Amsterdam-based neobank bunq has been named Europe’s best digital bank for 2026 by Euromoney in its annual Awards for Excellence, announced in July 2026. The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are widely regarded as one of the most authoritative annual benchmarks in global banking.
Why bunq won
Euromoney cited bunq’s growth to 22 million users by 2025, its second consecutive year of profitability, and its positioning as a lifestyle bank for digital nomads, couples, parents, and students. bunq has held a full Dutch banking licence for a decade — a rare foundation for a neobank — and operates under direct De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) supervision.
bunq’s subscription model (users pay for premium tiers rather than bunq relying on interchange revenue) has produced more stable revenue than ad-valorem fintech models and contributes to its profitability track record.
Context: bunq’s recent momentum
The Euromoney award follows a busy period for bunq:
- January 2026: Filed a de novo OCC banking charter application in the US (alongside a FINRA broker-dealer licence secured in mid-2025)
- June 2026: Launched a local Italian IBAN and opened a first Italian branch
- Ongoing: bunq-as-a-Service opened to third-party businesses in June 2026
What this means for neobank comparison
The Euromoney award adds an external institutional trust signal to bunq’s profile alongside its existing 4.3/5 Trustpilot score. For EU consumers comparing neobanks, industry recognition from a credible independent source is one signal to weigh — alongside fee structure, IBAN availability by country, and regulatory backing — when selecting a provider.
Source: https://www.euromoney.com/article/1rw11z02ex6sc4ww8044ko0kk/europes-best-digital-bank-2026-bunq/