The news: British fintech Revolut is reportedly considering acquiring a US bank to rapidly obtain a US banking license, enabling faster expansion, per The Financial Times.

Our first take: Following its recent valuation surge and profitability, acquiring a US bank would mark a significant escalation in Revolut’s global ambitions. This move, driven by the desire for a faster path to a US banking license, reflects a growing trend: successful fintechs are no longer just disrupting traditional banking; they're becoming banks themselves through strategic acquisitions.

This acquisition would unlock direct lending capabilities and deeper integration into the US financial system, solidifying Revolut’s position as a comprehensive financial service provider. This means banks must lean into what differentiates them from the growing competition beyond charters and insured deposits, like long-standing reputations, excellent customer service, and customer-centric products and services.

This is our immediate perspective. We’re actively developing this story throughout the day with more research and data from the EMARKETER database. Our in-depth analysis will be included in our client-only Briefings. Non-clients can click here to get a demo of our full platform and coverage.

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