Sony Bank vs Liv..
Sony Bank (S69/100) and Liv. (L59/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Sony Bank leads Liv. 4-1.
| L Liv. №53 · CBUAE 59 /100 | S Sony Bank №41 · JFSA 69 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 59 /100 | 69 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.50% | 0.15% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | E-money inst. CBUAE | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded AE.DPS | Safeguarded No DGS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Liv. if…
First UAE digital-only bank — Emirates NBD subsidiary launched 2017. Targets millennials with free account + lifestyle features. Direct AE DPS cover via parent's CBUAE charter — structurally cleaner than partner-bank competitors.
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 Sony Bank won 1 of 3
- Best for ux Liv. won 1 of 2
Sony Bank vs Liv. — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Liv. better than Sony Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Sony Bank leads Liv. 4–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Liv. 59/100 vs Sony Bank 69/100. Sony Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Liv. or Sony Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Liv.: €0; Sony Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Liv.: 1.50%; 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, Liv. or Sony Bank?
Liv. holds a E-money inst. licence under CBUAE; 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 Liv. and Sony Bank?
Liv. operates in 1 country; 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.