MEXICO CITY, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Latin American

e-commerce giant MercadoLibre's ( MELI ) fintech arm, Mercado Pago, has

submitted its request for a banking license to the Mexican

regulator, the unit said on Wednesday.

The application to the National Banking and Securities

Commission (CNBV) was sent earlier this month, Mercado Pago said

in a statement.

In May, Mercado Pago said it aimed to become the largest

digital bank in the country with the license.

"This will allow us to continue innovating and

broadening our financial services, which millions of people

need," Mercado Pago's Mexico head, Pedro Rivas, said in the

statement.

The license would give Mercado Pago the ability to

locally provide services such as savings and checking accounts,

certificates of deposit, commercial loans and mortgages.

In Mexico, Mercado Pago is the second-largest digital

wallet, it said. It currently offers credit and debit cards,

international transfers, interest on funds stored in its digital

wallet as well as personal and small-business loans.