refresh, and board reporting.

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