Flex vs Shield
short answerBoth are hybrid neobanks. Flex pays yield on balances. Compare custody, license, FX markup and fees field by field below.
Flex: AI-native private banking for business owners; Flex Global moves money in 100+ countries on stablecoin rails.
Shield: US business accounts for exporters and wholesalers: accept USDT from overseas buyers, settle same-day in USD.
Side by side
| Flex | Shield | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | hybrid | hybrid |
| Audience | SMB & startups | SMB & startups |
| HQ | San Francisco, US | Miami, US |
| Founded | 2022 | 2022 |
| Custody | Custodial | Custodial |
| Regulation | Partner-bank model | Partner-bank model |
| License detail | Partner banks (Column, Lead, Thread) | Partner banks (Cross River Bank, Lead Bank) via licensed partners incl. Bridge (NMLS 2450917); FinCEN-registered MSB; card issued by First Internet Bank of Indiana via CapitalOS |
| Card | Visa · Business charge + credit | Visa · Business credit (pay-in-full) |
| Cashback | Cashback + points | Up to 2% (new customers) |
| Yield | Up to ~2.5% APY on idle cash | — |
| FX markup | — | — |
| Services | — | — |
| Stablecoins | Yes | Yes |
| KYC | Yes | Yes |
| Regions | North America | North America |
| Reported users | — | — |
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.