the blog
JULY 5, 2026
The State of Neobanks 2026: what 357 verified-active digital banks reveal
The founding boom is over, the stablecoin race is on, and a third of new neobanks are self-custodial. Ten findings from the full open dataset.
annual report JUNE 2, 2026Best neobanks for freelancers and small businesses (2026 field guide)
43 tracked neobanks are built for freelancers, creators or SMBs — from Mercury and Qonto to Hnry, which files your taxes for you. How to choose, honestly.
field guide APRIL 21, 2026MiCA and the crypto neobank: who's actually licensed in Europe
What CASP authorisation means, which tracked neobanks hold it, how e-money tokens changed euro stablecoins — and where the gaps are.
risk & regulation MARCH 17, 2026Where neobanks actually win: Africa, Latin America and the underbanked billion
Nubank has 131M customers — more than every US neobank combined. The data on why emerging markets are the real neobank story.
geography FEBRUARY 10, 2026Niche neobanks: 117 banks for women, teens, immigrants, freelancers and the faithful
A third of all neobanks now serve a specific audience — and the strategy works for boring, decisive reasons. The full niche map.
the niche wave JANUARY 13, 2026No-KYC money apps in 2026: what's actually possible (and what isn't)
Only 12 of 357 tracked neobanks work without identity checks — all of them self-custodial. Where the line sits, and why.
web3-native DECEMBER 9, 2025The rise of the self-custodial neobank: 47 apps where you hold the keys
A new category of neobank holds none of your money. What MetaMask, Gnosis Pay, Payy and 44 others are building — and where the model leaks.
web3-native NOVEMBER 18, 2025Stablecoin cards explained: how a Visa that spends USDC actually works
Authorization, conversion, settlement — the full mechanics behind the 103 stablecoin-supporting neobanks, and what GENIUS and MiCA changed.
stablecoins OCTOBER 28, 2025Are neobanks safe? Deposit insurance, partner banks and the Synapse lesson
"FDIC insured" can mean four different things, one of which failed in 2024. The fine print behind licensed banks, partner banks, e-money and self-custody.
risk & regulation OCTOBER 7, 2025Neobank vs traditional bank: what actually changes (and what doesn't)
Fees, speed, credit, cash, insurance — an honest scorecard, including the licence question most comparisons skip.
fundamentals SEPTEMBER 16, 2025What is a neobank? The three waves explained (2026 guide)
Traditional challengers, hybrid crypto apps and self-custodial web3 wallets — how the three waves differ, with data on all 357.
fundamentals