payabl. Reportedly Agrees €100M+ Deal as ECM Partners Acquires 50% Stake

Limassol-based payments company payabl. has reportedly agreed to sell a 50% stake to private equity firm ECM Partners in a transaction valued at more than €100 million. If confirmed, the deal would rank among the largest fintech transactions in Cyprus by value.

Group CEO Ugnė Buračienė will retain the remaining 50% stake and continue leading the business. payabl. provides payment processing and gateway services, including foreign exchange and digital asset on- and off-ramps, and has a strong presence in the retail brokerage segment, counting XM and eToro among its clients. Under Buračienė, the firm achieved triple-digit revenue growth, increased headcount tenfold and secured two electronic money institution licences.

From founder-led to institutional-backed

For ECM Partners, the acquisition marks a strategic move into fintech. The firm has reportedly invested more than €1 billion across Central and Southeastern Europe, with interests in manufacturing, hospitality and real estate. Its fund arm recently obtained an Alternative Investment Fund Manager licence from CySEC. In Cyprus, ECM is best known for consolidating local healthcare providers to create Ygia Group, the island's largest private healthcare organisation.

The deal also reflects wider private equity interest in payments. According to data from law firm White & Case, payments remained one of the most active fintech sub-sectors for mergers and acquisitions in the UK and Europe, with more than 50 deals completed between mid-2024 and mid-2025.

For Cyprus, the transaction signals a maturing fintech hub that is moving beyond founder-run startups toward institutional-backed companies scaling across Europe.