Viva Wallet is a European
Neobank
A neobank is a type of direct bank that operates exclusively using online banking without traditional physical branches. They challenge traditional banks. In contrast to direct banks, in many cases, neobanks do not have their own banking license ...
with presence in 24 European countries. Viva Wallet Holdings owns a Banking License (VIVABANK SA). In January 2022, international media reported that Viva Wallet was the first Greek
unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since Classical antiquity, antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn (anatomy), horn projecting from its forehead.
In European literature and art, the unico ...
startup
company after an agreement with
JP Morgan
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (stylized as JPMorganChase) is an American multinational finance corporation headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. It is the largest bank in the United States, and the world's largest bank by mar ...
Chase was announced.
Viva Wallet is part of the Viva Wallet Group, consisting of the subsidiaries Viva Services SA, Viva Payment Services and Vivabank.
History
In 2000, Haris Karonis founded Realize SA in Athens, Greece, which initially operated as a software house. In 2006, Viva Services was founded and entered the
voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is a set of technologies used primarily for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as ...
business and later travel services, followed in 2010 by an expansion to the e-ticketing market.
In 2011, Haris Karonis and Makis Antypas founded Viva Payments, which is licensed as a payment institution for the
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Asso ...
, following the transposition of the PSD2 in the Greek institutional framework.
Three years later, in 2014, the company obtained an Electronic Money Association License and announced the completion of its Series A round funding round, led by the Latsis family office.
In 2020, Viva Wallet expanded its services to 23 European countries. On August 3 of the same year, the company announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank.
In 2021, Viva Wallet announced the completion of its Series D funding round, led by Tencent, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as Jim Breyer’s Breyer Capital.
Investment
On 25 January 2022, JPMorgan Chase announced that it was to buy a 48.5% stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A.
After the agreement with JP Morgan, international media reported that Viva Wallet was the first Greek
''unicorn startup."
Founders
Haris Karonis was born in 1974 in Athens, Greece. He is the
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization.
CEOs find roles in variou ...
and co-founder of Viva Wallet.
Makis Antypas was born in Athens, Greece, in 1976. He is the co-founder and CIO of Viva Wallet and the CEO of Vivabank.
Subsidiaries
Viva Services
Viva Services is a provider of online services in Greece.
It is an online travel agency, a KO telecommunications provider licensed by the
Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission and a registered insurance agent. The company is a subsidiary of Viva Wallet Holdings SA (formerly Realize SA).
Vivabank
On August 3, 2020, Viva Wallet announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank, opening the way for the creation of Vivabank.
Vivabank is a credit institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Greece.
References
External links
*{{Official website, https://www.viva.com/en-eu
Hardware Wallets
Online travel agencies
Companies based in Athens
Greek brands
Software companies of Greece
Telecommunications companies of Greece