EU banks for UK residents

So I seem to recall there being some threads about different EU banks which allow UK residents to open accounts (Fineco?). I’d be curious if there’s a list of them, and if any are any good? No particular reason just hoping to retain some ties with the old continent.

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I could swear that I have seen a similar thread/post on one of the forums I visit daily, however, no joy atm.

Edit: Google Search suggests Wise, who we already know about tbf

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I think that the world is a different place now, but you could look at Barclays, HSBC, etc. Or Revolut. Starling offer a Euro account.

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Is bunq still accepting UK residents? Expensive though

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Those are good recommendations for UK-based banks that will allow you to operate in Euros.

HSBC allow you to open an account online, Barclays require a phone call or branch visit. Starling, obviously, is easiest as you can apply in-app. HSBC don’t allow you to manage the Euro account in their app (only see a balance). Neither HSBC nor Barclays provide debit cards with their currency accounts. Starling share the card with their standard account.

Two British accounts that do have debit cards are Fineco and Monese. Fineco is useful as they give a European IT (Italian) IBAN. All the other suggestions I’ve mentioned so far use a GB IBAN, as does Revolut. Wise use a BE (Belgian) IBAN.

Bunq still exist, but aren’t a realistic option due to cost.

It may be possible to open accounts in the EU, but you could face a language barrier and restrictions on accounts for non-EU residents.

I have one in ROI with KBC Bank Ireland, but they have chosen to pull out of the market so I am expecting them to give me notice that they plan to close it soon.

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PS:

There are also a lot of crypto-focused providers that allow Euro handling, and you don’t have to use the crypto elements of their service.

amon.tech is one which supports SEPA Instant. They currently have a UnionPay card, but are switching to a conventional card network (Mastercard or Visa, they have not announced which yet).

Is Fineco really the only european option on the table that’s actually a bank?

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Out of those that I listed, yes - I think so.

You have FSCS protection with HSBC, Barclays and Starling.

You have European Deposit Protection (FSCS equivalent) with EU banks, if you can open one.

Of course, Revolut and Wise aren’t technically banks.

I think some of the crypto providers do use third parties that are banks (like ClearBank) but you would have to consider each one individually to see what their arrangements are.

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Nuri Bank as well. German Euro account available for UK residents - has a DE IBAN.

Amon has a Euro based account (apparently based in Estonia) but with a GB IBAN. They charge €1 a month after 12 months. I’ve had an account with them for 3 months, and they still haven’t sent me a card.

Bunq is €3 a month for a very basic account with an NL IBAN. I have a legacy free card, but wouldn’t recommend them - CS is abysmal.

Blackcatcard is issued by Papaya Bank with a Maltese IBAN, but I would avoid these guys like the plague. People are alleging their details have been stolen by this company and used to open fake accounts. It’s run by Ukrainian Russians in Malta, and CS is a mobile phone/Whatsapp in Germany. I mean, what would possibly go wrong ?

For a while, the Euro account for UK account holders of Monese accounts had an Estonian IBAN, but this seems to have disappeared from their website. Monese are very good.

Fineco Bank gives you UK account details and an Euro account with an Italian IBAN, and was working fine until recently, but I’ve been locked out of the account and asked to confirm my details with a phone I no longer possess, which I deleted from my account 6 months ago. Their CS barely speak English and email support consists of sending me cut and pasted responses from their website (parts of which are untranslated from Italian)

As mentioned elsewhere Wise gives you a Belgian IBAN (and a Turkish and Romanian IBAN), US, Canadian, Singaporean, Australian, New Zealand, and Hungarian bank account numbers). They are good, but IBAN transfers IIRC are not free.

Ziglu and Revolut both offer Euro accounts but not with separate IBANs from the sterling account.

Starling offers a Euro account working from the same card as your sterling account. I think the Euro account has a different (UK) IBAN from the Sterling account.

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It does indeed.

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Good post, @riceuten :relieved:. I’ve just checked the Starling account and it quotes one IBAN for international payments.

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I’ve always been tempted to give these a go just because it sounds so wild :joy:

They also have a branch in Valletta which sounds like a Fintech Forum trip in the making :joy:

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You could probably just make up an ID…

Have a look at their Trustpilot reviews…if they haven’t, like Bunq do, contested every one.

To be fair - a lot of financial instititions trust pilot pages are all negative…

Just playing devils advocate lol

Did you get your account set up then?

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The Blackcatcard one ? No, I gave up after 14 attempts. I got suspicious because they were being taken with a high end camera with no glare or reflection and where every other bank I had applied for had accepted. I thiink quite a few places like Nuri are now doing “live” interviews where the passport is shown, which Blackcatcard can’t fake. Lots of the compaints concerned people who had sent money to the account but it wasn’t credited for days - weeks even. I suspect that the money was being credited to an account and someone was manually transferring the money

Bunq I eventually got a card with.

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Also, whilst they are continuing to support existing UK customers, since Brexit they have suspended new UK customers from signing up.

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I’m resurrecting this topic due to recent changes!

Bunq are now ending all their legacy plans completely, although they do have a new savings plan which gives an IBAN only and no card. This could be useful for a Eurozone IBAN option, as there are no fees for that account. Personally, I always regarded Bunq’s USP as providing the option for a Maestro card - but that is no longer necessary now Maestro is being phased out anyway, as of this summer.

Ziglu is shutting down it’s banking functions, including the Euro account.

Amon has already shut completely.
I understand that Nuri has too.

KBC are shutting all their Irish accounts shortly.

The others are still going and we now have HSBC Global Money which, alongside an HSBC Currency Account in Euros to allow international transfers in and out, is another option.

Are there any other interesting fintechs out there that specialise in Euro accounts?

Is this closing in the UK app as well? I’ve got a account and don’t hear anything

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The resurrection of this thread has made me tempted to try and open a Blackcatcard :joy: