to an Existing Financial Ecosystem
How we integrated a dedicated Asset Management Company (AMC) layer in the Czech Republic to diversify revenue streams within an existing EU-based financial platform
Client Profile
An established, regulated financial ecosystem (such as a trading platform or payment provider) operating in the EU. The business has its own infrastructure and serves a broad user base, including retail, professional, and qualified investors, with the ambition to move beyond purely transactional revenue.
The Challenge or Strategic Dilemma
The client faced both regulatory and strategic limitations:
- Licensing Gap: Existing brokerage, trading, or payment licenses do not legally permit the pooling and management of third-party investments.
- Margin Pressure: The need to reduce reliance on purely transactional fees and strengthen competitive positioning.
- Contamination Risk: Concerns that introducing investment activities directly into the core operating business could jeopardize existing licenses and relationships with correspondent banks.
- Legal Segregation: The need to isolate investment-related risks from the primary operational infrastructure.
We analyzed the challenge of Consolidating Family Assets
We explored the creation of a flexible structure that would allow the client to accept investments through affiliated entities. A key requirement was legal clarity and the absence of excessive control from administrators or depositaries that could impact the entire group.
Implementation of an Asset Management Company (AMC) as an additional, standalone layer within a broader ecosystem
Why Not Alternative Structures?
Why not SICAV or a white-label solution? A SICAV becomes economically viable only after reaching approximately €10 million in assets under management (AUM); below that threshold, costs are disproportionately high. Additionally, a SICAV structure requires the appointment of a custodian, which may impose its own operating conditions and require the use of its designated brokers. As a result, operating within a fully closed ecosystem is no longer feasible. White-label partnerships were rejected, as they did not provide the client with sufficient control over investment strategies and fund structures.
Expert Insight
Adding an AMC layer enables the client to achieve the following:
- Revenue Diversification: Combining transactional income with investment-related fees;
- Lower Customer Acquisition Costs: Leveraging the existing user base to onboard clients into investment products;
- Higher Client Retention: Users engage with multiple services within a single ecosystem;
- Operational Independence: Each component remains structurally and legally separate;
- International Flexibility: Given that the client’s infrastructure is already international (or multi-jurisdictional), the AMC can be established in the most suitable jurisdiction independently.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it. ”— Peter Drucker
Impact of the Implemented Structure
Structure: Czech Asset Management Company (AMC) under Article 15 (ZISIF).
Revenue Model: Transition to a hybrid monetization model combining transaction fees with management fees and performance fees.
Control: Full preservation of ownership and managerial control over the pre-existing ecosystem.
Scalability: A multi-jurisdictional structure designed for international expansion.
Efficiency: Launch of a new business line without disrupting ongoing operations or staffing structures.
This structure is an ideal next step for:
- Regulated payment institutions or brokers seeking to offer proprietary investment strategies;
- Fintech platforms aiming to increase customer lifetime value (LTV);
- Financial groups that need to segregate investment management risks from payment processing or trading infrastructure.
Regulatory Depth
The AMC operates as a registered entity under the supervision of the Czech National Bank (CNB).
Compliance: Alignment with EU standards for managing capital of qualified investors, providing a legal framework not available under brokerage or payment licenses.
Operational Independence: The structure avoids rigid external depositary/custodian requirements, preserving a boutique operating model and enabling faster decision-making within the group.
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Expand & Invest with our experts
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FinCzech. office:
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Alexander Yakimenka, LLMCo-Founder & Chief Executive Officer