What is Banco de Portugal?

Banco de Portugal supervises banks and other financial firms operating in Portugal, and it publishes the licence number of each one. A licence number is the quickest check that a lender is authorised for the product you are being offered, because it links the company you are dealing with to an official record. Among the firms on that list, ActivoBank appears as 23, ComparaJa as 0000375, Doutor Financas as 0000420 and Santander Portugal as 18. Keep the number with your paperwork, since you may be asked for it if a dispute arises.