Revolut: 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50

Founders: Nik Storonsky (CEO), Vlad Yatsenko
Release: 2015
Head office: London
Fund: $1.7 billion
Rating: $45 billion
Key Technology: n/a
Industry: Fintech
Previous appearances of Discruptor 50 50 list: 0

With over 50 million users in over 48 countries, Revolut has become one of the most prominent players in digital banking and one of the world’s most successful fintech startups.

Revolut’s platform offers a wide range of services, including multi-currency accounts, debit cards, stock and crypto trading, and savings accounts. Positioning yourself as an “All-in-One Finance App,” its subscription model ranges from free tiers to high-end options that bundle features like travel perks and higher interest rates.

Revolut operated for nearly a decade without a full banking license in its home country in the UK. It was designated as an authorized electronic money agency (EMI), but it was unable to legally lend money through products such as credit cards, personal loans, and mortgages. After years of regulatory delays and internal issues, it finally got its license in July 2024 and currently has plans to join new markets and product categories such as mortgages and business loans.

“As you can imagine, on this scale, it’s a thorough process and we’re paying a lot of attention to it,” Victor Stinga, Chief Financial Officer of Revolut, told CNBC in April. “We are very close in touch with the PRA. [Prudential Regulation Authority] and FCA [Financial Conduct Authority] On top of that. I feel like we’re making a lot of progress in that. ”

The company launched Revolut X last year. It is a crypto trading platform currently available in 30 countries in the European economy. The UK then granted Revolut a license to allow the UK to trade caps of shares and exchange trade funds with the EU in November last year.

In August 2024, Revolut announced a partnership with Visa, enabling Revolut’s business customers to send funds globally through the Visa Direct System.

Revolut has also recently actively pursued banking licensing in other international markets, opening new branches in Germany, Romania and Switzerland in 2024, and announced plans to expand in Mexico, Australia and Colombia.

It’s also the most valuable fintech in Europe that has attracted the attention of scammers. Many revolving customers are being targeted by approved push payment (APP) scams. These frauds involve criminals tricking victims into transferring money to fraudulent individuals and businesses. The rise in app crime has led UK lawmakers to demand banks and fintech companies to compensate victims up to £85,000 (or around $113,500). Revolut pushed back saying other parties, including social platforms like Meta, should also be responsible for some fees.

Despite these set-offs, Revolut remains financially strong. Unlike many fintech peers, they achieve profitability. Net income in 2024 totaled £1.1 billion ($1.5 billion), an increase of 149% year-on-year, giving it a clear advantage by seeing future expansion and potential IPOs.