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An independent annual ranking of the platforms and banks that let fintechs and software firms offer accounts, cards and payments under their own brand. 11 providers, six criteria, nothing paid for.
Scores out of 100. Each segment weights the criteria differently; the method is below. Facts read on 26 October 2026 from the providers' own pages.
The mean of the 3 segment scores.
| Rank and provider | Score /100 | Status | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Swan | 78 | Embedded banking under a French e-money licence | European software platforms wanting accounts and cards fast, with no-code screens |
| 2. Solaris | 77 | German bank for embedded finance | European fintechs wanting a licensed bank that carries the compliance work |
| 3. Airwallex | 75 | Global embedded finance platform | Platforms serving business customers in many countries from one integration |
| 4. Weavr | 65 | Embedded finance platform over a partner e-money firm | UK and EU business software adding accounts and cards at a fixed monthly price |
| 5. Griffin | 64 | UK bank for embedded finance | UK fintechs and platforms wanting a bank with published plan tiers and fast onboarding |
| 6. ClearBank | 64 | UK clearing bank with embedded banking | UK payment and e-money firms wanting FSCS-protected accounts and direct UK payment access |
| 7. Synctera | 55 | Banking-as-a-service platform over partner banks | Fintechs in the US and Canada wanting onboarding and monitoring built in |
| 8. Column | 53 | Nationally chartered US bank for developers | US fintechs wanting to build directly on a chartered bank rather than through a middle layer |
| 9. Increase | 52 | Banking API over partner banks | US platforms wanting a fully priced payments and accounts API |
| 10. Unit | 48 | Embedded finance platform over partner banks | US software platforms wanting ready-made banking screens |
| 11. Treasury Prime | 37 | Embedded banking software for sponsor banks | US banks running their own fintech programmes |
Weighted to product range and compliance support: a full set of accounts, cards and payments with the checks a regulator expects.
| Rank and provider | Score /100 | Status | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Solaris | 82 | German bank for embedded finance | European fintechs wanting a licensed bank that carries the compliance work |
| 2. Swan | 79 | Embedded banking under a French e-money licence | European software platforms wanting accounts and cards fast, with no-code screens |
| 3. Airwallex | 76 | Global embedded finance platform | Platforms serving business customers in many countries from one integration |
| 4. ClearBank | 63 | UK clearing bank with embedded banking | UK payment and e-money firms wanting FSCS-protected accounts and direct UK payment access |
| 5. Griffin | 63 | UK bank for embedded finance | UK fintechs and platforms wanting a bank with published plan tiers and fast onboarding |
| 6. Synctera | 63 | Banking-as-a-service platform over partner banks | Fintechs in the US and Canada wanting onboarding and monitoring built in |
| 7. Weavr | 61 | Embedded finance platform over a partner e-money firm | UK and EU business software adding accounts and cards at a fixed monthly price |
| 8. Unit | 52 | Embedded finance platform over partner banks | US software platforms wanting ready-made banking screens |
| 9. Column | 51 | Nationally chartered US bank for developers | US fintechs wanting to build directly on a chartered bank rather than through a middle layer |
| 10. Increase | 48 | Banking API over partner banks | US platforms wanting a fully priced payments and accounts API |
| 11. Treasury Prime | 35 | Embedded banking software for sponsor banks | US banks running their own fintech programmes |
Weighted to integration and published pricing: fast launch inside an existing product at a known cost.
