Every regulator action, raise and product launch that moves a score.
We track 67 banks. When something happens that changes a ranking — a fine, a licence, a fundraise, a CEO change — it lands here within 48 hours, with the source link and the methodology cell it'll affect in the next edition.
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23 shown · most recent firstMonzo Secures Full EU Banking Licence from Central Bank of Ireland, Names Dublin as European HQ
Monzo was granted a full banking licence by the Central Bank of Ireland and the ECB on 17 December 2025, its first regulatory authorisation to operate as a bank within the EU. Dublin was named Monzo's EU headquarters, with plans to offer Irish customers personal, joint, business, and savings accounts with Irish IBANs.
N26 Appoints UBS Executive Mike Dargan as CEO as Co-Founder Tayenthal Steps Down
N26 announced that Mike Dargan, an executive board member at UBS Group AG, would become its new CEO in April 2026, subject to BaFin approval. Co-founder Maximilian Tayenthal stepped down as Co-CEO on 31 December 2025, ending N26's 12-year founder-led era. Dargan is tasked with leading a major compliance overhaul.
BaFin Bans N26 from Issuing New Netherlands Mortgages and Appoints Special Compliance Monitor
BaFin announced serious supervisory measures against N26 on 15 December 2025: a ban on new mortgage lending in the Netherlands, additional capital requirements, and the appointment of a special compliance monitor — the second imposed on N26 since 2021. The sanctions followed a 2024 special audit revealing serious deficiencies.
EU Parliament and Council Reach Provisional Agreement on PSD3 and Payment Services Regulation
The EU Parliament and Council announced a provisional agreement on PSD3 and the Payment Services Regulation on 27 November 2025. The package extends Verification of Payee checks to all credit transfers, requires PSPs to share fraud data, and updates open banking obligations for all neobanks and payment institutions.
Revolut Completes Secondary Share Sale at $75 Billion Valuation, Backed by Nvidia and Andreessen Horowitz
Revolut finalised a secondary share sale at a $75 billion valuation — 67% above its August 2024 level — led by Coatue, Greenoaks, and Fidelity, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Franklin Templeton, and Nvidia's NVentures. Full year 2024 revenue grew 72% to $4 billion.
Qonto Files for French Banking Licence with ACPR After Surpassing 600,000 Business Customers
Paris-based B2B neobank Qonto submitted a banking licence application to France's ACPR in July 2025, coinciding with an announcement that it had surpassed 600,000 SME and freelance customers. A full banking licence would allow Qonto to offer credit products and savings — services its current payment institution licence prohibits.
Four Senior Executives Including Co-Founder Depart Danish Neobank Lunar in C-Suite Overhaul
Nordic neobank Lunar saw four senior executives depart simultaneously in July 2025, including co-founder Peter Andreasen, CTO Kåre Kjelstrøm, CEO of Lunar Bank Vibeke Bak Solok, and CCO Mats Persson Bergius. CEO Ken Villum Klausen framed it as a planned transition to operational maturity.
Revolut Appoints Banking Veteran Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier as Western Europe CEO
Revolut appointed Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier as CEO of its new Western Europe HQ in Paris on 24 June 2025. She brings executive experience from BNP Paribas, BlaBlaCar, and Believe, and will lead Revolut's French banking licence application and six-market Western Europe strategy.
European Neobanking Market Reaches 80 Million Users as Business Accounts Drive Growth
Europe leads global neobanking adoption with more than 80 million users in 2025, representing approximately 40% of the worldwide customer base. Business accounts accounted for nearly 65% of the market by value, with the UK and Germany leading by country share.
Revolut Announces Paris as Western Europe HQ with €1 Billion France Investment Plan
At the Choose France summit, Revolut announced Paris as its Western Europe headquarters and committed to investing more than €1 billion in France over three years, creating 200+ jobs. The company also confirmed it would apply for a French banking licence from ACPR and the ECB.
Capital One Closes $35.3B Discover Acquisition; Discover Bank Now Operates as Capital One Brand
Capital One Financial Corporation completed its $35.3B all-stock acquisition of Discover Financial Services on 18 May 2025, creating the largest US credit-card issuer by purchase volume. Discover Bank's deposits flow through Capital One National Association's OCC charter; existing Discover Cashback Debit and Online Savings products continue under the Capital One brand umbrella.
Vivid Money Secures MiCAR Licence from Dutch AFM to Offer Regulated Crypto Services Across EU
Vivid Money's Dutch entity received authorisation as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) under MiCAR from the Dutch AFM. The licence enables Vivid to offer regulated crypto trading and custody across all EU member states under a single passport, replacing its prior Italian VASP registration.
BaFin Fines N26 €15,000 for Failing to Report Supervisory Board Loan Approval
Germany's financial regulator BaFin issued a €15,000 fine to N26 after the neobank failed to properly notify BaFin that its supervisory board had approved a loan granted to one of the bank's own executives. The fine marked a continued pattern of regulatory friction between N26 and BaFin stretching back to 2021.
SoftBank-Backed Vivid Money Exits Retail Banking to Focus Entirely on SME Market
Vivid Money, the German fintech backed by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, announced it would discontinue developing its retail banking product and concentrate entirely on business banking for SMEs and freelancers. The pivot followed intense competition from Revolut and N26 in the consumer segment.
ECB Cuts Deposit Rate to 2.5%, Pressuring Neobank Savings Rates Across Europe
The European Central Bank cut its deposit facility rate to 2.50% on 6 March 2025, its sixth consecutive cut since June 2024. The rate cuts directly compressed savings rates offered by neobanks including Trade Republic, Revolut, and bunq, which had attracted millions of customers during the high-rate era of 2023–2024.
EU SEPA Instant Payments Regulation Compliance Deadline Takes Effect for Eurozone Banks
From 9 January 2025, all payment service providers in the eurozone became legally required to receive euro-denominated instant credit transfers within 10 seconds. The regulation also capped fees for instant payments at no higher than equivalent standard credit transfers.
Trade Republic Doubles to 8 Million Users and €100 Billion AUM, Opens Branches in France, Spain and Italy
Trade Republic doubled its customer base to 8 million users in one year, with assets under management surpassing €100 billion — making it Europe's largest retail broker. The company opened national branches in France, Spain, and Italy, enabling country-specific services including automated local tax reporting.