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Viva Wallet Group
Greek Neobank From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Viva Wallet is a group of companies owning Viva.com [Vivabank], which is a Tech Bank for businesses with presence in 24 European countries[3]. In January 2022, international media reported that Viva Wallet was the first Greek unicorn startup[4] company after an agreement with JP Morgan Chase was announced.[5]
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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 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, following the transposition of the PSD2 in the Greek institutional framework.[6]
Three years later, in 2014, the company obtained an Electronic Money Association License[7] and announced the completion of its Series A round funding round, led by the Latsis family office.[8]
In 2020, Viva Wallet expanded its services to 23 European countries.[9] On August 3 of the same year, the company announced the acquisition of the banking license of Praxia Bank.[10]
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.[11]
In February 2025, Viva.com merged Viva Payments into VivaBank[12].
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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.[5] After the agreement with JP Morgan, international media reported that Viva Wallet was the first Greek ''unicorn startup."[4]
Founders
Haris Karonis was born in 1974 in Athens, Greece. He is the CEO and co-founder of Viva Wallet.[13]
Makis Antypas was born in Athens, Greece, in 1976. He is the co-founder and CIO of Viva Wallet and the CEO of Vivabank.[14]
Subsidiaries
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.[10] Vivabank is a credit institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Greece.[15]
References
External links
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