23 innovative banking startups to watch in 2025

Top banking startups

Complete list of banking startups that are worth knowing:

Plaid

Founded in 2013, Plaid provides technology that helps people easily connect their financial accounts to mobile apps and services. Their goal is to make personal finance management tools more accessible. In the past, apps like budgeting assistants and loan providers had limited views of a user’s full financial data. Plaid built a secure infrastructure that links bank accounts and systems together.

Now fintech apps can sync comprehensive transaction data, balances, and more with user consent. This gives consumers a complete picture of their finances across institutions in one place. Developers can build more useful money apps without each user having to manually export and upload statements.

Autobooks

Autobooks provides small businesses integrated financial management tools directly within online banking interfaces. As the first fully featured accounting solution native to bank platforms, Autobooks offers payment processing, invoicing, expense tracking, accounting, cash flow insights and tax preparations in a unified hub linked to company bank accounts. The seamless connection of accounting activities to banking data gives business owners and financial controllers unmatched visibility and control.

By developing robust accounting capabilities deliberately designed for user-friendly alignment with online banking systems, Autobooks allows modern businesses to automatically centralize key money movement workflows with their core depository accounts for efficient, synchronized financial oversight.

Novo

Founded in 2020, Novo creates tailored financial products for non-employer firms who often get overlooked by big banks. Beyond bank accounts, they offer solutions like instant access business credit lines to manage cash flow swings. Features simplify expenses, invoicing, and payments as well.

Novo builds on the premise that banking should remove friction, not create it. By catering specifically to microbusiness needs often lost in the shuffle, Novo spotlights a underserved group powering much enterprise.

Nubank

Founded in 2013, Nubank provides an easy, transparent alternative to traditional banking. Their app handles accounts, cards, loans and payments.

Nubank serves millions of customers across Brazil, Mexico and Colombia. Users enjoy zero fees, rewards and control through the intuitive mobile interface. The app aims to deliver hassle-free digital banking.

Mambu

Founded in 2011, Mambu offers a modern alternative to traditional core banking systems. Their software centralizes lending and deposit capabilities.

Mambu serves financial institutions globally. Clients use their composable banking services to accelerate product launches and digital initiatives. The platform aims to deliver agile, cloud-native financial services.

Vivid Money

Founded in 2020, Vivid Money makes managing money convenient and engaging through technology. Their app combines banking, budgeting, investing and more.

Vivid Money serves customers across Europe. Users enjoy an easy-to-use finance hub with insights and automation. The app aims to deliver an integrated banking and wealth management experience.

iBanFirst

Founded in 2013, iBanFirst simplifies overseas payments for businesses. Their platform exchanges currencies at low cost and sends funds quickly.

iBanFirst serves SMEs and larger corporations globally. Customers benefit from favorable foreign exchange rates and fast transfers. The platform aims to make international payments seamless.

StudentFinance

Founded in 2016, StudentFinance provides affordable, flexible financing for vocational skills training. Their platform funds courses aligned to jobs.

StudentFinance serves learners and training providers in the UK. Students access funding for valuable skills aligned to in-demand jobs. Providers benefit from StudentFinance’s financing and reach. The platform aims to create new education access.

Finoa

Founded in 2018, Finoa aimed to bridge institutions with the emerging DeFi ecosystem compliantly. Their platform offers compliant custody, staking, lending and more.

Finoa serves asset managers, banks and other institutional investors globally. Clients access DeFi opportunities while maintaining security, liquidity and compliance. The platform provides a regulated gateway to decentralized finance.

Judo Bank

Founded in 2016, Judo Bank delivers a modern alternative to banks for SME lending. Their platform provides tailored loans with a relationship-based approach.

Judo Bank serves small and medium businesses across Australia. Customers benefit from its streamlined, customer-centric lending model. The platform aims to make borrowing effortless for SMEs.

VNpay

Founded in 2019, VNpay provides a modern digital payment platform tailored for Vietnam. Their system handles online and offline payments along with remittances.

