TymeBank
Kiosk onboarding inside Pick n Pay stores cracked mass-market South African banking; now exporting the model to Asia.
10M+ customers; kiosk onboarding; unicorn.
- Who holds it
- The company itself — it holds a full banking licence — SA 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 TymeBank’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 · underbanked |
| HQ | Johannesburg, ZA |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Custody | Custodial |
| Regulation type | Licensed bank |
| License detail | SA banking license |
| Card | Visa · Debit |
| Cashback | Smart Shopper |
| Yield | Up to ~10% GoalSave |
| Stablecoins | No |
| KYC | Yes |
| Active regions | Africa |
| Countries | South Africa |
| Reported users | 10M customers (2024) |
| Founders | Coen Jonker + team |
| Funding | ~$400M; unicorn (2024) |
Verified links: official site ↗ · terms ↗ · privacy ↗ · @TymeBankZA ↗
Common questions about TymeBank
What is TymeBank?
TymeBank is a fiat neobank built for underbanked, headquartered in Johannesburg, ZA and founded in 2018. Your money is held custodially, so TymeBank or its partner bank holds the balance and you hold a claim on it. It is regulated as a licensed bank (SA banking license).
Does TymeBank have a card, and where can you use it?
It issues a Visa debit card. It is available in Africa.
Does TymeBank require KYC?
Yes. TymeBank requires identity verification (KYC) to open an account, as a licensed bank.
What does TymeBank cost?
From the verified fields: cashback Smart Shopper; yield Up to ~10% GoalSave. Cashback and yield are "up to" figures that change constantly and often depend on a paid plan — confirm current terms with TymeBank before relying on them.
Early investors
Head-to-head
TymeBank vs Kuda · TymeBank vs PalmPay · TymeBank vs Wave
Peers
Wise · OPay · PalmPay · Bank Zero · Discovery Bank · Kuda
TymeBank appears in
Neobanks that hold their own banking license (132) · Neobanks available in Africa (92) · Neobanks built for the underbanked (23) · Neobanks that issue a Visa card (182)
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.