Starling Bank vs Wise: Founders, CEOs and History
Starling Bank was founded in 2014 by Anne Boden and is led by Raman Bhatia. Wise was founded in 2011 by Kristo Käärmann, Taavet Hinrikus and is led by Kristo Käärmann.
Company facts
Starling Bank
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Raman Bhatia
- Employees
- 3,500
Wise
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Kristo Käärmann
- Employees
- 5,499
Founders
Starling Bank
Anne Boden
Anne Boden founded Starling Bank in 2014. After an absolutely massive, 30-year career deeply entrenched in the rigid legacy infrastructure of massive global banks (like ABN AMRO and Allied Irish Banks), she became utterly frustrated by their terrible technolog…
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
Starling Bank
- Anne Boden2014–2023
Founder & CEO
Author of 'Banking On It' and appointed MBE for services to financial technology, Boden is widely hailed as the godmother of modern British fintech.
Source - Raman Bhatia2024–present
CEO
Bhatia previously served as CEO of OVO Energy and Head of Digital Bank for HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management in the UK and Europe.
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: Starling Bank and Wise side by side
2011Wise
TransferWise launches
Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus launch TransferWise in London.
2013Wise
Valar Ventures Investment
Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures led a $6 million investment in TransferWise in 2013.
2014Starling Bank
Anne Boden incorporates Starling Bank in London with the mission to build the UK's first cloud-native digital bank.
2014Wise
Series B Funding
TransferWise raised $25 million in 2014 in a round that included Richard Branson.
2015Starling Bank
Secures 48 million in early-stage backing from financial investor Harald McPike to fund regulatory capital requirements.
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.
2016Starling Bank
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) grant Starling a full UK banking license.
2017Starling Bank
Launches its mobile personal current account, featuring real-time notifications, in-app card locking, and zero foreign exchange fees.
2017Wise
Multi-currency account
The Borderless account, now the Wise Account, lets customers hold balances in several currencies.
2018Starling Bank
Launches Starling Business Accounts, introducing modern mobile banking to UK small and medium enterprises.
2019Wise
$3.5 Billion Valuation
A secondary share sale in May 2019 valued TransferWise at $3.5 billion.
2020Starling Bank
Accredited by the British Business Bank to distribute government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) and Bounce Back Loans (BBLS).
2020Wise
$5 Billion Valuation
A secondary share sale in July 2020 valued TransferWise at $5 billion.
2021Starling Bank
Acquires specialist mortgage lender Fleet Mortgages for 50 million; secures 272 million Series D funding round led by Fidelity.
2021Wise
Rename and London direct listing
TransferWise becomes Wise and lists directly on the London Stock Exchange in July.
2022Starling Bank
Becomes the first major UK digital challenger bank to report a full-year operating profit, generating 32 million in pre-tax profit.
2023Starling Bank
Anne Boden steps down as CEO after nine years; Starling launches its global core banking SaaS business, Engine by Starling.
2024Starling Bank
Raman Bhatia appointed Chief Executive Officer; Engine by Starling signs international core banking contracts with Salt Bank and AMP Bank.
2026Starling Bank
Starling surpasses 300 million in annual pre-tax profit, 680 million in revenue, and 11 billion in customer deposits across 4.2 million accounts.
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
Starling Bank
- Ember2025Undisclosed
- Masthaven Mortgage Portfolio2022Undisclosed
- Fleet Mortgages2021Undisclosed
Questions about Starling Bank vs Wise
Who is the CEO of Starling Bank and Wise Group plc?
Starling Bank is led by Raman Bhatia 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 Starling Bank founded vs Wise Group plc?
Wise Group plc was founded in 2011 — 3 years before Starling Bank, which was founded in 2014. Wise Group plc's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Starling Bank.
How many employees does Starling Bank have compared to Wise Group plc?
Starling Bank employs approximately 3,500 people, while Wise Group plc employs approximately 5,499. Wise Group plc has the larger workforce at 5,499 employees, compared to Starling Bank's 3,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Starling Bank and Wise Group plc headquartered?
Both Starling Bank and Wise Group plc are headquartered in United Kingdom. Their local rules and tax obligations may still differ.
Who founded Starling Bank and Wise Group plc?
Starling Bank was founded by Anne Boden. Wise Group plc was founded by Kristo Käärmann, Taavet Hinrikus.
Which company has a longer operating history — Starling Bank or Wise Group plc?
Wise Group plc has been operating for approximately 15 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Starling Bank has been in operation for around 12 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 Starling Bank vs Wise overview