European challenger bank bunq has formally submitted a new banking application with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the next step in its multi-phase plan to establish full banking operations in the United States.
bunq’s latest filing for a U.S. national banking licence follows the October 2025 approval of a U.S. broker-dealer licence from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which marked the bank’s first regulatory foothold in the U.S. market and allowed it to offer investment services such as stock, mutual fund and ETF trading to American customers.
The Dutch digital bank first attempted to enter the U.S. licensing arena in 2023, submitting applications for a national charter and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) deposit insurance, but withdrew those filings in early 2024 amid regulatory complexities. Current resubmission underscores bunq’s commitment to scaling beyond investment services toward full retail banking, including deposit accounts, payments and broader financial services for U.S. users. If approved, bunq’s U.S. licence could enable the company to bring its digital-first banking model to a new generation of global customers, addressing cross-border financial needs that traditional institutions have struggled to serve effectively.
bunq’s strategic focus centers on serving digitally mobile professionals, expats and “digital nomads” — consumers who live, work or travel between Europe and the U.S. and who often struggle with cross-border banking relationships under traditional systems. Therefore, the neobank is preparing to initially launch services in U.S. metropolitan areas with large expat communities, and plans to leverage its existing European data to help customers build U.S. credit scores more easily than many incumbent banks offer today.
Founded in 2012, bunq has grown into one of Europe’s largest neobanks, with more than 20 million users across 30+ countries and operations spanning savings, payments, budgeting tools, investment products and AI-powered fraud protection. Its expansion ambitions also extend beyond the U.S., including applying for a UK e-money licence as part of broader global growth.
bunq’s two-step market approach (securing a broker-dealer licence before re-seeking a full banking charter) is a pragmatic way to build operational experience, regulatory credibility and brand recognition ahead of a full-scale launch.
