Wio vs Rakuten Bank.
Wio (W77/100) and Rakuten Bank (R70/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Wio leads Rakuten Bank 2-1.
| R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | W Wio №13 · CBUAE 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 70 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank JFSA | Full bank CBUAE |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | €250,000 AE.DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 | 4.2 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.0 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
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.
Pick Wio if…
UAE-native digital full-bank, CBUAE-licensed since 2022. Backed by ADQ + Alpha Dhabi + Mubadala + e&. Instant onboarding via Emirates ID and a multi-currency core (AED + USD + EUR + GBP) make it the strongest local-licensed competitor to Liv. and Mashreq Neo. AE DPS cover under the new UAE Deposit Protection Scheme.
- Best for fees Tied
- Best for protection Wio won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
Wio vs Rakuten Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Rakuten Bank better than Wio?
Under our v3 methodology, Wio leads Rakuten Bank 2–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Rakuten Bank 70/100 vs Wio 77/100. Wio is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Rakuten Bank or Wio cheaper?
Monthly fee — Rakuten Bank: €0; Wio: €0. Card FX markup — Rakuten Bank: Interbank; Wio: Interbank. Tied across fee rows. See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Rakuten Bank or Wio?
Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Wio holds a Full bank licence under CBUAE; deposit guarantee per depositor: €250,000. Wio is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Rakuten Bank and Wio?
Rakuten Bank operates in 1 country; Wio 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.