Timo
Vietnam's first digital bank brand.
- Who holds it
- A sponsor bank behind the brand — not the app you signed up with — Partner: Ban Viet Bank.
- 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 Timo’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 |
| HQ | Ho Chi Minh, VN |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | Partner-bank model |
| License detail | Partner: Ban Viet Bank |
| Card | Visa · Debit |
| Yield | Goal savers |
| Stablecoins | No |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | Asia |
Verified links: official site ↗
Common questions about Timo
What is Timo?
Timo is a fiat neobank, headquartered in Ho Chi Minh, VN and founded in 2015. Your money is held custodially, so Timo or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. It operates on a partner-bank model (Partner: Ban Viet Bank).
Does Timo have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Visa debit card. It is available in Asia.
Does Timo require KYC?
Yes. Timo requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a partner-bank model.
What does Timo cost?
From the verified fields: yield Goal savers. Cashback and yield are "up to" figures that change constantly and often depend on a paid plan — confirm current terms with Timo before relying on them.
Peers
Wise · KakaoBank · WeBank · bKash · Maya · GCash
Timo appears in
Neobanks running on someone else’s banking license (81) · Neobanks available in Asia (132) · Neobanks that issue a Visa card (182) · Neobanks in Vietnam (6)
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.