| Rank and provider | Score /100 | Status | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Swan | 77 | Embedded banking under a French e-money licence | European software platforms wanting accounts and cards fast, with no-code screens |
| 2. Airwallex | 71 | Global embedded finance platform | Platforms serving business customers in many countries from one integration |
| 3. Solaris | 68 | German bank for embedded finance | European fintechs wanting a licensed bank that carries the compliance work |
| 4. Weavr | 68 | Embedded finance platform over a partner e-money firm | UK and EU business software adding accounts and cards at a fixed monthly price |
| 5. Griffin | 61 | UK bank for embedded finance | UK fintechs and platforms wanting a bank with published plan tiers and fast onboarding |
| 6. ClearBank | 57 | UK clearing bank with embedded banking | UK payment and e-money firms wanting FSCS-protected accounts and direct UK payment access |
| 7. Increase | 55 | Banking API over partner banks | US platforms wanting a fully priced payments and accounts API |
| 8. Synctera | 54 | Banking-as-a-service platform over partner banks | Fintechs in the US and Canada wanting onboarding and monitoring built in |
| 9. Unit | 50 | Embedded finance platform over partner banks | US software platforms wanting ready-made banking screens |
| 10. Column | 47 | Nationally chartered US bank for developers | US fintechs wanting to build directly on a chartered bank rather than through a middle layer |
| 11. Treasury Prime | 35 | Embedded banking software for sponsor banks | US banks running their own fintech programmes |
Weighted to licence and deposit protection: the strength of the institution that actually holds the money.
| Rank and provider | Score /100 | Status | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Solaris | 81 | German bank for embedded finance | European fintechs wanting a licensed bank that carries the compliance work |
| 2. Swan | 79 | Embedded banking under a French e-money licence | European software platforms wanting accounts and cards fast, with no-code screens |
| 3. Airwallex | 78 | Global embedded finance platform | Platforms serving business customers in many countries from one integration |
| 4. ClearBank | 71 | UK clearing bank with embedded banking | UK payment and e-money firms wanting FSCS-protected accounts and direct UK payment access |
| 5. Griffin | 69 | UK bank for embedded finance | UK fintechs and platforms wanting a bank with published plan tiers and fast onboarding |
| 6. Weavr | 65 | Embedded finance platform over a partner e-money firm | UK and EU business software adding accounts and cards at a fixed monthly price |
| 7. Column | 62 | Nationally chartered US bank for developers | US fintechs wanting to build directly on a chartered bank rather than through a middle layer |
| 8. Increase | 53 | Banking API over partner banks | US platforms wanting a fully priced payments and accounts API |
| 9. Synctera | 47 | Banking-as-a-service platform over partner banks | Fintechs in the US and Canada wanting onboarding and monitoring built in |
| 10. Treasury Prime | 42 | Embedded banking software for sponsor banks | US banks running their own fintech programmes |
| 11. Unit | 41 | Embedded finance platform over partner banks | US software platforms wanting ready-made banking screens |
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in this edition. 0 means not offered or not published.
6 criteria, scored only from what each provider publishes.
Whether one provider publishes all four building blocks: accounts that hold customer money, payment cards, payment rails (the bank transfer systems such as ACH, Faster Payments or SEPA) and lending.
Platform fees, per-account and per-payment fees on a pricing page. "From", "starting at" and custom prices do not count.
Whether the provider holds its own banking or e-money licence, names its regulator and register reference, and states how customer money is protected: deposit insurance such as the FDIC in the US or the FSCS in the UK, or safeguarding (holding customer money apart from the firm's own).
Whether the provider runs customer checks (KYC for people, KYB for businesses) and transaction monitoring for the client's programme, and says who is responsible for what.
An API, a sandbox (a test environment with dummy money), ready-made screens or a no-code builder, and a stated time to launch.
