Sony Bank vs Vivid Money.
Sony Bank (S69/100) and Vivid Money (V62/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Vivid Money leads Sony Bank 6-2.
| S Sony Bank №41 · JFSA 69 /100 | V Vivid Money №47 · Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services 62 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 69 /100 | 62 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.15% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | €200 /mo |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank JFSA | E-money inst. |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | Safeguarded EU.DGS.DE |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 5 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 300 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.2 ★ 8k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.5 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
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.
Pick Vivid Money if…
Pick if cashback on cards matters more than regulatory depth or rich product breadth.
- Best for fees Vivid Money won 2 of 4
- Best for protection Sony Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Vivid Money won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Vivid Money won 2 of 2
Sony Bank vs Vivid Money — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Sony Bank better than Vivid Money?
Under our v3 methodology, Vivid Money leads Sony Bank 6–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Sony Bank 69/100 vs Vivid Money 62/100. Vivid Money is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Sony Bank or Vivid Money cheaper?
Monthly fee — Sony Bank: €0; Vivid Money: €0. Card FX markup — Sony Bank: 0.15%; Vivid Money: Interbank. Vivid Money 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, Sony Bank or Vivid Money?
Sony Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Vivid Money holds a E-money inst. licence under Electronic money institution authorisation in Luxembourg; MiFID II investment firm licence in Netherlands; MiCAR authorisation for crypto-asset services; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Sony Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Sony Bank and Vivid Money?
Sony Bank operates in 1 country; Vivid Money operates in 5 countries. 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.