Viva Wallet Group
European fintech and banking group serving businesses with payment, digital banking, and related financial technology services.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Viva Wallet Group is a Greek financial-technology and banking group focused on business payments and digital financial services. Its roots date to 2000, when Haris Karonis established Realize SA in Athens as a software house. The group later broadened its activities through Viva Services, which entered voice-over-IP services and travel-related technology before expanding into electronic ticketing in 2010. The group's payments business developed through Viva Payments, founded in 2011 by Haris Karonis and Makis Antypas. Viva Payments obtained authorization as a payment institution serving the European Economic Area after the implementation of the revised European payments framework in Greece. In 2014, the business secured an electronic-money license and completed a Series A financing round led by the Latsis family office. These developments supported the transition from a technology company with several digital-service activities into a regulated payments and financial-services platform. Viva Wallet expanded its geographic footprint during the 2010s and became increasingly oriented toward merchants and other businesses. Its offering has included payment acceptance, digital accounts and wallet functionality, card-related services, and technology intended to allow businesses to manage transactions through online and in-person channels. The group has operated under the Viva.com identity in its later development, while banking capabilities have been associated with VivaBank. In 2020, the company stated that it had expanded into 23 European countries. That year it also announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank. VivaBank operates as a credit institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Greece, giving the group a banking platform in addition to its payment-institution and electronic-money capabilities. Viva Wallet raised a Series D round in 2021 with participation from Tencent, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Breyer Capital. In January 2022, JPMorgan Chase announced an agreement to acquire a 48.5 percent stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A. The announcement made Viva.com the first Greek unicorn startup, in the commonly used sense of a privately held startup valued at more than one billion dollars. The transaction also linked the Greek-founded fintech to one of the world's largest banking groups while leaving Viva's operating platform and European expansion strategy central to the business. In February 2025, Viva.com merged Viva Payments into VivaBank, consolidating the group's payments and banking operations. The supplied reference material also describes a further 2026 expansion into Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Estonia, bringing the reported footprint to 29 European countries, including all 27 European Economic Area member states together with the United Kingdom and Norway. Viva Wallet Group's positioning is therefore that of a regulated, pan-European financial-technology provider for businesses rather than a consumer-only wallet brand. Its historical evolution combines software development, communications and ticketing technology, regulated payments, merchant services, and banking.
History
Viva Wallet Group developed from a Greek software and digital-services business into a regulated European payments and banking group. Haris Karonis founded Realize SA in Athens in 2000. The company initially operated as a software house, establishing the technical and entrepreneurial base from which the later Viva businesses emerged. In 2006, Viva Services was established and entered voice-over-IP services. It subsequently worked in travel services and expanded into electronic ticketing in 2010. These early activities gave the group experience in online transactions, digital distribution, and technology services, although its later identity became primarily associated with financial technology. Haris Karonis and Makis Antypas founded Viva Payments in 2011. The company obtained authorization as a payment institution for the European Economic Area following the incorporation of the revised European payments rules into the Greek regulatory framework. In 2014, Viva obtained an electronic-money license and announced a Series A financing round led by the Latsis family office. The licensing and financing milestones marked a shift toward regulated payments and wallet services. During the following years, Viva Wallet expanded its services across Europe and focused increasingly on business customers. Its platform combined merchant payment acceptance with digital financial tools, supporting transactions through online and physical channels. By 2020, the company reported a presence in 23 European countries. On 3 August 2020, it announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank. The resulting VivaBank was described as a credit institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Greece, adding banking capabilities to the group's existing payments and electronic-money activities. The company's financing profile and international significance grew in 2021. Viva Wallet announced a Series D round involving Tencent, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Breyer Capital. In January 2022, JPMorgan Chase announced an agreement to acquire a 48.5 percent stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A. The announcement gave Viva.com prominent status in Greece's technology ecosystem and was associated with its recognition as the first Greek unicorn startup. The group continued to reorganize its regulated businesses. In February 2025, Viva.com merged Viva Payments into VivaBank, bringing the payments operation into the banking entity. The supplied reference material further reports that in 2026 Viva.com entered Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Estonia, reaching 29 European countries, comprising the 27 European Economic Area member states plus the United Kingdom and Norway. Across its history, Viva Wallet Group has moved from general software development and digital services into payment institutions, electronic money, merchant acquiring and acceptance, and business banking. Its current brand architecture is associated with Viva.com, while VivaBank represents the banking side of the business. The group serves businesses across Europe and is positioned around integrated digital payments and financial services rather than a conventional retail bank or a consumer-only wallet.
