Comparison · 2026 edition
ClearBank vs Nium: virtual accounts compared 2026.
ClearBank and Nium side by side in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
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ClearBank and Nium side by side in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
In the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index, Nium scores higher overall: 3.8 out of 5 (75 out of 100) against 3.3 (66), ranking 3 and 4 of 10. Nium also scores higher in every segment.
Overall and segment scores out of 100, and the score out of 5.
| Score | ClearBank | Nium |
|---|---|---|
| Score out of 5 | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| Score out of 100 | 66 | 75 |
| Overall rank | 4 of 10 | 3 of 10 |
| For payment and e-money firms (out of 100) | 76, rank 3 | 81, rank 2 |
| For marketplaces and platforms (out of 100) | 67, rank 4 | 75, rank 3 |
| For businesses collecting from abroad (out of 100) | 55, rank 4 | 69, rank 3 |
| Type | UK clearing bank with virtual IBANs | Multi-currency accounts and virtual accounts for platforms |
Each score with the evidence behind it.
| Criterion | ClearBank | Nium |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | 3/5 12 currencies on one IBAN published, UK only. | 5/5 20+ issuing currencies and 28 collection currencies published. |
| Account ownership | 5/5 Virtual IBANs, virtual safeguarding accounts and physical accounts with own sort codes published. | 5/5 Accounts and virtual accounts in customers' names published. |
| Published pricing | 0/5 Not published on the pages read. | 0/5 Not published. |
| Local rails and speed | 3/5 Direct UK payment systems published; EU instant receipt not described. | 5/5 Same-day or real-time receipt on local systems in several markets. |
| Regulatory standing | 5/5 Own UK banking licence with FRN, FSCS terms and a safeguarding letter. | 4/5 Licences with numbers in many markets; safeguarding terms not on the pages read. |
| Integration | 4/5 API, sandbox and a stated integration time; self-serve sign-up not offered. | 3/5 API and webhooks; sandbox and launch time not stated on the accounts page. |
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
What each provider publishes on its own pages, read on 26 October 2026.
| Fact | ClearBank | Nium |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | Multi-currency IBAN in GBP plus 11 currencies (USD, EUR, CAD, CHF, DKK, NOK, SEK, PLN, CZK, HUF, RON); multi-currency accounts listed as UK only. | "Issue accounts under your own brand in 20+ currencies"; "inbound collections in 28 local and global currencies"; hold and convert in 100+ currencies. |
| Account ownership | "Allocate up to 6 million virtual IBANs from a single parent account"; up to 6 million virtual customer segregated or client money accounts; agency banking "Physical accounts, each with their own sort code". | "Issue a local account in your customer's name"; "Give each customer a dedicated virtual account"; "VANs are issued in your customers' names." |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read; "no minimum volume requirements". | Not published; "No hidden markups". |
| Local rails | Direct connection to Faster Payments, Bacs (including Direct Debit) and CHAPS; EUR held at the European Central Bank. | Not listed in this index |
| Regulatory standing | ClearBank Limited authorised by the PRA, FRN 754568; FSCS "up to £120,000 per depositor"; ClearBank Europe N.V. authorised by the ECB and regulated by De Nederlandsche Bank; FCA-compliant safeguarding letter available. | NIUM Pte. Ltd. MAS Major Payment Institution PS20200276; Nium Fintech Limited FCA e-money institution 901024; UAB Nium EU Bank of Lithuania licence No. 14; Nium, Inc. NMLS ID 1528562. Security badges: ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2 Type 2. |
| Integration | API; sandbox; "Average API integration takes 30 to 45 days". | Single API with webhooks; documentation at docs.nium.com; white-label, "Nium stays invisible" to end users. |
| Local rails and speed | Not listed in this index | "local rails (SEPA, Faster Payments, ACH, FAST, and others)" plus SWIFT and USDC; "Most local rail funding settles same-day or in real time." |
| Date read | 26 October 2026 | 26 October 2026 |
Not published or not stated by ClearBank: pricing and local rails and speed.
Not published or not stated by Nium: pricing, regulatory standing and integration.
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: clear.bank/products/accounts, clear.bank/faqs/accounts-and-agency-banking, clear.bank/products/multi-currency-and-fx, clear.bank/solutions/embedded-banking; and nium.com/products/multi-currency-accounts, nium.com/regulatory-disclosures, nium.com/products/global-payouts.
Awards follow from the published scores and cannot be bought.
From each provider's strongest criteria and published terms.
UK payment and e-money firms needing safeguarding and virtual accounts at a bank.
Payment firms and platforms issuing accounts in their customers' names under their own brand.
Tell us what you need and where you operate.