Rakuten Bank vs Holvi.
Rakuten Bank (R70/100) and Holvi (H55/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Rakuten Bank leads Holvi 5-3.
| H Holvi №61 · Holvi Payment Services Oy is authorised and regulated by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority 55 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 55 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €9 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 2 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.0 ★ 1k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.2 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Holvi if…
The Finnish + German SMB neobank with the deepest tax-return-ready bookkeeping integration in the Nordic + DACH region. Procountor (FI Steuerberater equivalent) + DATEV / Lexoffice (DE Steuerberater standards) integration depth is the structural differentiator versus Qonto / Finom. EMI-licensed under FIN-FSA; one of the longest-operating EU SMB neobanks (founded 2011, briefly BBVA-owned 2016-2022, now independent).
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 2 of 4
- Best for protection Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Holvi won 2 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Holvi — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Holvi better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Rakuten Bank leads Holvi 5–3 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Holvi 55/100 vs Rakuten Bank 70/100. Rakuten Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Holvi or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Holvi: €9; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Holvi: 1.00%; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Rakuten Bank wins more fee rows (2 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Holvi or Rakuten Bank?
Holvi holds a E-money inst. licence under Holvi Payment Services Oy is authorised and regulated by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) as an Electronic Money Institution. Operating in Germany under EU PSD2 passporting. Customer funds are safeguarded under EMI rules — held in segregated accounts at credit institutions — and are NOT covered by the EU Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS, €100K ceiling) which applies to credit-institution licensees only. Holvi was acquired by BBVA in 2016 and operated as BBVA's Finnish SMB neobank arm until 2022, when it was sold back to independent ownership. Verified 2026-05.; 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 Holvi and Rakuten Bank?
Holvi operates in 2 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.
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.