stc Bank vs Mercado Pago Empresas.
stc Bank (s76/100) and Mercado Pago Empresas (M69/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Mercado Pago Empresas leads stc Bank 6-3.
| M Mercado Pago Empresas №38 · BACEN 69 /100 | s stc Bank №17 · SAMA 76 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 69 /100 | 76 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 2.50% | 1.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank BACEN | Full bank SAMA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | €250,000 BR.FGC | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 7 countries | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | 3 coins | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 3.5 ★ 30k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.7 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.6 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Mercado Pago Empresas if…
The LATAM SMB-and-merchant payments platform with the deepest marketplace integration in the region — integrated with MercadoLibre / Mercado Livre, the largest e-commerce marketplace in Latin America. Multi-country coverage (BR, AR, MX, CO, CL, UY, PE) plus the marketplace network effect makes Mercado Pago Empresas the structural default for any LATAM-operating SMB that touches the MercadoLibre ecosystem. Free business account + card-acceptance terminals (Point) + online payment gateway + working-capital loans (Mercado Crédito) underwritten on platform sales data — the structural answer for any SMB selling on Mercado Livre / Mercado Libre marketplaces and the default e-commerce checkout across BR / AR / MX / CO / CL. Payment-institution model (not a bank), so customer funds are NOT FGC / national-DGS protected. Parent MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) is the dominant e-commerce + fintech platform across LATAM.
Pick stc Bank if…
First SAMA-licensed digital full bank in Saudi Arabia (received bank licence 2023, originally launched as stc pay in 2017). Backed by Saudi Telecom (stc) — telecom-grade reach across the Kingdom. Multi-currency support and instant onboarding via Absher distinguish it from legacy KSA banks. SAMA Deposit Protection Fund cover.
- Best for fees stc Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Tied
- Best for reach Mercado Pago Empresas won 3 of 3
- Best for ux Mercado Pago Empresas won 2 of 2
stc Bank vs Mercado Pago Empresas — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Mercado Pago Empresas better than stc Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Mercado Pago Empresas leads stc Bank 6–3 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Mercado Pago Empresas 69/100 vs stc Bank 76/100. Mercado Pago Empresas is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Mercado Pago Empresas or stc Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Mercado Pago Empresas: €0; stc Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Mercado Pago Empresas: 2.50%; stc Bank: 1.50%. stc 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, Mercado Pago Empresas or stc Bank?
Mercado Pago Empresas holds a Partner-bank licence under BACEN; deposit guarantee per depositor: €250,000. stc Bank holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. Both score equally on regulatory protection rows.
Where can I use Mercado Pago Empresas and stc Bank?
Mercado Pago Empresas operates in 7 countries; stc 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.