Germany's Most Trusted Digital-First Bank
N26 was founded in 2013 in Berlin and is Germany's largest digital bank with 8 million customers in 24 European countries. Unlike many neobanks that hold e-money licences, N26 holds a full German banking licence regulated by BaFin — making customer deposits eligible for up to €100,000 protection under Germany's deposit guarantee scheme (DGS). N26 is a pure banking product (current account, savings, loans) with no stock or ETF investing beyond its limited crypto product.
| 🏛️ Founded | 2013 |
| 📍 Headquarters | Berlin, Germany |
| 📈 Listed on | Private |
| 📜 Regulators | BaFin (Germany) — full banking licence; ECB supervised |
| 💵 Min. Deposit | €0 |
| 💰 Stock/ETF Commission | N/A (no investing, banking only) |
| 💱 FX / Spread | Mastercard interbank rate (no FX markup on Standard) |
| 😴 Inactivity Fee | None |
| 🏧 Withdrawal Fee | Free in-network ATM (limits by plan); €2 per ATM withdrawal (Standard, after 3/month) |
| 🖥️ Platforms | N26 App (iOS/Android), N26 Web |
| 🎮 Demo Account | No |
| 🛡️ Investor Protection | BaFin banking licence: deposits protected up to €100,000 (German deposit guarantee DGS). |
| 👥 Clients | 8,000,000+ |
N26's mobile app is clean and minimalist. Core features include: instant IBAN (German or Spanish), real-time payment notifications, spending analytics (categorised), shared spaces, and savings spaces with competitive interest rates. The web interface mirrors the app. N26 recently launched N26 Crypto in partnership with Bitpanda, allowing users to buy 100+ cryptocurrencies directly within the N26 app in select EU countries.
N26 offers a free standard account with a German IBAN, no monthly fee, and a Mastercard debit card. N26 Smart (€4.90/month), N26 You (€9.90/month), and N26 Metal (€16.90/month) plans add features like premium insurance, higher ATM limits, and better savings rates. Savings Spaces earn interest. N26 Crypto (via Bitpanda) supports 100+ cryptocurrencies with a minimum of €1 per trade. No stock or ETF investing is available.
Standard account: free (€0/month). German IBAN, Mastercard, 3 free ATM withdrawals/month in eurozone (€2 after). No FX markup on purchases (Mastercard interbank rate). N26 Smart: €4.90/month — 5 ATM withdrawals. N26 You: €9.90/month — unlimited ATM withdrawals, travel insurance. N26 Metal: €16.90/month — metal card, premium insurance, airport lounge access. No inactivity fee. No incoming transfer fee.
| Stocks & ETFs | N/A (no investing, banking only) |
| Forex / Spread | Mastercard interbank rate (no FX markup on Standard) |
| Inactivity fee | None |
| Withdrawal fee | Free in-network ATM (limits by plan); €2 per ATM withdrawal (Standard, after 3/month) |
| Min. deposit | €0 |
N26 holds a full banking licence from BaFin (Germany), regulated by both BaFin and the European Central Bank (ECB). Deposits are guaranteed up to €100,000 per customer under Germany's statutory deposit protection (DGS) — one of the most robust in the EU. N26 uses biometric authentication, 3D Secure for online payments, and real-time transaction monitoring. In 2021, BaFin ordered N26 to improve anti-money laundering controls, which has since been resolved.
| Regulators | BaFin (Germany) — full banking licence; ECB supervised |
| Investor Protection | BaFin banking licence: deposits protected up to €100,000 (German deposit guarantee DGS). |
| Publicly Listed | Private |
Available in 24 European countries. NOT available in USA, UK, or Australia (exited those markets). Partially available in Switzerland and Brazil.
N26 is the best digital-only bank for European residents who want a reliable, fully-licensed bank account with no fees, a clean app, and comprehensive deposit protection. It is not an investing platform — for stock investing, users need a separate broker. The 2021 BaFin growth restrictions (now lifted) and the withdrawal from the US and UK markets are past concerns that have been addressed.
* Capital at risk for crypto investments. Bank deposits are protected up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme.