Quick overview: Bilder, the provider previously known as Bilderlings, is a licensed e-money institution offering multi-currency business accounts to companies registered in Estonia. This page explains what the account covers, which businesses it suits, and how the application works.
Once an Estonian company exists on paper, the next practical task is opening a business account for it — somewhere to collect client payments and settle with suppliers. Founders based outside Estonia usually discover that this step, not the incorporation itself, decides how quickly the business can actually start trading.
At Eesti Firma OÜ we handle company registration in Estonia and the support that follows, which includes helping clients get a corporate account in place. One of the providers we work with regularly is Bilder — the same company entrepreneurs may still know under its earlier name, Bilderlings. The sections below look at what its account gives an Estonian company in practice.
If you are still at the stage of deciding between a traditional bank and a fintech provider, our overview of where to open a payment account for an Estonian company covers that comparison in general terms. This page starts where the shortlist has already narrowed to Bilder.
Bilder: an E-Money Institution, Not a Bank
Bilder operates under an e-money licence rather than a banking one. The regulated entity behind the brand is Bilderlings Pay Limited, incorporated in England and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 900637. The group has been operating in payments for over a decade and is headquartered in London, with the trading name shortened from Bilderlings to Bilder in 2025.
Two consequences follow from that licence, and both are worth knowing before you apply. Client funds are held under safeguarding rules, which means they sit in segregated accounts separate from the provider’s own money rather than being used in its turnover. At the same time, an e-money institution does not take deposits and does not lend, so an EMI account is a working instrument for payments, not a place to build reserves or arrange credit.
What the Business Account Includes
The multi-currency account is built around cross-border trading — precisely the position most Estonian companies with foreign owners are in.
| Feature | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Company IBAN | Dedicated IBAN in the company name, with EUR, USD, GBP and CNY as the core currencies |
| Euro payments | Direct SEPA access, including instant euro transfers |
| International payments | SWIFT membership for transfers outside the euro area |
| Sterling payments | Faster Payments and CHAPS for settlements with UK counterparties |
| Cards | Physical and virtual Mastercard cards, with Apple Pay and Google Pay support |
| Online tools | Web portal, mobile app, open banking, bulk payments and API access |
| Access rights | Several users per account with separate permissions — an accountant can prepare payments while a director approves them |
| Support | Personal manager assigned to the account alongside general support |
The combination that matters most for a small international company is euro, sterling and worldwide payments from a single business IBAN. A consultancy invoicing clients in euros and dollars, or a wholesaler paying suppliers outside Europe, keeps everything in one place instead of splitting flows between providers. Card issuing and the mobile app then cover day-to-day spending without a separate corporate card programme.
The other practical advantage is the personal manager. Onboarding at a fintech provider is normally a form and an automated decision; here there is a person who reviews the business, asks questions about it, and can explain what documentation will make the application work. For an unusual business model that is often the difference between approval and a generic rejection. You can also review the current terms on the provider’s own business pages before applying.
Which Companies the Provider Suits Best
Bilder positions itself around international B2B activity, and its published industry focus reflects that: fintech, wholesale trade, logistics, IT and startups, consulting, digital marketing and affiliate businesses, and gaming. If your Estonian company sits in one of those areas and trades across borders, the profile is a natural match.
An institution of this kind is less suited to a company that needs cash handling, credit facilities, or a domestic footprint in Estonia specifically. Sector alone also does not guarantee approval. The provider publishes a risk appetite statement setting out the industries it will not serve — arms dealing, unlicensed gambling, adult content and shell banks among them — together with a list of excluded jurisdictions, and it is worth reading that document before you spend time on an application.
One limitation to plan around
Because the licence is held in the United Kingdom, an account with this provider cannot be used to receive the share capital contribution when an Estonian company is being registered: Estonian law requires the contribution to reach an institution established in the European Economic Area. Arrange the contribution separately, then use the account for trading once the company is on the register.
How to Open a Corporate Account Remotely
Terms depend on where the company is registered and where its beneficial owners are based: an Estonian company owned from inside the European Economic Area is placed on a different footing from one whose owners sit outside it. The process itself runs entirely online — no travel to London or Tallinn is required. In outline:
- Company documents. Registry extract, articles of association, and identification for the owners and board members.
- Business description. What the company sells, to whom, in which countries, and how payments come in. This carries more weight than anything else in the application.
- Supporting evidence. Contracts, invoices or a website that corroborate the description, plus proof of the source of funds where relevant.
- Review. Compliance assesses the file and usually comes back with follow-up questions rather than an immediate answer.
- Activation. Once approved, the IBAN is issued and cards can be ordered through the portal.
The most common cause of delay is a mismatch between what the registry says and what the company describes: a declared activity that does not match the contracts, or beneficial ownership that is documented inconsistently. The provider puts the usual turnaround at one to three business days once a complete set of documents is in, so time invested in preparing them properly comes straight back. That preparation is also where we normally step in for clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bilder is the current trading name of the provider that operated as Bilderlings, and the regulated entity remains Bilderlings Pay Limited. Existing clients and accounts were not affected by the change of name.
No. Bilder is an e-money institution authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority: it issues accounts and executes payments, but does not take deposits or lend. Client funds are protected through safeguarding in segregated accounts rather than by a deposit guarantee scheme.
Yes. The application, identity verification and account opening are all handled online, so neither the owners nor the board members need to travel. A personal manager is assigned to guide the application through review.
The core currencies are EUR, USD, GBP and CNY, with others available on request. Payments run through SEPA (including instant euro transfers), SWIFT, and the UK sterling rails Faster Payments and CHAPS. Exact conditions depend on the account type agreed during onboarding.
No. The contribution must be paid to an institution established in a contracting state of the European Economic Area, and this provider is authorised in the United Kingdom. The contribution should therefore be arranged through another route, after which the account can be used for ordinary business payments.
