Sony Bank vs Chipper Cash.
Sony Bank (S69/100) and Chipper Cash (C62/100), 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.
| C Chipper Cash №48 · FCA 62 /100 | S Sony Bank №41 · JFSA 69 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 62 /100 | 69 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | 0.15% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. FCA | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded NG.NDIC | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 9 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | 5 coins | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.5 | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Chipper Cash if…
Pan-African EMI — operates in 9+ African countries + UK + US. Multi-jurisdiction licensing means no single full-bank protection. ~5M users. Backed by Bezos Expeditions, Tiger Global. Anchors the pan-African angle alongside Mukuru.
Pick Sony Bank if…
Japan's longest-running internet-only bank (operational since June 2001) — predates Rakuten Bank's eBank acquisition and tied with SBI Sumishin for first-net-bank tenure. The structural specificity is multi-currency forex strength: foreign-currency deposit accounts in 12+ currencies plus retail FX margin trading, the deepest retail-FX product among Japanese chartered net banks. Wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, in turn part of Sony Group Corporation (TYO: 6758). Sony Bank ≠ Sony Pay / Sony Mobile Wallet — the bank holds a full Banking Act licence, the wallet brands do not.
- Best for fees Sony Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Sony Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Chipper Cash won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Chipper Cash won 1 of 2
Sony Bank vs Chipper Cash — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Chipper Cash better than Sony Bank?
Chipper Cash and Sony Bank are tied 3–3 across 12 dimensions under our v3 methodology. Composite scores: Chipper Cash 62/100 vs Sony Bank 69/100. The right pick depends on which dimension you weight most heavily.
Is Chipper Cash or Sony Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Chipper Cash: €0; Sony Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Chipper Cash: 1.00%; Sony Bank: 0.15%. Sony 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, Chipper Cash or Sony Bank?
Chipper Cash holds a E-money inst. licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Sony Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Sony Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Chipper Cash and Sony Bank?
Chipper Cash operates in 9 countries; Sony 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?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.