Rakuten Bank vs Nubank PJ.
Rakuten Bank (R70/100) and Nubank PJ (N53/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Nubank PJ leads Rakuten Bank 4-3.
| N Nubank PJ №63 · FDIC 53 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 53 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.10% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. FDIC | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded BR.FGC | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 3 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | 2 coins | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 3.8 ★ 50k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.8 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.7 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Nubank PJ if…
Brazil's default SMB neobank — 3M+ business accounts on a free Conta PJ with PIX instant transfers, FGC-protected deposits up to BRL 250,000 per customer per institution, and Nu Invest integration for idle-cash CDB / LCI / LCA / Tesouro Direto yield. Backed by Nubank Holdings (NYSE: NU), the largest neobank in LATAM by market cap. Operating as a BACEN-supervised full financial institution under Nu Pagamentos S.A., distinguished from US / EU SMB neobanks by genuine full-bank licensing and FGC cover — deposit insurance is real, not a partner-bank pass-through.
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 Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Nubank PJ won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Nubank PJ won 2 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Nubank PJ — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Nubank PJ better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Nubank PJ leads Rakuten Bank 4–3 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Nubank PJ 53/100 vs Rakuten Bank 70/100. Nubank PJ is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Nubank PJ or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Nubank PJ: €0; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Nubank PJ: 1.10%; 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, Nubank PJ or Rakuten Bank?
Nubank PJ holds a Payment inst. licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Rakuten Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Nubank PJ and Rakuten Bank?
Nubank PJ operates in 3 countries; 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.
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