Cristina Junqueira

With 25 million–plus customers and a private valuation of more than $10 billion, Brazilian fintech startup Nubank is the world’s largest digital bank—and the only female-founded company to reach such a lofty valuation. Cofounder Junqueira previously worked at Brazilian banking giant Itaú Unibanco and at LuizaCred, the financial services unit of Brazilian retailer Magazine Luiza—but, she says, eventually she grew tired of “making rich people richer.” Launched in 2013, Nubank provides an alternative to Brazilian banks’ sky-high interest rates through its fee-free credit card and customer-friendly mobile app. This year the company expanded into Mexico, where it is continuing to bring down the cost of financial services for unbanked and lower-income customers.

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