The countries in which the provider can open accounts for the client's customers.
| Criterion | Fintechs launching accounts and cards | Software platforms embedding finance | Regulated payment and e-money firms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product range | 25 | 20 | 15 |
| Published pricing | 10 | 20 | 10 |
| Licence and deposit protection | 15 | 10 | 35 |
| Compliance support | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| Integration | 15 | 25 | 15 |
| Markets | 10 | 10 | 15 |
| Criterion | 5 | 3 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product range | Accounts, cards, payment rails and lending all published | Two of the four published | Not published |
| Published pricing | Platform, account and payment fees on a pricing page | Some fees or a fixed plan price published | Not published, or "from" prices only |
| Licence and deposit protection | Own banking licence with regulator named and deposit protection stated | Licence held by a named partner bank or e-money firm with its regulator | Partner not named, or not published |
| Compliance support | Provider runs KYC or KYB and transaction monitoring and states who is responsible | One of the two published | Not published |
| Integration | API, sandbox, ready-made screens or no-code builder, and a stated launch time | Two of the four published | Not published |
| Markets | Accounts in 20 or more countries across more than one region | Two countries, for example the UK and one EU country | One country or not published |
Score out of 100 is the sum of each criterion score divided by five and multiplied by its weight. The overall ranking is the mean of the segment scores. Ties are broken by licence and deposit protection, then compliance support. A provider that does not publish a price is scored as though the price were high, because a business cannot plan on an unpublished price. Prices are scored on the standard published rate, never an introductory, promotional or "from" rate, and a figure counts only when it appears on a pricing, fee or terms page rather than in a marketing line. A provider that serves one country only is scored on access for that country, and the limitation is printed in its profile.
What each provider publishes, criterion by criterion, with the date read and the source.
Swan is a French e-money institution that lets platforms open accounts with local IBANs, issue cards, and send SEPA transfers and direct debits across the European Economic Area, under Swan's own licence. It publishes its licence, safeguarding banks, a sandbox and no-code screens. Its plan price is published only as "starting from".
| Product range | Accounts with IBANs starting FR, DE, ES, NL and IT; virtual IBANs; physical, virtual and Apple Pay or Google Pay cards; SEPA transfers and SEPA Direct Debit. Lending not described. |
| Pricing | Sandbox free; Swan on demand "Starting from 2990€/m"; Enterprise custom; non-euro card payments 2%; physical cards 5€ each; no set-up fees. |
| Licence and deposit protection | Licensed electronic money institution authorised by the ACPR (REGAFI 86245) on 04/06/2020; client funds safeguarded at BNP Paribas and Natixis. |
| Compliance support | "No banking license required"; clients do not need an internal compliance team; "Swan takes on all the risk for you." KYC and onboarding listed in the sandbox. |
| Integration | Sandbox with API explorer, Postman collection and event simulator; "#nocode interfaces let you create your white-labeled MVP in minutes"; "launch in weeks, not months". |
| Markets | Services across the EEA; FAQ lists 31 countries. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: swan.io, swan.io, www.swan.io.
Solaris is a German bank with a full banking licence supervised by BaFin and the ECB, offering accounts, cards, payments and consumer lending to partners across the EEA, with local IBANs in Germany, France and Italy. It states that it handles regulatory compliance for partners. It does not publish prices, security audits or clients on the pages read.
| Product range | "Offer accounts, payment cards, consumer lending, and compliant ID solutions"; cards "Branded credit, debit and prepaid"; payments; digital asset custody; KYC platform. |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read. |
| Licence and deposit protection | Solaris SE holds a "full German banking license" under the European Central Bank and BaFin; "all customer deposits are ECB-insured" (Solaris's wording). |
| Compliance support | Solaris "handles all regulatory complexities, continuously maintaining compliance"; "three-lines-of-defense risk management framework"; acts as "your dedicated regulatory anchor". |
| Integration | "modular REST APIs, real-time data webhooks"; partners can "go live in days, not years". |
| Markets | "local IBANs in Germany, France, and Italy"; expansion "across the EEA". |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: solarisgroup.com, support.solarisgroup.com.
