Founded in 2013 by Valentin Stalf and Maximilian Tayenthal in Vienna, Austria, N26 set out to build the bank account the world deserves — one that could be opened in under 8 minutes from a smartphone with no paperwork or branch visit required. Launched initially in Germany, N26 quickly expanded across Europe and briefly entered the US market. The bank holds a full European banking license and serves over 8 million customers across 24 markets. N26 is valued at $9 billion, making it one of Europe's most valuable fintech companies. Its products include free and premium accounts, international money transfers, investment products, and crypto trading, all managed through its sleek mobile app.
Active Founders
Valentin Stalf
Founder / CEO
Valentin Stalf is the co-founder and CEO of N26. Born in Austria, he studied at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and worked at the Rocket Internet startup studio before co-founding N26. Valentin has led N26's expansion from a single-country startup to a pan-European digital bank with millions of customers. He is known for his bold vision of making banking radically simple and transparent, challenging the entrenched traditional banking industry across Europe.
Maximilian Tayenthal
Co-Founder / CFO
Maximilian Tayenthal is the co-founder and CFO of N26. He studied law at the University of Vienna and has a background in finance and legal strategy. Maximilian has been responsible for N26's financial operations, fundraising, and regulatory strategy, helping the company navigate the complex multi-country banking license requirements across Europe. He played a central role in securing over $1.7 billion in total funding from investors including Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures and Tencent.
