Rakuten Bank vs Carbon.
Rakuten Bank (R70/100) and Carbon (C50/100), 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 Carbon 3-1.
| C Carbon №80 · CBN 50 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 50 /100 | 70 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 3.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. CBN | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded NG.NDIC | Safeguarded No DGS |
| 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 4.3 · And 4.4 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Carbon if…
Nigerian credit-led digital bank (formerly Paylater). CBN microfinance bank charter — same regulatory tier as Kuda/OPay (₦2M NDIC microfinance ceiling, not ₦5M DMB full-bank). Credit-line access is the structural differentiator vs. spending-account-led Kuda.
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 1 of 4
- Best for protection Rakuten Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Carbon won 1 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Carbon — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Carbon better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Rakuten Bank leads Carbon 3–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Carbon 50/100 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 Carbon or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Carbon: €0; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Carbon: 3.00%; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Rakuten 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, Carbon or Rakuten Bank?
Carbon holds a Payment inst. licence under CBN; 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 Carbon and Rakuten Bank?
Carbon operates in 1 country; 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.