VNpay serves merchants, partners and consumers across Vietnam. Users benefit from seamless payments online and in stores along with money transfers. The platform aims to enable cashless experiences localized for Vietnam.

NymCard

Founded in 2019, NymCard is focused on equipping banks with flexible card issuing capabilities. Their software centralizes issuing and processing functions.

NymCard serves financial institutions globally. Clients leverage the software to launch card products with control and ease. The platform aims to deliver card management agility.

Mitigram

Founded in 2014, Mitigram provides an online platform connecting trade financiers and businesses globally. Their marketplace enables trade finance bidding and funding.

Mitigram serves exporters, importers and trade finance providers worldwide. Participants access an efficient marketplace to secure and offer trade financing online. The platform aims to enhance trade finance access and competition.

Ohpen

Founded in 2013, Ohpen offers a modern alternative to traditional banking systems. Their software centralizes core functions for savings and loans.

Ohpen serves challenger and traditional banks globally. Clients leverage the cloud platform to enable agility in deploying products. The software aims to deliver banking flexibility and speed.

FinCompare

Founded in 2019, FinCompare created an online platform enabling easy discovery and comparison of financing alternatives. Their marketplace aggregates lending options.

FinCompare serves finance advisors and SMEs in Germany. Users access a centralized platform to efficiently find and contrast financing providers and products. The marketplace aims to enhance business financing transparency.

Moneytree

Founded in 2012, Moneytree enables individuals and businesses to manage finances seamlessly across platforms. Their technology connects financial accounts and services.

Moneytree serves consumers and SMBs in Japan. Users aggregate financial data for money management, accounting and business insights. Their platform synthesizes siloed information into unified visibility for money management and planning.

Tomorrow

Founded in 2018, Tomorrow delivers a bank promoting positive environmental action through investments. Their offerings fund climate solutions.

Tomorrow serves individuals across Germany. Customers benefit from competitive savings products that invest deposits in eco-friendly projects. The bank aims to offer environmental banking options.

Salt Edge

Founded in 2011, Salt Edge focused on equipping organizations with banking integrations through Open Banking technology. Their APIs enable account connections.

Salt Edge serves clients worldwide, including banks, lenders and fintech firms. Customers integrate the APIs to securely access third-party financial data with user permission. The platform aims to power financial innovation and inclusion.

CAARY Capital

Founded in 2021, CAARY Capital optimizes business spending, payments and financing in one platform. Their software integrates expense management, cards, loans and more.

CAARY Capital serves SMBs and enterprises across North America. Customers benefit from managing business spend, payments and financing conveniently in one place. The platform aims to optimize B2B payments and finance.

Griffin

Founded in 2020, Griffin provides an alternative to traditional core banking through composable services. Their APIs handle essential banking functions.

Griffin serves fintechs, challenger banks and other developers globally. Customers integrate modular banking APIs to quickly build and iterate. The platform aims to deliver agile embedded financial services.

Astra

Founded in 2019, Astra optimizes money movement between accounts with intelligence. Their software automates transfers using triggers, limits and requirements.

Astra serves banks, fintechs and businesses in the US and Canada. Customers integrate the no-code platform to easily build automated transfer functionality. This enables streamlined movement of funds.

Mitek

Founded in 1986, Mitek developed innovative capture and verification technology. Their software supports automated mobile check and ID processing.

Mitek serves financial institutions and businesses globally. Customers integrate their SDKs to deposit checks and validate identities from mobile devices. The solutions aim to enhance user experience and security. Their technology enables clients to validate identities and deposit checks conveniently via mobile.

Current

Founded in 2015, Current provides tech-driven financial services that empower middle income Americans. Their offerings include banking, investment and cashflow tools.

Current serves working-class consumers across the US. Users benefit from budgeting automatically, earning high yields and getting paid early. The platform aims to deliver financial health and optimism.

Conclusion

Banking startups are using digital platforms, data analytics, AI, and modern tech stacks to challenge traditional banks and transform how we manage and use our money. Without a doubt, we are entering a “new normal” with the way we manage our money so number of these banking startups will be growing rapidly.