Digital-asset neobanking has evolved well past simple cryptocurrency access. Today, the sector includes companies that blend traditional banking-style features—such as checking accounts, direct deposits, debit cards, savings options, and formal banking partnerships or charters—with native crypto offerings embedded directly into their main financial application.
Best Digital Assets Neobank is a category within the BeInCrypto Institutional 100, under Pillar 1: Retail to Crypto Bridge. The eight firms listed below appear in alphabetical order and are not ranked. A shortlist will be revealed in May 2026, with the winner announced at Proof of Talk in Paris on June 2–3, 2026.
Key Facts
- Long list: 8 companies spanning bank-chartered neobanks and BaaS, EMI, or VASP-licensed fintechs that integrate crypto into their core banking app
- Initial pool: 18 companies were evaluated; 8 made the long list, with 3 outreach candidates held in reserve
- Order: Alphabetical listing—no ranking applied
- Scoring breakdown: 30% quantitative data · 50% Expert Council · 20% self-reported company data
- Evaluation criteria: User base size, number of crypto users, product depth, regulatory licensing, payments and card integration, geographic coverage, financial performance, and innovation
- Data sources: OCC, FCA, BaFin, DNB, ACPR, MAS, CSSF, NYDFS, BACEN, CNBV, GFSC, MiCA-CASP, SEC EDGAR, audited financial statements, reserve attestations, on-chain analytics, PitchBook, Crunchbase, Tracxn
| Firm | HQ | Reach | Top Licensure / Charter | Representative Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunq | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 17M+ users across 30+ EEA countries 2024 net profit of €85.3M, up 65% year over year | Full Dutch banking licence from De Nederlandsche Bank EU passporting, MiCA-compliant; UK banking and US broker-dealer licences applied for in 2025–26 | Launched Bunq Crypto through Kraken partnership in Apr 2025 Offers 300+ cryptocurrencies inside a licensed-bank environment; first-year crypto trades surpassed €100M |
| Cash App | Oakland, USA Block, NYSE: XYZ | 59M monthly active users in Q4 2025 9.3M primary banking actives; $316B total customer inflows in 2025 | Banking via Sutton Bank partnership FDIC-insured checking, direct deposit, Cash Card, savings; NYDFS-licensed Bitcoin business | Launched Proof of Reserves dashboard in Apr 2026 covering 8,883 BTC Bitkey self-custody wallet expanded; 5% Bitcoin Back rolled out across Cash App Card |
| KAST | Singapore / New York | 1M+ users across 170–190 countries Approximately $5B annualized transaction volume; 150M+ merchants accepted globally | Holds MSB Canada, MSB US, VASP EU, TCSP Hong Kong Uses regulated partners including Bridge, Tazapay, Reap, Fireblocks, BitGo, and Privy | Closed $80M Series A in Mar 2026 at $600M valuation KAST Business beta launched in May 2026; security stack includes Sardine, Elliptic, ChainPatrol, Vanta, and Scanner.dev |
| Mercado Pago | Buenos Aires, Argentina Mercado 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 America VASP authorisations for MELI Cripto in operating markets | MELI Cripto expanded to 17 tokens by May 2026 Trading fee cut to 0.2%; Meli Dólar stablecoin available across Brazil, Mexico, and Chile |
| Nomad | São Paulo, Brazil | 1M+ users Brazilian USD-account neobank focused on retail consumers and global investment access | Brazilian fintech registration Banking issued through Brazilian and US partner banks; CVM-regulated investment platform component | Pioneered |
XRP Ledger settlement for Brazilian USD payments
Adapting to Brazil BCB Resolution 561, which restricts crypto and stablecoin use in cross-border eFX settlement
Nu Holdings, NYSE: NU
7M+ NuCripto users; Berkshire Hathaway among significant shareholders
OCC US national bank branch conditional approval; Mexico and Colombia authorisations
NuCripto now supports 20+ assets; USDC partnership with Circle deepened crypto access
2025 revenue of $6B and profit before tax of $2.3B
UK banking licence, Mexican banking licence, MiCA-CASP authorisation, US charter in progress
Revolut X offers 230+ digital assets, staking, low-fee trading, and RWA token listings
NASDAQ: SOFI
Q1 2026 revenue of $1.1B with $166.7M net income
OCC-regulated national bank and FDIC-insured depository institution
Opened 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) highlights digital-first banking platforms serving consumers and small businesses that blend traditional bank-account services with robust digital asset offerings.
Two types of business models qualify: banks that hold their own charter, such as Bunq, Nubank, Revolut, and SoFi; and crypto-focused fintechs that partner with banks or operate under EMI or VASP licenses and embed crypto features directly into their main banking app, including Cash App, KAST, Mercado Pago, and Nomad.
This category excludes crypto exchanges that simply offer payment cards, self-custody spending cards without full banking services, stablecoin issuers, institutional digital asset banks, defunct crypto banking platforms, and chartered neobanks that lack native crypto products.
Methodology
This category is assessed using Track B of the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 methodology: 30% quantitative metrics, 50% Expert Council scoring, and 20% publicly disclosed company data.
The evaluation covers seven key areas: total user base and number of crypto users; breadth of crypto and stablecoin products; regulatory licensing status; payments and card integration; geographic reach; financial performance and long-term sustainability; and innovation demonstrated during the award period.
Data was cross-checked using regulatory databases, corporate filings, SEC EDGAR reports, audited financial statements, reserve attestations, Proof of Reserves disclosures, relevant on-chain analytics, private-market databases including PitchBook, Crunchbase, and Tracxn, and leading financial news outlets.
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