Airwallex lets platforms open accounts with local bank details in 70+ countries for their customers, issue cards in 60 countries, run collections and payouts, and extend credit, with Airwallex handling customer checks. It publishes licences by number in more than 20 countries. Platform pricing is set by the platform and Airwallex's own platform fees are not published.
| Product range | Accounts "with local bank details in 70+ countries"; branded physical and virtual cards; collections including Direct Debit and batch payouts; "Extend lines of credit to your customers". |
| Pricing | Platforms "Set bespoke pricing for end customers"; Airwallex's platform fees not published. The US business account fee schedule is published separately. |
| Licence and deposit protection | Airwallex (UK) Ltd FCA e-money institution 900876; AWX Lithuania, UAB e-money institution 88; Airwallex (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. MAS Major Payment Institution PS20200541; UniCard Solution Ltd HKMA SVF0009; Airwallex US, LLC NMLS #1928093 with Lead Bank and Evolve Bank & Trust as partner banks. |
| Compliance support | "Airwallex handles global Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements", with collection adjusted to local rules. |
| Integration | Pre-built components to "Launch in days", or native API integration. |
| Markets | Accounts in 70+ countries; balances in 20 currencies; cards across 60 countries. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: www.airwallex.com, help.airwallex.com.
Weavr lets business software in the UK and EU add accounts, Mastercard cards and bank transfers, with accounts and cards issued by the e-money firm Paynetics. It publishes a fixed monthly price for its entry plan, a sandbox and embeddable screens. It does not describe customer checks or monitoring, and charges for compliance services separately.
| Product range | Wallet accounts with IBANs; Mastercard debit cards, virtual or physical; SEPA, SWIFT and Faster Payments transfers. Lending not described. |
| Pricing | Launch: "£ 1,947 / € 2,370 per month", a platform licence subscription excluding set-up, product usage and compliance service charges; Scale: "Let's talk". |
| Licence and deposit protection | EU accounts and cards issued by Paynetics AD, authorised by the Bulgarian National Bank; UK by Paynetics UK, FCA firm reference 942777; client funds held in safeguarding accounts; e-money "not covered by any Deposit Guarantee Scheme". |
| Compliance support | Launch needs no "compliance expertise"; compliance service charges billed separately; fraud monitoring included. KYC and KYB not described. |
| Integration | Free sandbox and simulator; API reference; embeddable UI elements in React Native and Flutter; "up and running with your new embedded finance programme in a few weeks". |
| Markets | Legal entities in the UK (Weavr Ltd) and the EU (Weavr (Europe) Ltd); Launch for "approved B2B payments use cases in EU and UK". |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: www.weavr.io, www.weavr.io.
Griffin is a UK bank authorised by the PRA that offers embedded bank accounts, safeguarding and client money accounts, Faster Payments, Bacs credits and CHAPS, and automated KYC and KYB checks. It publishes monthly minimum spend tiers and a 6 to 8 week go-live, though its onboarding fee is a "from" price. Cards and lending are not offered on the pages read.
| Product range | Embedded bank accounts, business accounts, savings, client money, safeguarding, payments (Faster Payments, Bacs credits, CHAPS) and Verify. Cards and lending not published. |
| Pricing | Platform banking onboarding "from £15,000"; monthly minimum spend packages £4,000, £6,000 and £10,000, Enterprise custom. |
| Licence and deposit protection | Griffin Bank Ltd, "authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority", firm reference 970920; FSCS "up to £120,000". |
| Compliance support | Verify: "Automate KYC/KYB checks"; "Use our onboarding products to automate key compliance processes." |
| Integration | "Embed accounts, payments and onboarding via our API"; sandbox at app.griffin.com/register; "Go live in 6 to 8 weeks". |
| Scale | "80+ companies use Griffin"; "£8.9B+ payments processed since launching in 2024". |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: griffin.com, griffin.com, griffin.com, griffin.com, griffin.com, griffin.com.
