Starling Bank
Anne Boden left a 30-year banking career at 54 to build the UK's first consistently profitable neobank.
Profitable; Engine SaaS platform.
- Who holds it
- The company itself — it holds a full banking licence — UK banking license.
- The ledger
- The bank’s own core ledger.
- If it fails
- A covered-deposit payout through the local scheme, up to its limit.
Derived from Starling Bank’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 |
| AI | AI assistant as the interface |
| HQ | London, UK |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | Licensed bank |
| License detail | UK banking license |
| Card | MC · Debit |
| Yield | ~3-4% on balances |
| Stablecoins | No |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | Europe |
| Countries | United Kingdom |
| Founders | Anne Boden |
| Funding | ~£900M raised |
| FX markup | 0% foreign transaction fee; Mastercard rate, no markup, any day/amount (2026-07) · source ↗ |
Verified links: official site ↗ · terms ↗ · privacy ↗ · @StarlingBank ↗
Common questions about Starling Bank
What is Starling Bank?
Starling Bank is a fiat neobank, headquartered in London, UK and founded in 2014. Your money is held custodially, so Starling Bank or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. It is regulated as a licensed bank (UK banking license).
Does Starling Bank have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Mastercard debit card. It is available in Europe.
Does Starling Bank require KYC?
Yes. Starling Bank requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a licensed bank.
What does Starling Bank cost?
From the verified fields: FX abroad — 0% foreign transaction fee; Mastercard rate, no markup, any day/amount (as of 2026-07); yield ~3-4% on balances. Cashback and yield are "up to" figures that change constantly and often depend on a paid plan — confirm current terms with Starling Bank before relying on them.
Early investors
Head-to-head
Peers
Monzo · Wise · Atom Bank · Zopa Bank · Chase UK · Kroo
Starling Bank appears in
Neobanks that hold their own banking license (132) · Neobanks available in Europe (144) · Neobanks that issue a Mastercard (150) · Neobanks in United Kingdom (29)
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.