Want to go 100% digital? Say hello to N26 Standard

As a bank that was born mobile, we’ve always believed that managing your finances should be intuitive and accessible, no matter where you are. And in the last months, we’ve seen more people from all walks of life embrace digital banking on their smartphone with N26. In fact, some experts even say that we’ve seen half a decade’s worth of change happen in just a short time period—and we couldn’t agree more. 

This is why we’re introducing virtual cards to the popular N26 Standard account as our next step towards an even more sustainable, digital future. Going forward, new customers—starting in select European markets today—will have the option to go fully digital when they sign up to our free bank account. Banking without a card for a plastic- and paper-free experience, is a choice that is now available with N26.

In times of great uncertainty, we’re proud to be playing a role in helping people bank safely from home without ever having to visit a branch. Digital banking and digital payments are now part of the norm, and we know that many have turned to us to provide that secure and seamless digital banking experience. Today, this service is more essential than ever. 

We’re proud of our product teams for rolling out innovations that have helped people make the transition to digital banking instantly—even when card deliveries have been delayed in the middle of the pandemic due to postal service disruption. And we’re incredibly excited to be bringing more improvements and features to your N26 banking experience in the coming months. 

Introducing greater flexibility and choice to help you bank and pay securely in the digital age is one of our most important goals, and we’re always working on intelligent ways to evolve our product with the future in mind. Our ultimate goal? To deliver smart features and functionalities that help you manage your money not just digitally, but in a way that works for you. 

The last months have been unprecedented to say the least, and it’s no surprise that customers have changed their habits to adjust to a new reality. For starters, cash use has declined like never before across Europe—we’ve seen ATM withdrawals fall by over a third during the pandemic, while mobile payments with Apple Pay and Google Pay have gone up 56% compared to last year. With more people managing money online, we’ve not only increased our efforts to share how you can stay safe while spending online, but also introduced new ways for you to manage your finances digitally—from IBAN scanners, QR-code enabled payments and added security toggles for different payment types, to automatic savings functionalities such as N26 Round-Ups.

With this, we also thought it was time to consider whether physical payment cards are a necessity or an accessory. While many customers continue to choose to express their personality through their choice of card and card colour, we recognize that others would prefer to make a sustainable choice by moving away from plastic where possible. We believe that it’s time to offer customers a choice when they sign up to N26, allowing them to go cardless for a 100% digital experience and do away with paper and plastic, if they wish to do so. 

Extra virtual card

Get an extra virtual card with any premium N26 bank account—for free!

Learn more about N26 virtual card

The new virtual card offered with our free N26 Standard account will begin rolling out in select European markets today. These virtual cards will be issued instantly as soon as an account is opened—a process that can be completed in minutes and requires no physical paperwork. 

Customers will be able to add their virtual N26 Mastercard to their mobile wallets immediately, accessing it in their N26 app to make online payments right away. This new virtual card functionality will first be available to every new customer signing up to a free bank account, giving them the ability to shop online, and pay via their smartphone with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Additionally, customers will also be able to withdraw cash at contactless NFC-enabled ATMs—all without a physical card. Should customers still choose a physical card, they have the option to order one for a small, one-off delivery fee.

N26 Standard bank accounts are available at no monthly cost, and of course, both virtual and physical N26 cards can be easily managed within the N26 app as two separate payment cards, each with their own unique card number. 

As the way we manage our money continues to change and become more digital, we look forward to what the future holds. With 2021 in full swing, we’re excited to bring further innovation and improvements to the rest of our products and services. For more updates on our plans, stay tuned—there’s plenty more still on the way!

The bank you'll love

✓ 100% mobile ✓ No hidden fees ✓ No paperwork ✓ Free virtual Mastercard ✓ Free ATM withdrawals

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