N26 vs Revolut: Founders, CEOs and History
N26 was founded in 2013 by Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal and is led by Mike Dargan. Revolut was founded in 2015 by Nikolay Storonsky, Vlad Yatsenko and is led by Nikolay Storonsky.
Company facts
Founders
N26
Valentin Stalf
Valentin Stalf co-founded N26 in 2013 with Maximilian Tayenthal and ran it as CEO and later co-CEO for about twelve years, leading product, brand and fundraising, including the $900 million Series E in 2021.
Maximilian Tayenthal
Maximilian Tayenthal co-founded N26 and oversaw finance, regulatory, legal and operations, including securing the 2016 banking license and the remediation under BaFin's 2021-2024 growth cap.
Revolut
Nikolay Storonsky
Nikolay (Nik) Storonsky co-founded Revolut in 2015 and has been its CEO since. He led the company from a prepaid travel card to a multinational bank with ~$5.94 billion (£4.5 billion) of 2025 revenue and remains its largest individual shareholder.
Vlad Yatsenko
Vlad Yatsenko co-founded Revolut with Storonsky in 2015 and served as its long-time chief technology officer, leading the in-house engineering of its core banking, payments and card platforms.
CEOs and their tenures
N26
- Arnd Schwierholz
Chief Financial Officer (interim co-CEO late 2025-April 2026)
CFO who co-led N26 on an interim basis before Mike Dargan arrived.
Source - Valentin Stalf2013–2025
Co-founder & Co-CEO
Led N26 from founding until stepping down as co-CEO in 2025.
Source - Maximilian Tayenthal2013–2025
Co-founder & Co-CEO
Led finance, regulatory and operations; handed over at the end of 2025.
Source - Mike Dargan2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Former UBS group chief operations and technology officer; became sole CEO of N26 SE and N26 Bank SE in April 2026 and rebuilt the management team.
Source - Aytac Aydin2026–present
Chief Operating Officer
Joined from Oldenburgische Landesbank on 15 July 2026 to run technology, operations and legal.
Source - Marcin Pakulnicki2026–present
Chief Technology Officer
Joined from ING on 1 September 2026, succeeding Gino Cordt.
Source
Revolut
- Nik Storonsky2015–present
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Has led Revolut since 2015, taking it to ~$5.94B (£4.5B) revenue in 2025 and a full UK banking licence in 2026.
Source - Vlad Yatsenko2015–present
Co-Founder
Long-time CTO who led the in-house build of Revolut's core banking and payments technology.
Source - Martin Gilbert2020–present
Chair
Former Aberdeen Asset Management chief who chairs Revolut's board through its UK licensing.
Source
Timeline: N26 and Revolut side by side
2013N26
Valentin Stalf and Maximilian Tayenthal found the company in Berlin as Papayer.
2015N26
Launches as Number26 in Germany and Austria with accounts issued by Wirecard Bank.
2015Revolut
Revolut Founded at Level39 Canary Wharf
Nik Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko founded Revolut in London, launching multi-currency cards with zero FX fees.
2016N26
Receives its own German banking license and rebrands as N26; Valar Ventures leads a $40 million Series B.
2017Revolut
Launches Revolut Business & Crypto Trading
Debuted corporate business accounts and cryptocurrency exchange, igniting rapid user growth past 1M users.
2018N26
Raises $160 million Series C led by Tencent and Allianz X; launches in the UK.
2018Revolut
$250M Series C at $1.7B Valuation & European Banking License
Achieved unicorn status led by DST Global and secured a European banking license from the Bank of Lithuania.
2019N26
Series D led by Insight Partners values N26 at $3.5 billion; launches in the US.
2020N26
Closes UK accounts after Brexit ends EU passporting.
2020Revolut
$500M Series D at $5.5B Valuation Led by TCV
Raised $500M during the pandemic, expanding global operations into the United States, Japan, and Australia.
2021N26
Raises $900 million Series E at about $9 billion led by Third Point Ventures and Coatue; BaFin caps new customers at about 50,000 a month.
2021Revolut
$800M Series E at $33.0B Valuation Led by SoftBank & Tiger Global
Closed a large $800M financing round valuing Revolut at $33.0 billion, becoming the UK's most valuable tech firm.
2022N26
Exits the US market and launches crypto trading with Bitpanda.
2023Revolut
Revolut posts ~$2.38B (£1.8B) revenue and ~$578M (£438M) pre-tax profit
2023 results showed revenue nearly doubling.
2024N26
BaFin lifts the growth cap in June; N26 reports its first quarterly profit in Q3.
2024Revolut
Secures UK Banking License Authorization from PRA
Achieved landmark approval for a UK banking license with restrictions from the Bank of England.
2024Revolut
$45.0B Valuation Secondary Sale Led by Coatue and Greenoaks
Completed landmark secondary share sale valuing Revolut at $45.0 billion, solidifying Europe's top tech valuation.
2025N26
First full-year net profit (~$1.81M (€1.6M)) on ~$567M (€501.6M) revenue; both co-founders step back from executive roles.
2025Revolut
$75B valuation
November 2025 share sale led by Coatue, Greenoaks, Dragoneer and Fidelity.
2026N26
Former UBS executive Mike Dargan becomes CEO in April; new COO, CTO and CGMO appointed.
2026Revolut
Full UK banking licence
Revolut Bank UK exited mobilisation on 11 March 2026.
2026Revolut
$115B secondary share sale
July 2026 sale priced shares at $2,017.
Acquisitions
N26
No verified acquisitions are listed.
Questions about N26 vs Revolut
Who is the CEO of N26 and Revolut Ltd?
N26 is led by Mike Dargan and Revolut Ltd is led by Nikolay Storonsky. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was N26 founded vs Revolut Ltd?
N26 was founded in 2013 — 2 years before Revolut Ltd, which was founded in 2015. N26's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Revolut Ltd.
How many employees does N26 have compared to Revolut Ltd?
N26 employs approximately 1,600 people, while Revolut Ltd employs approximately 12,000. Revolut Ltd has the larger workforce at 12,000 employees, compared to N26's 1,600. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are N26 and Revolut Ltd headquartered?
N26 is headquartered in Germany and Revolut Ltd is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded N26 and Revolut Ltd?
N26 was founded by Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal. Revolut Ltd was founded by Nikolay Storonsky, Vlad Yatsenko.
Which company has a longer operating history — N26 or Revolut Ltd?
N26 has been operating for approximately 13 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Revolut Ltd has been in operation for around 11 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the N26 vs Revolut overview