BeInCrypto Institutional Research: 8 Neobanks Setting Standards for Digital Asset Accessability
Digital-asset neobanking has moved beyond basic crypto access. The category now covers firms combining bank-account-style services — checking, direct deposit, debit, savings, and banking partnerships or charters — with native crypto products built into the primary financial app.
Best Digital Assets Neobank is a category within the BeInCrypto Institutional 100, under Pillar 1: Retail to Crypto Bridge. The 8 firms below are listed alphabetically and are not ranked. A shortlist will be named in May 2026, with the winner announced at Proof of Talk in Paris on June 2–3, 2026.
Key Facts
- Long list: 8 firms across bank-chartered neobanks and BaaS, EMI, or VASP-licensed fintechs with crypto integrated into the primary banking app
- Initial pool: 18 firms screened; 8 advanced to the long list, with 3 outreach candidates retained
- Order: Listed alphabetically, not ranked
- Scoring: 30% quantitative data · 50% Expert Council · 20% disclosed company data
- Criteria assessed: User base, crypto user count, product depth, regulatory licensure, payments and card integration, geographic reach, financial performance, innovation
- Data sources: OCC, FCA, BaFin, DNB, ACPR, MAS, CSSF, NYDFS, BACEN, CNBV, GFSC, MiCA-CASP, SEC EDGAR, audited filings, reserve attestations, on-chain data, PitchBook, Crunchbase, Tracxn
| Firm | HQ | Reach | Top Licensure / Charter | Representative Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunq | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 17M+ users across 30+ EEA countries2024 net profit of €85.3M, up 65% year over year | Full Dutch banking licence from De Nederlandsche BankEU passporting, MiCA-compliant; UK banking and US broker-dealer licences applied for in 2025–26 | Launched Bunq Crypto through Kraken partnership in Apr 2025Offers 300+ cryptocurrencies inside a licensed-bank environment; first-year crypto trades passed €100M |
| Cash App | Oakland, USABlock, NYSE: XYZ | 59M monthly active users in Q4 20259.3M primary banking actives; $316B total customer inflows in 2025 | Banking via Sutton Bank partnershipFDIC-insured checking, direct deposit, Cash Card, savings; NYDFS-licensed Bitcoin business | Launched Proof of Reserves dashboard in Apr 2026 covering 8,883 BTCBitkey self-custody wallet expanded; 5% Bitcoin Back rolled out across Cash App Card |
| KAST | Singapore / New York | 1M+ users across 170–190 countriesAbout $5B annualized transaction volume; 150M+ merchants accepted globally | Holds MSB Canada, MSB US, VASP EU, TCSP Hong KongUses regulated partners including Bridge, Tazapay, Reap, Fireblocks, BitGo, and Privy | Closed $80M Series A in Mar 2026 at $600M valuationKAST Business beta launched in May 2026; security stack includes Sardine, Elliptic, ChainPatrol, Vanta, and Scanner.dev |
| Mercado Pago | Buenos Aires, ArgentinaMercado Libre, NASDAQ: MELI | 100M+ users across Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, and Peru via MELI ecosystem | Jurisdiction-specific fintech and payments licences across Latin AmericaVASP authorisations for MELI Cripto in operating markets | MELI Cripto expanded to 17 tokens by May 2026Trading fee cut to 0.2%; Meli Dólar stablecoin available across Brazil, Mexico, and Chile |
| Nomad | São Paulo, Brazil | 1M+ usersBrazilian USD-account neobank focused on retail consumers and global investment access | Brazilian fintech registrationBanking issued through Brazilian and US partner banks; CVM-regulated investment platform component | Pioneered XRP Ledger settlement for Brazilian USD paymentsAdapting to Brazil BCB Resolution 561, which restricts crypto and stablecoin use in cross-border eFX settlement |
| Nubank | São Paulo, BrazilNu Holdings, NYSE: NU | 110M+ customers7M+ NuCripto users; Berkshire Hathaway among significant shareholders | Full Brazilian banking licence from BACENOCC US national bank branch conditional approval; Mexico and Colombia authorisations | Earn Crypto staking launched in Mar 2026 with Solana promotional yieldNuCripto now supports 20+ assets; USDC partnership with Circle deepened crypto access |
| Revolut | London, UK | 70M+ customers across 40+ countries as of Jan 20262025 revenue of $6B and profit before tax of $2.3B | Lithuanian EU banking licenceUK banking licence, Mexican banking licence, MiCA-CASP authorisation, US charter in progress | Reached $75B valuation in Nov 2025 capital raiseRevolut X offers 230+ digital assets, staking, low-fee trading, and RWA token listings |
| SoFi | San Francisco, USANASDAQ: SOFI | 12.6M membersQ1 2026 revenue of $1.1B with $166.7M net income | SoFi Bank N.A.OCC-regulated national bank and FDIC-insured depository institution | Launched retail crypto trading in Nov 2025Opened 239,509 crypto accounts in Q1 2026; SoFiUSD stablecoin launched in Dec 2025 |
About This List
The BeInCrypto Institutional 100 — Best Digital Assets Neobank (2026 Long List) identifies digital-first consumer and SMB banking platforms that combine bank-account-like services with substantial depth in digital assets.
Two structural models qualify: bank-chartered direct entities such as Bunq, Nubank, Revolut, and SoFi; and BaaS-partnered, EMI-licensed, or VASP-licensed crypto fintechs that integrate crypto into the primary banking app, such as Cash App, KAST, Mercado Pago, and Nomad.
The category does not include crypto exchanges with payment cards added on, self-custody spending cards without banking services, stablecoin issuers, institutional digital asset banks, defunct crypto banking platforms, or chartered neobanks without native crypto products.
Methodology
This category is evaluated under Track B of the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 methodology: 30% quantitative metrics, 50% Expert Council scoring, and 20% disclosed company data.
Assessment spans seven criteria: total user base and crypto user count; crypto and stablecoin product depth; regulatory licensure; payments and card integration; geographic footprint; financial performance and sustainability; and innovation during the award window.
Data was verified using regulatory registers, company filings, SEC EDGAR, audited financial statements, reserve attestations, Proof of Reserves disclosures, relevant on-chain data, private-market sources including PitchBook, Crunchbase, and Tracxn, and mainstream financial press.
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