Revolut 2020

Abstract

In 2020, a few days after the launch of its banking application in the United States, Nikolay Storonsky, CEO of Revolut, is forced to think more seriously about the future direction to take in order to secure the future of his new-born company. Indeed, despite having once again successfully raised $500 million early 2020, thus becoming the most valuable fintech company in the United Kingdom, profits are struggling to come in while year over year, net loss is only increasing. The aggressive expansion strategy, the intense competition from other neo-banks and, above all, the unquestionable competitive advantage of traditional retail banks that have taken the lead in digitalization reveal to be the main challenges encountered by Revolut in order to become profitable. When Revolut became live in the United States, many questions were raised: was it the right choice to enter such a complex market that soon in Revolut’s development? Could Revolut be profitable in the next few years? How to convince users to make Revolut their primary bank account? Should Revolut continue to pursue its global expansion or should it focus on ensuring profitability in the current markets in which it operates? This case study will start by studying the history of Revolut, then look at the banking industry and the rise of fintech solutions through the presentation of Revolut’s main competitors. In a second part, the case study will have a closer look on the success that Revolut has achieved in the European market compared to other neo-banks, then it will analyze its latest entry into the American market and the main challenges Revolut may encountered. Finally, reasons of the non-profitability of Revolut will be explored and discussed.

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