N26 vs Wise: Founders, CEOs and History
N26 was founded in 2013 by Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal and is led by Mike Dargan. Wise was founded in 2011 by Kristo Käärmann, Taavet Hinrikus and is led by Kristo Käärmann.
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.
Wise
Kristo Käärmann
Kristo Käärmann co-founded TransferWise with Taavet Hinrikus in 2011 and has been chief executive since 2017, when Hinrikus stepped back from the CEO role.
Taavet Hinrikus
Taavet Hinrikus co-founded TransferWise in 2011 and served as its first chief executive until 2017. He later chaired the board before stepping down from that role, and has since focused on investing in early-stage companies. Taavet Hinrikus was born in 1981.
CEOs and their tenures
N26
- 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
As Co-Founder and Co-CEO, he manages the massive venture capital funding rounds and internal regulatory compliance structure of the neobank.
Source - Arnd Schwierholz2023–present
Chief Financial Officer (interim co-CEO late 2025-April 2026)
As CFO, he manages the bank's liquidity and is aggressively working to resolve the severe anti-money laundering (AML) compliance issues that led to growth caps by BaFin.
Source - Mike Dargan2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
As a senior executive, he aims to professionalize the startup's chaotic internal systems, bringing them up to the standards required by the European Central Bank.
Source - Aytac Aydin2026–present
Chief Operating Officer
They lead the core software engineering teams that maintain the high reliability and sleek user interface that forms N26's primary competitive advantage against legacy banks.
Source - Marcin Pakulnicki2026–present
Chief Technology Officer
They lead the core software engineering teams that maintain the high reliability and sleek user interface that forms N26's primary competitive advantage against legacy banks.
Source
Wise
- Taavet Hinrikus2011–2017
Co-founder and CEO
As Co-Founder (and the absolute first employee at Skype), he provided the critical early vision and venture capital networking required to turn a simple idea into a massive global fintech giant.
Source - Kristo Käärmann2017–present
Co-founder and CEO
As Co-Founder and CEO, he acts as the absolute driving operational force, maintaining the company's fanatical obsession with forcing transfer fees as close to zero as mathematically possible.
Source
Timeline: N26 and Wise side by side
2011Wise
TransferWise launches
Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus launch TransferWise in London.
2013N26
Valentin Stalf and Maximilian Tayenthal found the company in Berlin as Papayer.
2013Wise
Valar Ventures Investment
Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures led a $6 million investment in TransferWise in 2013.
2014Wise
Series B Funding
TransferWise raised $25 million in 2014 in a round that included Richard Branson.
2015N26
Launches as Number26 in Germany and Austria with accounts issued by Wirecard Bank.
2015Wise
$58 million round led by Andreessen Horowitz
TransferWise raised $58 million in a Series C round led by Andreessen Horowitz in January 2015, taking total funding past $90 million.
2016N26
Receives its own German banking license and rebrands as N26; Valar Ventures leads a $40 million Series B.
2017Wise
Multi-currency account
The Borderless account, now the Wise Account, lets customers hold balances in several currencies.
2018N26
Raises $160 million Series C led by Tencent and Allianz X; launches in the UK.
2019N26
Series D led by Insight Partners values N26 at $3.5 billion; launches in the US.
2019Wise
$3.5 Billion Valuation
A secondary share sale in May 2019 valued TransferWise at $3.5 billion.
2020N26
Closes UK accounts after Brexit ends EU passporting.
2020Wise
$5 Billion Valuation
A secondary share sale in July 2020 valued TransferWise at $5 billion.
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.
2021Wise
Rename and London direct listing
TransferWise becomes Wise and lists directly on the London Stock Exchange in July.
2022N26
Exits the US market and launches crypto trading with Bitpanda.
2024N26
BaFin lifts the growth cap in June; N26 reports its first quarterly profit in Q3.
2025N26
First full-year net profit (~$1.81M (€1.6M)) on ~$567M (€501.6M) revenue; both co-founders step back from executive roles.
2026N26
Former UBS executive Mike Dargan becomes CEO in April; new COO, CTO and CGMO appointed.
2026Wise
Nasdaq primary listing
Wise begins trading on Nasdaq under WSE on May 11, 2026, keeping a secondary LSE listing.
2026Wise
FY2026 results
Wise reports net revenue of $2,502.8 million and net income of $498.7 million for the year ended March 31, 2026.
Acquisitions
N26
No verified acquisitions are listed.
Questions about N26 vs Wise
Who is the CEO of N26 and Wise Group plc?
N26 is led by Mike Dargan and Wise Group plc is led by Kristo Käärmann. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was N26 founded vs Wise Group plc?
Wise Group plc was founded in 2011 — 2 years before N26, which was founded in 2013. Wise Group plc's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger N26.
How many employees does N26 have compared to Wise Group plc?
N26 employs approximately 1,600 people, while Wise Group plc employs approximately 5,499. Wise Group plc has the larger workforce at 5,499 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 Wise Group plc headquartered?
N26 is headquartered in Germany and Wise Group plc 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 Wise Group plc?
N26 was founded by Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal. Wise Group plc was founded by Kristo Käärmann, Taavet Hinrikus.
Which company has a longer operating history — N26 or Wise Group plc?
Wise Group plc has been operating for approximately 15 years, making it the more established of the two companies. N26 has been in operation for around 13 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 Wise overview