- 2026
Reported expansion to 29 European countries
[1]The supplied reference reports operations beginning in five additional countries: Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Estonia.
- 2025
Viva Payments merges into VivaBank
[1]Viva.com consolidates its payments and banking operations by merging Viva Payments into VivaBank.
- 2022
JPMorgan Chase stake agreement
[1]JPMorgan Chase announces an agreement to acquire a 48.5 percent stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A.
- 2021
Series D financing
[1]A Series D round is announced with participation from Tencent, EBRD, and Breyer Capital.
- 2020
European expansion and banking-license acquisition
[1]Viva Wallet reports operations in 23 European countries and announces the acquisition of Praxia Bank's banking license.
- 2014
Electronic-money authorization and Series A financing
[1]The company obtains an electronic-money license and completes a Series A round led by the Latsis family office.
- 2011
Viva Payments is founded
[1]Haris Karonis and Makis Antypas establish Viva Payments, which becomes a regulated payment institution for the European Economic Area.
- 2010
Expansion into electronic ticketing
[1]The group expands its digital-services activity into the electronic-ticketing market.
- 2006
Viva Services enters digital communications
[1]Viva Services is founded and enters voice-over-IP services before later extending into travel-related services.
- 2000
Realize SA is founded
[1]Haris Karonis establishes Realize SA in Athens as a software house, creating the foundation of the later Viva group.
Products and positioning
A pan-European fintech and regulated banking platform for businesses, combining merchant payment acceptance with digital accounts, wallet functionality, and banking services.
Merchant payments
Viva.com business payments platform
The group's principal business-facing platform provides digital payment acceptance and related financial tools for merchants and other enterprises. It is associated with online and in-person transaction capabilities and forms the main commercial expression of the Viva.com brand across European markets.
Payment institution services · 2011
Viva Payments
Founded in 2011, Viva Payments operated as a regulated payment institution serving the European Economic Area. Its activities formed a core part of the group's merchant-payment and digital-wallet infrastructure before being merged into VivaBank in 2025.
Business banking · 2020
VivaBank
VivaBank is the group's banking entity and is described as a credit institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Greece. It provides the banking foundation for the group's broader business-finance proposition and absorbed Viva Payments in 2025.
Digital wallet
Viva Wallet
Viva Wallet is the historical brand associated with the group's digital-wallet and payment services. Its development helped connect the group's regulated payment capabilities with business customers seeking digital transaction and account tools.
Brand decisions
2025
Merge Viva Payments into VivaBankStrategyBackground
The group had developed both a regulated payments operation and a banking entity, creating an opportunity to consolidate the two businesses.
Action taken
Viva.com merged Viva Payments into VivaBank.
Aftermath
The reorganization combined the group's payments and banking operations under the VivaBank structure.
2022
JPMorgan Chase takes a stake in Viva WalletM&ABackground
Viva Wallet had expanded across Europe and completed a Series D financing round involving international institutional and technology investors.
Action taken
JPMorgan Chase announced an agreement to acquire a 48.5 percent stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A.
Aftermath
The agreement connected Viva Wallet with JPMorgan Chase and contributed to Viva.com being recognized as Greece's first unicorn startup.
2020
Acquire the Praxia Bank banking licenseM&ABackground
Viva Wallet was expanding from payment and electronic-money services toward a broader regulated financial-services model.
Action taken
The company announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank and developed VivaBank as a credit institution supervised by the Bank of Greece.
Aftermath
The transaction gave the group a banking platform in addition to its payment-institution and electronic-money capabilities.
Recent events
- 2026
Viva.com reports expansion into five additional European countries[1]
Other
The supplied reference describes launches in Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Estonia, bringing the reported total footprint to 29 European countries.
- 2025
Viva.com merges Viva Payments into VivaBank[1]
M&A
Viva.com consolidated its payments and banking entities by merging Viva Payments into VivaBank.
- 2022
JPMorgan Chase agrees to acquire a stake in Viva Wallet[1]
M&A
JPMorgan Chase announced an agreement to acquire a 48.5 percent stake in Viva Wallet Holdings Software Development S.A. The announcement coincided with Viva.com becoming Greece's first unicorn startup.
- 2021
Viva Wallet completes Series D financing[1]
Other
The company announced a Series D round involving Tencent, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Breyer Capital.
- 2020
Viva.com expands across Europe[1]
Other
The company reported that its services had expanded to 23 European countries.
- 2020
Viva Wallet announces acquisition of Praxia Bank banking license[1]
M&A
Viva Wallet announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank, supporting the development of VivaBank as a credit institution supervised by the Bank of Greece.
Sources2 sources
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