Meem vs Rakuten Bank.
Meem (M74/100) and Rakuten Bank (R70/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. A close tie.
| M Meem №24 · SAMA 74 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 74 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 2.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank SAMA | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Meem if…
Digital banking arm of Gulf International Bank — one of the first KSA digital-only banking offerings (launched 2014). Sharia-compliant by structure (profit-share rather than interest). SA Deposit Protection cover via the GIB licence. Distinguishes itself vs. stc Bank by depth of wealth-management access through the GIB private-banking heritage.
Pick Rakuten Bank if…
Largest Japanese internet-only bank by customer count (~14M+) and the only TSE Prime-listed pure-play net bank (TYO: 5838, IPO 21 April 2023 — the largest Japanese IPO in five years at the time). Originally chartered as eBank in 2001; acquired by Rakuten Group (TYO: 4755) in 2009. Structural moat is the Rakuten Points + Rakuten Card + Rakuten Securities + Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Ichiba ecosystem — points cross-pollinate across the entire surface area. Full FSA Banking Act licence; statutory DICJ member at the JPY 10,000,000 ceiling.
- Best for fees Rakuten Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Meem won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
Meem vs Rakuten Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Meem better than Rakuten Bank?
Meem and Rakuten Bank are tied 2–2 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Meem 74/100 vs Rakuten Bank 70/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Meem or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Meem: €0; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Meem: 2.00%; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Rakuten Bank wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Meem or Rakuten Bank?
Meem holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Meem is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Meem and Rakuten Bank?
Meem operates in 1 country; Rakuten Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
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