Neobanks, the digital disruptors of the fintech world, will see the number of US account holders reach 20.2 million by the end of 2021, more than double the number just two years ago, according to our inaugural Insider Intelligence forecast for digital-only banks. Neobank Chime, which was founded in 2013, is well ahead of its competitors. It will hold steady as the industry leader, but there will be a shift this year for the No. 2 spot.

When US neobanks will hit 40 million clients

The US neobank committed to help people boost their savings—its latest initiative to raise its profile as a trustworthy financial institution among customers.

UK regulator tells neobanks to knock off bank comparisons: Neobanks must inform their customers that they lack deposit protection—the latest instance of global regulatory pressure on challenger banks, which could prompt more to seek banking licenses.

Simple customers met with turbulent switch to BBVA USA: The shuttered neobank’s users faced lockouts as their accounts migrated over the weekend to sister bank BBVA USA—giving competitors an opening to attract affected customers.

Chime to drop “bank” from its promo items: The neobank reached a settlement with a California regulator that took action against it for not having a license—but the ordeal may spur more challengers to acquire banking charters as a way to build trust with customers.

Google’s update to Google Pay includes enhancements to its Google Plex bank account—as big tech companies dive into banking, it jeopardizes the value proposition of digital-only banks like Chime and Varo.

This inaugural scorecard, weighted based on responses to a primary consumer survey, ranks the four largest US neobanks by user count according to their advanced mobile banking capabilities. The report presents detailed benchmarking data on the availability of 47 mobile features, selected by analysts based on the features’ propensity to help neobanks differentiate themselves from competitors. It is a companion to the 2020 US Mobile Banking Competitive Edge Report, which ranks the 25 largest US financial institutions by assets.