N26 vs Worldpay: Founders, CEOs and History
N26 was founded in 2013 by Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal and is led by Mike Dargan. Worldpay was founded in 1971 by Nick Ogden and is led by Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments).
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.
Worldpay
Nick Ogden
Nick Ogden founded WorldPay in 1997 as one of the early services for accepting card payments online in multiple currencies. The business later became part of Royal Bank of Scotland's card processing operations. The current Worldpay, Inc.
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
Worldpay
- Philip Jansen2013–2018
Chief Executive Officer, Worldpay Group plc (2013 - 2018)
Serving as CEO, he aggressively modernized the incredibly complex, legacy payment routing infrastructure before moving on to lead BT Group.
Source - Charles Drucker2024–2026
Chief Executive Officer (2024 - 2026)
Guided Worldpay's separation from FIS and its sale to Global Payments.
Source
Timeline: N26 and Worldpay side by side
1971Worldpay
Fifth Third Bank forms Midwest Payment Systems.
1997Worldpay
Nick Ogden launches the original WorldPay online payment service in the UK.
2010Worldpay
Worldpay Sold by RBS
Royal Bank of Scotland sold a majority of Worldpay to Advent International and Bain Capital in 2010.
2011Worldpay
Fifth Third Processing Solutions adopts the Vantiv name.
2012Worldpay
Vantiv lists on the NYSE.
2013N26
Valentin Stalf and Maximilian Tayenthal found the company in Berlin as Papayer.
2013Worldpay
Philip Jansen becomes CEO
Philip Jansen became CEO of Worldpay in 2013. Took the UK business from private equity ownership to a public listing and sale.
2014Worldpay
Acquired Mercury Payment Systems
Worldpay acquired Mercury Payment Systems for $1.65 billion.
2015N26
Launches as Number26 in Germany and Austria with accounts issued by Wirecard Bank.
2015Worldpay
Worldpay Group London IPO
Worldpay Group listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2015.
2016N26
Receives its own German banking license and rebrands as N26; Valar Ventures leads a $40 million Series B.
2018N26
Raises $160 million Series C led by Tencent and Allianz X; launches in the UK.
2018Worldpay
Vantiv acquires Worldpay Group and becomes Worldpay, Inc.
2019N26
Series D led by Insight Partners values N26 at $3.5 billion; launches in the US.
2019Worldpay
FIS acquires Worldpay.
2020N26
Closes UK accounts after Brexit ends EU passporting.
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.
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.
2024Worldpay
GTCR closes its purchase of a 55% stake; Charles Drucker returns as CEO.
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.
2026Worldpay
Global Payments completes its $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay.
Acquisitions
N26
No verified acquisitions are listed.
Worldpay
- Worldpay Group plc2018$10.4B
- Mercury Payment Systems2014$1.6B
- Litle & Co.2012$361M
Questions about N26 vs Worldpay
Who is the CEO of N26 and Worldpay, Inc.?
N26 is led by Mike Dargan and Worldpay, Inc. is led by Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments). Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was N26 founded vs Worldpay, Inc.?
Worldpay, Inc. was founded in 1971 — 42 years before N26, which was founded in 2013. Worldpay, Inc.'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 Worldpay, Inc.?
N26 employs approximately 1,600 people, while Worldpay, Inc. employs approximately 8,500. Worldpay, Inc. has the larger workforce at 8,500 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 Worldpay, Inc. headquartered?
N26 is headquartered in Germany and Worldpay, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded N26 and Worldpay, Inc.?
N26 was founded by Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal. Worldpay, Inc. was founded by Nick Ogden.
Which company has a longer operating history — N26 or Worldpay, Inc.?
Worldpay, Inc. has been operating for approximately 55 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 Worldpay overview