Qonto
Europe's SME banking leader out of Paris; absorbed Penta to own the German market too.
500K+ SME clients across FR/DE/ES/IT.
- Who holds it
- A sponsor bank behind the brand — not the app you signed up with — Payment institution (ACPR); pursuing credit license.
- 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 Qonto’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 · SMB & startups |
| AI | AI assistant as the interface |
| HQ | Paris, FR |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | License pending (partner model today) |
| License detail | Payment institution (ACPR); pursuing credit license |
| Card | MC · Business debit |
| Stablecoins | No |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | Europe |
| Countries | France, Germany, Spain, Italy |
| Founders | Alexandre Prot, Steve Anavi |
| Funding | ~€620M raised |
| Services | fiat pay-in (bank rails) · fiat pay-out (bank rails) · own IBAN / account no. · virtual cards |
| FX markup | Entry card 2% on non-EUR card payments; Plus 1%; X plan 0% (business only) (2026-07) · source ↗ |
Verified links: official site ↗ · privacy ↗ · @getqonto ↗
Common questions about Qonto
What is Qonto?
Qonto is a fiat neobank built for SMB & startups, headquartered in Paris, FR and founded in 2016. Your money is held custodially, so Qonto or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. Its license is pending, so it runs on a partner-bank model today (Payment institution (ACPR); pursuing credit license).
Does Qonto have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Mastercard business debit card. It is available in 4 countries, across Europe.
Does Qonto require KYC?
Yes. Qonto requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a license pending (partner model today).
What does Qonto cost?
From the verified fields: FX abroad — Entry card 2% on non-EUR card payments; Plus 1%; X plan 0% (business only) (as of 2026-07). Cashback and yield are "up to" figures that change constantly and often depend on a paid plan — confirm current terms with Qonto before relying on them.
Early investors
Head-to-head
Qonto vs Finom · Qonto vs Shine · Qonto vs Revolut · Qonto vs Tide · Qonto vs Mercury
Peers
Monzo · Wise · Starling Bank · Atom Bank · Zopa Bank · Chase UK
Qonto appears in
Neobanks available in Europe (144) · Neobanks for small businesses and startups (33) · Neobanks that issue a Mastercard (150) · Neobanks in France (11)
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.