Kadmos, the fintech focused on salary payments and money management for the global maritime workforce, today announced that it has been granted authorisation by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) [FRN 1026130]. The authorisation will enable Kadmos to expand its suite of maritime payment services and to further improve the speed, reliability and user experience of its existing products.

“This authorisation is a major milestone in Kadmos’ mission to make payments simpler, faster and fairer for seafarers and their families,” said Justine Norman, Managing Director, UK. “It provides a robust, regulated foundation in the UK from which we can deliver a global, safe, modern payment experience tailored to the maritime sector.”

What this means for Kadmos customers

With the granting of the license and subsequent go-live of the licensed operating model Kadmos will soon be able to:

• Launch new maritime-specific services that reflect the realities of working at sea and navigating global compliance.
• Improve speed and reliability for payouts and card services by reducing third-party dependency and strengthening operational control.
• ‍Provide clearer protections and transparency through regulated safeguarding of customer funds and enhanced dispute and support processes.

UK leadership team

KDMS’s UK operations are led by:

• Justine Norman — Managing Director (UK)
  
• Daniel Watson — Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO)
  
• Imran Mohammed — Finance Director (FD)
• Rory Newton — Vice President of Product

“Our team blends deep regulatory, financial and product expertise to deliver a safe, intuitive platform designed around seafarers’ needs,” added Norman.

“Seafarers face unique financial challenges; irregular connectivity, multi-currency costs, and the need to support families across borders,” said Rory Newton, VP of Product. “Our FCA authorisation allows us to develop innovative ways to solve these challenges without compromising on safety.”

“For shipping companies, crewing, and manning agencies, the hurdles are different. Fragmented payment rails, complex cross-border compliance, and rising banking and FX fees make payments a challenging environment” Newton added. “By enabling automated, instant and free multi-currency salary disbursements, alongside a global payment network we will cut costs, improve transparency, and give operators greater control over every payment.”

Sasha Makarovych and Justus Schmueser, co-founders of Kadmos, added:

“This UK authorisation is more than a regulatory milestone. It’s a commitment to the maritime community that we’re here for the long haul. And following our recent acquisition by NYK Line, we are backed by one of the world’s largest and most respected shipping groups. The UK’s robust financial framework will allow Kadmos to serve our customers with greater security, transparency, and efficiency while leveraging the broader group’s technology, global reach, and deep maritime expertise to deliver lasting value.”

Sergio Lopez, CTO of Kadmos Technologies, concluded: 

“We now have the necessary permissions to make our infrastructure and product to operate fully independently - customers will experience the full power of our technological capabilities and expertise in the near future. This is a major achievement for the whole Kadmos team.” 

About KDMS

KDMS is a UK-authorised Electronic Money Institution, building a modern payments platform for the maritime community. With a secure e-wallet and payment card, KDMS helps shipping companies streamline salary disbursements and empowers seafarers to manage, move, and spend money globally with confidence.  KDMS Payments Limited, trading as Kadmos UK, is a member of the the NYK Line group of companies.

Media Contact
Justine Norman
Managing Director, KDMS
justine@Kadmos.io

Regulatory & Compliance Enquiries
Daniel Watson
MLRO, KDMS
danielwatson@Kadmos.io

Customer Enquiries
support@Kadmos.io