ClearBank is a UK bank authorised by the PRA, with a Dutch subsidiary authorised by the ECB, offering embedded current and savings accounts, Faster Payments and CHAPS, and up to 6 million virtual IBANs per parent account. It publishes deposit protection, an integration time and named fintech clients. It does not publish prices, cards or lending.
| Product range | Embedded current accounts, savings accounts, Flexible Cash ISA; "accept payments via Faster Payments and CHAPS"; up to 6 million virtual IBANs; multi-currency accounts in GBP plus 11 currencies. Cards and lending not published. |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read; "no minimum volume requirements". |
| Licence and deposit protection | ClearBank Limited authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA, FRN 754568; "Eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000"; ClearBank Europe N.V. authorised by the ECB and regulated by De Nederlandsche Bank. |
| Compliance support | "ClearBank owns the KYC process and sets minimum due diligence standards." |
| Integration | Sandbox "available throughout"; "Average API integration takes 30 to 45 days, with the fastest on record at 14 days." |
| Named clients | Tide, Capital on Tap, Coinbase, Wealthify, Lemfi and Raisin. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: clear.bank, clear.bank, clear.bank, clear.bank, clear.bank.
Synctera offers accounts, wallets, debit and credit cards and money movement, with customer onboarding checks and fraud and transaction monitoring, in the US and Canada. It does not name its partner banks or publish prices, payment rails or security audits on the pages read.
| Product range | "bank accounts and digital wallets"; "debit or credit card products"; "money movement". Payment rails and lending not named. |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read. |
| Licence and deposit protection | "Banking services are provided by Synctera's partner banks." Partner banks not named. |
| Compliance support | "End user onboarding (KYC/KYB)"; "Fraud and transaction monitoring"; "Synctera's team of experts help you build an effective compliance program." |
| Integration | API documentation, developer portal and a white-label UX suite. |
| Markets | "Launch FinTech apps and embedded banking products in Canada"; US partner banks. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: synctera.com.
A nationally chartered US bank sold directly to developers, with accounts, ACH, wires, FedNow, cards, checks and lending through one API. It is an FDIC member bank and publishes deposit insurance terms. It does not publish prices, compliance support or security audits on the pages read.
| Product range | Accounts "in one API call"; ACH credits and debits; FedWire; FedNow; "Build a card program"; "national lending program"; checks; "Direct access to Swift and international routing". |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read. |
| Licence and deposit protection | "Column N.A. is a nationally chartered bank built for developers"; "Column N.A. Member FDIC"; demand deposit accounts "FDIC insurance up to $250,000". |
| Accounts | Supports "FBO, sweep, clearing and custom account types"; FBO accounts use virtual sub-accounts; dynamic account numbers. |
| Integration | API with documentation at docs.column.com; "Start building in sandbox." |
| Security | "As a federally regulated bank, we are subject to governmental audits"; programme based on NIST and FFIEC guidance. No SOC 2 or PCI certification on the pages read. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: column.com, column.com, column.com, column.com.
Increase is a non-bank technology provider that gives US platforms accounts, ACH, wires, RTP, FedNow, checks and cards over four named FDIC member banks. It publishes the most complete per-payment price list in this edition. It does not publish compliance support, lending or a launch time.
| Product range | Bank accounts, ACH, checks, FedNow, Real-Time Payments, push-to-card, wires and cards. |
| Pricing | ACH same-day $2.00 and next-day $0.50 per transaction; wire origination $15.00; RTP and FedNow origination $2.50; check issued and mailed $3.00; virtual card $0.25; account number creation "First 10 free"; monthly fees "vary by use case". |
| Licence and deposit protection | "Increase Technologies, Inc. is a non-bank technology service provider." Partner banks: Increase Bank, Grasshopper Bank, N.A., First Internet Bank of Indiana and Core Bank, Members FDIC. |
| Deposit insurance | "Eligible deposits held at a Partner Bank are insured by the FDIC up to the standard maximum deposit insurance amount." |
| Integration | Web dashboard and API. |
| Compliance support | Not published on the pages read. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: increase.com, www.increase.com, www.increase.com.
