Lightyear Business Account at a glance
- Best for eligible EU companies investing excess cash through a simple multi-currency account.
- No monthly or custody fee, but an LEI, trading, FX, card deposit and fund fees can apply.
- The business offer provides up to €300 in a fractional share after a qualifying deposit of at least €1,000 within 45 days and business verification completion.
- Poor fit for companies that need full business banking, advanced trading tools or no investment risk.
What the Lightyear Business Account is, and what it is not
The Lightyear Business Account gives a company one place to hold GBP, EUR and USD and invest in a selection of securities and funds. Lightyear provides access to thousands of stocks and ETFs. The account can therefore cover a straightforward treasury workflow: transfer excess cash in, keep the required currencies and invest according to the company's own policy. Lightyear's live public and logged-in surfaces currently show different exact instrument counts, so the current range should be checked before applying.
It is not an ordinary business current account. A company still needs its usual bank for operational payments and the rest of its banking needs. Money moved into stocks, ETFs or money market funds becomes invested capital, so its value can fall when the company needs it.
That distinction matters more than the lack of a monthly fee. Lightyear can reduce the platform cost of holding investments, but it cannot remove market risk or make invested cash available at a guaranteed value. Our broader Lightyear review for EU investors explains the retail account and platform in more detail.
How the €300 Lightyear business bonus works
New eligible businesses can qualify for a reward worth up to €300. Lightyear describes the headline offer as a fractional share reward. Its promotion terms allow the reward to be a fractional share, ETF or money market fund credited to the business account.
The maximum should be read as a possible outcome, not the expected reward. Four probability bands determine the amount:
80% of the weighting sits in the €30 to €50 band
The reward is randomised, so the maximum is possible but not expected.
Actual results can differ from the published weightings because rewards are randomised. Standard Lightyear fees can apply.
After receiving the reward, the company must maintain net funding of at least the €1,000 qualifying deposit plus the reward value for six months. Market-value changes do not affect this calculation.
A business must have an active LEI to claim the reward. If it does not have one, it can purchase one through Lightyear.
The reward may create currency conversion or other standard Lightyear fees, depending on the instrument credited and what the company does with it.
Read the official promotion terms before applying. For the retail offer, see our separate Lightyear bonus guide.
How to qualify and enter the code
The person opening the account must first create and verify a personal Lightyear account. In the current web app, the account menu is in the top-right corner. Choose Business account under Open a new account. The opening screen then shows Get started, which leads to a company search by registered name or registration number.
Investing involves risk. Promotional terms apply. Only invest excess capital.
- Companies with single or multiple shareholders, subject to Lightyear's terms
- Businesses in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain
- Charities, trusts and foundations
- Some high-risk industries
- Other restrictions in Lightyear's eligibility and promotion terms
Lightyear Business Account fees and LEI cost
There is no monthly account fee and no custody fee. The real cost depends on how the company funds the account, which currencies it uses and what it buys.
What Lightyear Business can cost
There is no monthly account or custody fee, but setup, funding, FX, orders and funds can still carry costs.
Fund manager fees and possible FX fees can also apply. Lightyear shows money market fund rates after fees in the app.
A company converting €10,000 once at 0.35% would pay €35 in currency conversion fees. That makes currency matching important: funding in the currency of the intended investment can matter more than the absence of a monthly fee.
Lightyear publishes the current figures on its EU pricing page. If the company plans to hold ETFs for several years, our ETF fee calculator can help show how ongoing fund costs compound over time.
What companies can invest in
The account covers American and European stocks, eligible ETFs, bonds, ETNs, ETCs and money market funds. Lightyear also provides GBP, EUR and USD balances, which can help a company separate currency conversion from the investment order.
Eligible ETFs have no Lightyear execution or custody fee. That does not make them free: fund manager fees and potential FX fees still apply. Lightyear's annual money market fund fee is 0.10% for EUR and GBP funds and 0.15% for USD funds. Separate fund manager fees also apply, and Lightyear reflects the combined fees in the rate shown in the app. The funds remain investments whose value can change.
Lightyear's EU cash investment options can use BlackRock or J.P. Morgan money market funds depending on the country. We have deliberately not quoted a current yield because it varies by market and can change. The decision should start with the company's time horizon, liquidity needs and tolerance for losses, not a temporary headline rate.
For company cash management, note that Lightyear's money market funds require no lock-ups. Withdrawals are mostly instant, with some taking no more than one business day. Interest is accrued daily and paid out monthly on the first business day.
Safety, regulation and money market fund risk
Finantsinspektsioon's register identifies Lightyear Europe AS as a regulated investment firm and lists its investment-firm permissions. That status explains who supervises the EU entity. It is not a recommendation or an endorsement of any investment.
The more immediate risk comes from what the company holds. Stocks, ETFs and money market funds can fall in value. Money market funds are not bank deposits, even when a company uses them to manage short-term cash. A business may therefore receive less than it invested if it sells at an unfavourable time.
Company directors should keep operating cash separate from money the business can leave invested. After receiving the EU reward, the company must maintain net funding of at least the €1,000 qualifying deposit plus the reward value for six months. Market-value changes do not affect that calculation, but withdrawals and outward transfers do.
The material drawbacks
The Lightyear Business Account is deliberately simpler than a full banking or professional trading setup. That creates a clear fit, but it also leaves several limitations to weigh before applying.
- No monthly or custody fee
- GBP, EUR and USD balances in one investment account
- Access to American and European stocks, ETFs and money market funds
- Bank transfers in and out are free
- Not a replacement for day-to-day business banking
- An LEI adds cost and administration, although money market funds do not require one
- Net funding of at least the qualifying deposit plus the reward value must be maintained for six months
- FX, trading, card deposit and fund fees can apply
- Investments can lose value
- Not available to every country, legal form or industry
The probability table also weakens the headline offer. Four in five qualifying rewards fall between €30 and €50, while the €151 to €300 band has a 2% probability. Treat the bonus as a secondary benefit after fees, eligibility and investment risk.
Who should and should not use it
Can your company maintain the required net funding?
Use it for excess capital you can invest while meeting the six-month net-funding condition.
- Eligible company in a supported country
- Excess cash beyond near-term operating needs
- Simple GBP, EUR and USD investment account
- Stocks, eligible ETFs or money market funds
- Accepts investment risk and LEI administration
- Can maintain the required net funding for six months
- Needs payroll, invoices, credit and everyday banking
- May need to reduce net funding during the six-month period
- Cannot accept a fall in invested capital
- Trades often enough for FX and order fees to add up
- Needs advanced trading tools
For alternatives, compare our Interactive Brokers review and ETF broker guide.
Final verdict
Lightyear Business Account works best as a low-overhead investment account beside an existing business bank. The combination of no monthly fee, no custody fee, three currency balances and access to common investment types makes it practical for a company with genuinely excess cash.
The account becomes less compelling when the company needs broader banking features, frequent currency conversion or advanced trading tools. The LEI cost is unavoidable unless the business already has one, and the reward should not be mistaken for €300 of guaranteed value. Most qualifying rewards sit in the lowest band. After receiving the reward, the company must maintain net funding of at least the qualifying deposit plus the reward value for six months.
If those limits fit the company's treasury plan, the business offer adds a useful reward to an account that already makes sense on its own.
Claim up to €300 with EUINVESTBIZ
Frequently asked questions
No. It is an investment and treasury account for company money. It can hold GBP, EUR and USD and provide access to investments, but it does not replace the operating account a company uses for ordinary banking.
The advertised maximum is €300. The probability is 80% for €30 to €50, 15% for €51 to €75, 3% for €76 to €150 and 2% for €151 to €300. The reward can be a fractional share, ETF or money market fund credited to the business account. Please note that to claim a reward, you need to have an active LEI number.
No. The reward can be withdrawn after six months. During those six months, the company must maintain net funding of at least the €1,000 qualifying deposit plus the reward value. Market-value changes do not affect that calculation. If the condition is not met, Lightyear can reclaim the reward value.
Yes. A company can use an existing LEI or generate one in the Lightyear app. The in-app option costs €48 plus VAT for one year. Please note that to invest in money market funds, an LEI is not needed. However, to claim a reward, it is necessary. Lightyear is working on allowing a money market fund to be claimed as a reward without an LEI.
There is no monthly fee and no custody fee. Trading, currency conversion, card deposit, fund manager and money market fund fees can still apply.
No. Money market funds are investments, not bank deposits. Their value can move, and company capital is at risk.
Sponsored link disclosure: This article contains a Lightyear partner link and the EUINVESTBIZ promotional code. EU Investing Hub may receive compensation if a reader becomes a Lightyear customer through the link. That commercial relationship does not change our obligation to explain the account's costs, restrictions, risks and drawbacks and does not influence our editorial independence.
Investing involves risk. Promotional terms apply: https://lightyear.com/signup-promotion-terms. This is not investment advice. Only invest excess capital.
Fees, eligibility and promotional terms were verified on 8 October 2026 and can change. Check Lightyear's current terms before opening or funding an account.
