Helios
A French current account that promises your deposits won't fund fossil fuels; acquired by Younited in 2025 and still run under its own brand.
French green neobank that keeps deposits out of fossil-fuel financing; B Corp, owned by Younited since 2025.
- Who holds it
- A sponsor bank behind the brand — not the app you signed up with — partner: Okali (ACPR-licensed EMI), Helios is its registered payment-services agent (REGAFI 731225); funds ring-fenced at Crédit Mutuel Arkéa.
- The ledger
- Split between a program manager and the sponsor bank — the modular setup that broke in Synapse.
- If it fails
- Any claim runs through the sponsor bank, and only works if the two ledgers reconcile.
Derived from Helios’s regulation type and custody — a class of protection, not a guarantee. Limits and eligibility vary by scheme, balance and jurisdiction; confirm before you rely on it. What happens if a neobank shuts down →
The facts
| Category | traditional · climate |
| HQ | Paris, FR |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | Partner-bank model |
| License detail | partner: Okali (ACPR-licensed EMI), Helios is its registered payment-services agent (REGAFI 731225); funds ring-fenced at Crédit Mutuel Arkéa |
| Card | Visa · Virtual + physical debit |
| Stablecoins | No |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | Europe |
| Countries | France |
| Founders | Maeva Courtois, Julia Ménayas |
Verified links: official site ↗ · terms ↗ · privacy ↗
Common questions about Helios
What is Helios?
Helios is a fiat neobank built for climate, headquartered in Paris, FR and founded in 2020. Your money is held custodially, so Helios or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. It operates on a partner-bank model (partner: Okali (ACPR-licensed EMI), Helios is its registered payment-services agent (REGAFI 731225); funds ring-fenced at Crédit Mutuel Arkéa).
Does Helios have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Visa virtual and physical debit card. It is available in Europe.
Does Helios require KYC?
Yes. Helios requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a partner-bank model.
Peers
Monzo · Wise · Starling Bank · Atom Bank · Zopa Bank · Chase UK
Helios appears in
Neobanks running on someone else’s banking license (86) · Neobanks that require identity verification (349) · Neobanks available in Europe (151) · Neobanks that issue a Visa card (188) · Neobanks in France (13)
Figures compiled from public sources, for comparison only — not financial advice. "Up to" rates change constantly; always confirm with the issuer. Spotted an error? Suggest a fix.