Unit lets US software platforms offer accounts, money movement, debit and charge cards and capital, with ready-to-launch products and white-label screens. It is PCI DSS validated and shows an AICPA SOC logo. It does not name its partner banks or publish prices on the pages read, and states that banks keep final control of compliance.
| Product range | Accounts and wallets; money movement; card issuing ("high-interchange debit and charge cards"); Capital ("instant access to funds"); bill pay. |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read; a revenue calculator only. |
| Licence and deposit protection | "Banking services are provided by Unit's bank partners, Members FDIC." Partner banks not named; March 2024 post: "six banks are managing programs via the Unit platform". |
| Compliance support | Managed services cover "customer dispute handling, marketing oversight, reconciliation, and certain other operational responsibilities"; the bank "retains ultimate approval and control" and has oversight tools for KYC and KYB data. |
| Integration | Ready-to-Launch products, white-label UIs, dashboard, API docs and sandbox. |
| Security | "PCI DSS Validated" and "AICPA SOC" logos (SOC type not stated). |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: www.unit.co, unit.co.
Treasury Prime sells the software layer that lets US banks run embedded banking programmes, with accounts on the bank's own core system and a direct Federal Reserve payment connection, across 20+ partner banks. Its pages are written for banks, which hold the charter and run the programme. It does not publish prices, compliance services or security audits on the pages read.
| Product range | Three account models, including Core Direct ("Every account is a real account on your core"); Payment Hub ("A direct Fed connection with no third-party gateway"); cards only in a case study. |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read. |
| Licence and deposit protection | 20+ partner banks; named: KeyBank, Grasshopper Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, OMB Bank, FirstBank and Academy Bank. |
| Compliance support | "You hold the charter and run the program"; KYC, KYB and transaction monitoring services not described. |
| Integration | "a single bank-grade API"; developer sandbox; Bangor "filled a card BIN with nine card programs in ten weeks". |
| Security | Trust Center linked; no certification named on the pages read. |
| Date read | Read 26 October 2026 |
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: treasuryprime.com.
The index is paid for by nobody.
No provider pays to be assessed, listed or ranked, and there are no sponsored places. Providers do not apply: BCC selects the providers a business is likely to consider and scores them from their own pages. Any provider may ask to be assessed; the request changes nothing about the score.
Every figure is read from the provider's own pricing, product, legal or help page on the date shown. Providers may send corrections to [email protected]; a correction changes the page only where the provider's own page supports it. Every provider is re-read monthly and a new edition is published each October.
Core banking software sold to banks for their own use, card issuing processors, and consultants that set up bank partnerships are left out. Lead Bank, Cross River Bank and Railsr are not assessed in this edition because their own pages could not be read for it. Treezor is left out because the only Treezor pages that could be read describe its services as at 2022 and 2023 and a 2026 change of owner, so its current offer could not be confirmed. Card issuing, payouts and virtual account providers are ranked in their own indices.
Ranked providers may show the index badge on their own site.
The badge is free. The one condition is that it links to this page, so that a reader can check the score and the method behind it. It is withdrawn if the link is removed or the provider leaves the index.
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Nobody. No provider pays to be assessed, listed or ranked.
A service that lets a company without a banking licence offer accounts, cards and payments to its own customers under its own brand. A licensed bank or e-money firm holds the money; the company builds the customer experience on top through an API.
A licensed bank that holds the accounts and money for another company's financial product. In the US the sponsor bank remains responsible to its regulator for the programme, including customer checks and monitoring, even where a technology firm runs the software.
When the provider is itself the bank, customer money sits in an institution covered by deposit insurance, such as the FDIC in the US or the FSCS in the UK. When a technology firm sits between the client and an unnamed bank, it is harder to know where the money is and who answers for it.
A "from" price is the lowest price on offer and does not tell a firm what its own programme will cost. Only stated platform, account and payment fees count.
No. The index compares published facts and is not a recommendation to use a particular provider.
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