Revolut continues to change the rules of banking and reaches a new record value

At first glance, this is business news. But in reality, it means much more. Revolut is increasingly realizing its ambition to become the first truly global digital bank.

From travel app to global bank

When Revolut was founded in London in 2015, it was primarily focused on making currency exchanges and payments abroad cheaper. Today, it offers current accounts, savings, loans, stock and cryptocurrency trading, insurance, and business banking services. The company has more than 75 million users worldwide, and its revenue and profits continue to grow rapidly.

The new Australian banking license means Revolut can operate as a full-fledged bank there, accepting deposits and offering loans. The company plans to invest around A$400 million in Australia over the next five years and compete directly with the country's largest banks.

Europe has its own banking giant

For many years, it was believed that the world's largest banks came from the US or Asia, but Revolut is changing this relationship.

Although still a private company, its estimated value already exceeds the market value of many traditional European banks, indicating that investors believe in the future of digital banking, rather than the traditional branch network model.

This is also important for Europe from a technological competitiveness perspective. While European companies often lag behind American giants in the fields of artificial intelligence and social networks, Revolut is one of the few examples of a European company that has become a global player.

What does this mean for Slovenia?

Slovenia is among the countries where Revolut is already strongly present. For many users, it represents a second banking relationship for online purchases, travel or savings. More and more people are also using it as their main bank account.

If Revolut continues to expand its banking services, it could put even more pressure on traditional banks. Competition typically brings lower costs, faster rollouts of new services, and a better user experience. Slovenian banks have already accelerated the development of mobile apps, digital identification, and instant payments in recent years, in part due to the growing presence of digital rivals.

Banking is becoming a global service

Revolut’s biggest advantage isn’t just its modern app. The company is developing a single platform where users can use the same services regardless of country. This is a significant change in an industry that has traditionally been divided into national markets.

Obtaining a banking license in Australia is therefore primarily proof that Revolut wants to build a global network of licensed banks and not remain a mere payment services provider. The company already has banking licenses in the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area via Lithuania, Mexico and now Australia, while it is awaiting a decision on a banking license in the United States.

Traditional banks face new competition

Revolut is no longer a startup competing primarily with innovative features. It is becoming a direct competitor to the largest banks. This means that traditional financial institutions will have to compete not only with each other, but also with technology companies that are building banking services from scratch in a digital environment.

Revolut's jump to $115 billion in value is not just significant because of the number. It means that Europe is gaining a fintech player that can compete with the world's largest banks even outside the European market.