Challenger Banks/page/5 news and trends

Starling Bank’s US Expansion Plans Could Include NY IPO
Banking // July 15, 2025

British FinTech Starling Bank is reportedly considering listing on the U.S. markets. Declan Ferguson, the bank’s chief financial officer, said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) Tuesday (July 15) that Starling was mulling an American listing, as it could potentially reach a higher...

Metro Bank Gets Takeover Bid From PE Firm Pollen Street
Partnerships // June 15, 2025

The U.K.’s Metro Bank has reportedly been approached about a possible private equity takeover. Pollen Street Capital made an informal approach to the bank in recent weeks, the Financial Times (FT) reported Saturday (June 14), citing sources familiar with the matter. PYMNTS has contacted Metro...

Zopa Raises $106 Million as It Preps Bank Account Launch
Investments // May 14, 2025

British digital bank Zopa says it has raised 80 million pounds ($106 million) in new capital. “We will use the funds to strengthen Zopa’s balance sheet without diluting shareholders as we prepare to enter everyday banking with the imminent launch of our flagship bank account,”...

Revolut Goes On Hiring Spree to Prep ‘Mobilization’ for UK Banking
Banking // March 13, 2025

Revolut is reportedly hiring 100 new staffers as it prepares to expand its U.K. banking business. The FinTech received its long-awaited British banking license last summer — albeit with some restrictions — and has already begun building that side of its business, Francesca Carlesi, Revolut’s...

Interviews & Exclusives
Banking License Puts Profitability Within Reach for UAE Neobanks

October 03, 2022
If the Middle East was late to the neobank party, the United Arab Emirates, at least, is making strides toward the future of digital banking. In an interview with Jayesh Patel, CEO at UAE-based neobank Wio Bank, he said that the new platform emerged out of “trying to understand what the needs of the next […]

Crypto Capabilities Bring Engagement, Revenue and New Users to Neobanks

June 29, 2022
By the end of the year, more than half of the 10 largest neobanks will be offering clients cryptocurrency products. So said Mark Daly, vice president of growth at Zero Hash, a...

Chetwood CEO Calls Open Banking ‘Disappointing,’ Regulation Key to Neobank Success

March 29, 2022
The U.K. is widely considered a leader in the implementation of open banking, the regulation mandated by the European Union’s Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) that compels retail banks in...

Neobank Fills Primary Account Need for EU’s ‘Credit Invisibles’

February 03, 2022
For a very large population of customers in the United Kingdom who are ‘credit invisible’ — meaning they have little or no credit history with credit agencies — accessing credit...

Quick Reads
European Neobank bunq Files for Banking License in US

January 07, 2026
Amsterdam-based neobank bunq has formally launched its campaign for an American banking license. The company announced Wednesday (Jan. 7) that it had filed for a de novo banking license with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as it targets “digital nomads,” or customers who live and work between the U.S. and Europe. […]

Starling Bank’s US Expansion Plans Could Include NY IPO

July 15, 2025
British FinTech Starling Bank is reportedly considering listing on the U.S. markets. Declan Ferguson, the bank’s chief financial officer, said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) Tuesday (July...

Metro Bank Gets Takeover Bid From PE Firm Pollen Street

June 15, 2025
The U.K.’s Metro Bank has reportedly been approached about a possible private equity takeover. Pollen Street Capital made an informal approach to the bank in recent weeks, the Financial Times...

Zopa Raises $106 Million as It Preps Bank Account Launch

May 14, 2025
British digital bank Zopa says it has raised 80 million pounds ($106 million) in new capital. “We will use the funds to strengthen Zopa’s balance sheet without diluting shareholders as...