• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

3

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
FinanceFintech

Revolut disrupted banking in Europe—can it do the same in the U.S.?

Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jeff John Roberts
By
Jeff John Roberts
Jeff John Roberts
Editor, Finance and Crypto
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 26, 2021, 9:55 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Since launching in 2015, financial upstart Revolut has become a force in Europe by offering cheap foreign exchange and a growing suite of digital banking services. Now, it plans to conquer the U.S. market—provided, that is, Americans take note of its existence.

While Revolut’s products like no-fee accounts and cash advances may prove enticing, the country is already awash in other so-called challenger banks that offer similar services. These include the likes of Chime and Varo, as well as other financial firms like Robinhood and SoFi that are quickly expanding into banking.

Revolut’s founder, Nik Storonsky is undaunted by the challenge. The 36-year-old Russian has a long blond mane and a laconic demeanor that suggests he runs an underground nightclub rather than a global bank. But he has excelled at navigating the business and regulatory challenges of launching banks in different countries.

In an interview with Fortune, Storonsky says that, since launching last March, Revolut has acquired 150,000 U.S. customers, and that it expects that figure to grow to 1 million in the next year. And, in November, the company broke even for the first time en route to what it says is a path of sustained profitability.

As for competition, Storonsky claims that other digital U.S. challenger banks like Chime and Square Cash are based on specific use cases, such as unbanked consumers or peer-to-peer payments. In contrast, he believes Revolut’s comprehensive offerings, which include insurance, cryptocurrency and global money transfers, will set it apart.

Storonsky also noted that Revolut is not acquiring its customers from fintech rivals, but from thousands of legacy banks, which he says have failed to offer millennial and Gen-Z customers the services they want. But the question remains of how it will attract those customers’ attention in the first place.

“We do have an awareness problem,” concedes Revolut U.S. CEO Ronald Oliveira, but adds that the company is now paying customers to refer their friends, and using social media influencers to spread the word.

In other countries, Revolut has gained a foothold by catering to ex-pats looking for a better deal on foreign money transfers, and Storonsky says that is a pillar of the country’s U.S. strategy. That strategy will prove harder in the U.S., though, which is only close to two other countries, while most of its citizens don’t have a passport.

Oliveira notes that a big opportunity for Revolut lies in the remittance market. He says its banking services are gaining traction in border states like California and Arizona, where many blue collar workers are using it to send small amounts of money home to Mexico.

Revolut is also betting on a fledgling service targeted at small businesses, which offers a low-cost way for entrepreneurs to pay suppliers in different countries. That strategy mimics that of Revolut rival TransferWise, a U.K. firm that has been offering “borderless accounts” to merchants since 2017. Both London-based TransferWise and Germany’s N26 digital bank are also trying to make inroads into the U.S. market.

Despite potential to gain footholds in different niches, Revolut still faces a big challenge in the U.S. A partner at a prominent venture capital firm, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the company’s flagship offering—”frictionless foreign exchange”—has a more clear-cut use case in Europe, added that Revolut will have a hard time standing out in the U.S.

Conversely, the venture capitalist said Revolut stands a fair chance of success in the U.S. owing to the relatively low penetration of digital banks in this country, and to Revolut’s innovative products that are popular with customers.

“They’re hard charging and get shit done,” he said.

About the Author
Jeff John Roberts
By Jeff John RobertsEditor, Finance and Crypto
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jeff John Roberts is the Finance and Crypto editor at Fortune, overseeing coverage of the blockchain and how technology is changing finance.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Man in collared shirt and jacket
Big TechAmazon
Amazon’s $25 billion ‘surprise’ bond sale dangled extra yield to lure in buyers—and flashed a warning sign about the AI boom
By Amanda GerutJuly 8, 2026
35 minutes ago
How climate change could raise your water bill
EnvironmentConsumer Prices
How climate change could raise your water bill
By Emma Court and BloombergJuly 8, 2026
1 hour ago
Bezos’ Blue Origin is raising outside capital for the first time to compete for NASA contracts as rival SpaceX’s stock falters
InvestingJeff Bezos
Bezos’ Blue Origin is raising outside capital for the first time to compete for NASA contracts as rival SpaceX’s stock falters
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 8, 2026
2 hours ago
Cathie Wood just bought the SpaceX dip again—and dumped Alibaba to do it
InvestingCathie Wood
Cathie Wood just bought the SpaceX dip again—and dumped Alibaba to do it
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 8, 2026
2 hours ago
The billionaires’ ‘summer camp’ that media moguls built is now run by the tech titans trying to replace them
Big TechBillionaires
The billionaires’ ‘summer camp’ that media moguls built is now run by the tech titans trying to replace them
By Sydney LakeJuly 8, 2026
4 hours ago
‘We’ll probably hit them hard again’: Trump warns Iran U.S. is preparing for more strikes following what he called the end of the ceasefire
PoliticsDonald Trump
‘We’ll probably hit them hard again’: Trump warns Iran U.S. is preparing for more strikes following what he called the end of the ceasefire
By The Associated Press, Jon Gambrell and Seung Min KimJuly 8, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
2 days ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
3 days ago
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
Newsletters
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
By Jim EdwardsJuly 8, 2026
10 hours ago
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
Asia
China’s birth rate just hit its lowest point since 1949—and Trip.com cofounder James Liang thinks that’s a threat to innovation
By Nicholas GordonJuly 7, 2026
2 days ago
Presidents aren't supposed to pick winners, former White House ethics lawyer says. Trump keeps choosing Dell
Politics
Presidents aren't supposed to pick winners, former White House ethics lawyer says. Trump keeps choosing Dell
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 7, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 7, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 7, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.