EBA Report Reveals Widespread Use of White Labelling in Banking & Payments

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published a new report revealing that white labelling – where financial products or services are offered under another company’s brand – is now used by more than a third of banks across the EU. The findings underscore a rapid shift in financial distribution models driven by digitalisation, platformisation, and partnerships between regulated and non-regulated entities.

According to the EBA’s 2025 Spring Risk Assessment Questionnaire, 35% of banks surveyed reported using white labelling arrangements. This increasingly common model sees a financial institution (the provider) partnering with another firm – often a non-financial business such as an online marketplace – to deliver financial services under the partner’s brand. While this approach offers new routes to market and opportunities for innovation, it also introduces challenges for consumer clarity and supervisory oversight.

The report highlights that consumers may struggle to identify which entity is responsible for a financial product, complicating complaint handling and increasing exposure to potential fraud. For supervisors, indirect oversight of unregulated partners poses risks to market integrity and consumer protection.

To address these concerns, the EBA will take forward a series of actions in 2026 aimed at enhancing supervisory convergence and strengthening consumer understanding. These include:

• Raising supervisory awareness by embedding white labelling into the supervisory priorities of competent authorities for 2026.

• Ensuring more effective disclosures so consumers clearly understand which firm they are dealing with and how to make complaints.

The EBA’s work builds on its statutory duty under Article 9(2) of the EBA Founding Regulation to monitor and assess market developments, including financial innovation. White labelling has been a strategic focus under the EBA’s 2024–25 priorities on innovative applications and financial value chain developments.

A factsheet accompanying the report provides further detail on the key findings, use cases, and regulatory implications of white labelling in the European financial sector.

Read the press release and report here.