N26 vs Zerodha: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
N26 had ~$566.8M of annual revenue in FY2025 and ~$1.8M of net income. Zerodha had ~$1B of annual revenue in FY2025 and ~$491.5M of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
N26
N26 burned through heavy losses for most of its first decade, with cumulative losses of roughly $1.13 billion (€1 billion) through 2024 as the BaFin growth cap coincided with the ECB rate-hike cycle. The turn came in 2024, when it posted its first quarterly profit in Q3, and 2025 delivered the first full-year profit: revenue rose 13% to ~$567 million (€501.6 million), gross profit rose 33% to ~$396 million (€350.5 million) and net income swung from a ~$47.5 million (€42.0 million) loss to a ~$1.81 million (€1.6 million) profit. Preliminary Q1 2026 figures showed ~$147 million (€130.0 million) in revenue and ~$11.1 million (€9.8 million) in net income, and management expects to stay profitable in 2026. N26 GmbH is a massive German digital challenger bank operating across Europe, commanding a private market valuation of approximately $9 billion.
Zerodha
Zerodha reported revenue of ~$1.03 billion (₹8,847 crore) and net profit of ~$491 million (₹4,237 crore) in FY25, down from about $1.16 billion (₹9,993 crore) and ~$638 million (₹5,496 crore) in FY24 after SEBI's F&O changes. FY26 profit was ~$497 million (₹4,283 crore) on roughly flat revenue, helped by margin trading income.
Revenue and profit by year
N26
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$566.8M | ~$1.8M | 0.3% | +12.6% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$503.3M | ~-$47.5M | -9.4% | +42.1% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$354.3M | ~-$115.7M | -32.7% | — | Source |
Zerodha
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$1B | ~$491.5M | 47.9% | -11.5% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$1.2B | ~$637.5M | 55.0% | +45.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$797.7M | ~$336.9M | 42.2% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
N26
- Net fee and commission income
53% of gross profit (2025)
Mostly premium subscriptions (Smart, Go and Metal) and card interchange on ~$193 billion (€170.7 billion) of transaction volume. ~$208 million (€184.2 million).
- Net interest income
47% of gross profit (2025)
Interest on deposits placed with central banks and treasury assets, plus overdrafts and consumer loans. Up 49% to ~$188 million (€166.3 million).
- Investing products
Not formally reported
Trading fees on stocks, ETFs and crypto.
Zerodha
- Brokerage (intraday and F&O)
~$318M (₹2,738 Cr) in FY26
Flat fee of up to ₹20 per executed order on intraday and derivatives trades. FY26 brokerage income fell about 11% from ~$356 million (₹3,066 crore) in FY25.
- Interest income
~$263M (₹2,269 Cr) in FY26
Interest earned on client margin funds and the company's own reserves; down about 4% year on year in FY26.
- Margin trading facility (MTF)
~10% of FY26 revenue
Launched in December 2024. Kamath said the MTF book reached about $1.04 billion (₹9,000 crore), with customers borrowing around $696 million (₹6,000 crore).
- Demat annual maintenance charges
~$20.9M (₹180 Cr) in FY26
Annual charges on demat accounts, up from ~$18.6 million (₹160 crore) in FY25. Accounts opened from 1 June 2026 get the first year free.
Business model and strategy
N26
How it makes money
N26 earns money from two roughly equal engines. Net fee and commission income, mostly premium subscriptions (Smart, Go and Metal tiers) and card interchange on ~$193 billion (€170.7 billion) of 2025 transaction volume, reached ~$208 million (€184.2 million), or 53% of 2025 gross profit.
Growth strategy
After leaving the UK in 2020 and the US in early 2022, N26 concentrates on continental Europe, with Germany, France, Spain and Italy as core markets. Growth now comes from converting free users into primary-bank and paying customers, cross-selling savings, investing and credit, and scaling efficiently so that revenue growth turns into profit.
Competitive advantage
N26 pairs a full German banking license with a product built only for the phone. Holding its own license since 2016 lets it take deposits covered by German statutory deposit protection up to €100,000, lend through overdrafts and consumer credit, and passport services across 24 markets without a sponsor bank.
Zerodha
How it makes money
Zerodha earns most of its money from trading and from client funds. Brokerage is charged only on intraday and futures and options orders, capped at ₹20 per executed order, while equity delivery trades are free. The second large stream is interest income, mainly on client margin money and on its own cash reserves.
Growth strategy
With retail derivatives activity slowing under SEBI's F&O rules, Zerodha is shifting its focus from adding traders to growing customer assets. Its levers are margin trading funding, the integration of mutual funds into Kite, Zerodha Fund House's passive funds, and new businesses in asset management, lending and insurance.
Competitive advantage
Zerodha keeps costs low through in-house technology, a team of fewer than 1,100 people and no advertising spend, which lets it stay highly profitable even as trading volumes slow.
Questions about N26 vs Zerodha
Which company has higher revenue — N26 or Zerodha?
N26 had ~$566.8M (FY2025), while Zerodha had ~$1B (FY2025). By latest annual revenue, Zerodha is the larger business, with N26 showing a smaller revenue base.
How does revenue per employee compare for N26 and Zerodha?
N26 has $354k / employee in revenue per employee, while Zerodha has $933k / employee. Headcounts may use different dates, so the ratio alone does not establish which business operates more efficiently.
How do N26 and Zerodha make money?
N26 and Zerodha generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. N26: N26 earns money from two roughly equal engines. Zerodha: Zerodha earns most of its money from trading and from client funds.
Is N26 bigger than Zerodha?
By last reported revenue, Zerodha (~$1B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to N26 (~$566.8M (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
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 Zerodha overview