Top 7 Banking-as-a-Service Providers for Fintechs in 2026

Published on January 28, 2026

Choosing the right Banking-as-a-Service partner is mission-critical for fintechs that need to launch compliant, scalable products rapidly. Banking-as-a-Service lets non-banks offer bank-grade services using licensed partners’ infrastructure and APIs, compressing time-to-market for embedded accounts, cards, and payments while outsourcing complex risk and compliance to specialists. Put simply, Banking-as-a-Service provides regulated rails, developer-ready APIs, and modular features to assemble your proposition quickly and safely, which is why the best BaaS providers for fintech companies remain in high demand. In 2026, the landscape is shaped by API-first platforms, modular compliance tooling, and clearer regulatory frameworks across regions—especially relevant when evaluating the best BaaS for neobanks. Below, we profile seven leaders, each with distinct strengths spanning card issuing, full banking rails, and composable lending cores, and then provide a practical selection framework.

Banking-as-a-Service definition: BaaS enables non-bank companies to deliver banking services by leveraging partner banks’ licenses and APIs, ensuring regulated capabilities without holding a license themselves (see Softjourn’s overview of Banking-as-a-Service).

Gemba: Embedded Banking with Transparent Compliance and Scalable APIs

Gemba is an FCA-regulated, developer-friendly embedded banking platform designed for UK, EU, and global fintechs that require speed without taking on bank-grade regulatory overhead. Fintechs can launch API-driven accounts, IBANs, multi-currency payments, and card issuance without a banking license or building in-house compliance. Gemba assumes full regulatory responsibility—“Gemba assumes full regulatory liability and compliance duties, offering a ‘liability shield’ that accelerates time to market for fintechs facing complex KYC/AML challenges.” This enables product and engineering teams to focus on customer value, not operational burdens.

A developer-centric approach (clean APIs, fast onboarding, robust sandbox, and modern observability) supports high-growth teams scaling internationally. Gemba’s transparent GBP-based pricing and end-to-end compliance management reduce uncertainty across product phases. For Gemba’s broader perspective on when embedded models win, see our insights on the embedded finance paradox.

Most relevant capabilities:

White-label, developer-first APIs with rapid sandboxing
Multi-currency accounts and IBANs
Real-time and cross-border payments
Card issuing with program controls
End-to-end KYC/AML and ongoing compliance monitoring
Transparent GBP-based pricing and a regulatory liability shield

Galileo: Flexible US API Platform for Debit Card Issuance

Galileo is widely recognized for a powerful API platform tailored to debit card issuance and programmatic controls, making it a favorite for card-first fintech launches. Industry guides such as SDK.finance’s overview of leading BaaS companies highlight Galileo’s strengths across real-time card controls, thorough documentation, and a robust sandbox that helps teams iterate quickly. Its US-centric positioning and integrations make it especially compelling for American fintechs prioritizing card programs and payment flows over full bank-licensed BaaS with deposit taking.

When to choose Galileo: you’re spinning up a debit-led proposition with granular card controls, you want clean, well-documented APIs, and your initial market is primarily the US.

Marqeta: Global Card Issuing and Program Control Specialist

Marqeta is synonymous with modern issuing and processing at scale—physical and virtual—with deep program control, tokenization, and configurable spend rules. It’s often chosen where instant issuance, anti-fraud tooling, and custom workflows are must-haves for global operations. FinTech Magazine’s BaaS providers analysis underscores Marqeta’s leadership in card innovation and expansive partner ecosystem.

Consider Marqeta if your roadmap revolves around differentiated card experiences—think granular controls, just-in-time funding, and multi-region deployment—rather than broader deposit or lending features.

Solarisbank: German-Licensed Pan-European Modular BaaS

Solarisbank (Solaris SE) is a leading modular BaaS platform operating under a full German banking license, enabling pan-European offerings through APIs. With modules spanning accounts, cards, credit, and compliance, Solaris is a strong fit for fintechs needing regulated banking services across EU markets and a partner comfortable with supervisory scrutiny. Its license footprint and partner bank model allow fintechs to build EU-wide propositions without stitching together multiple providers.

Choose Solaris when you need EU regulatory coverage, modularity across products, and a partner versed in cross-border compliance.

Mambu: Cloud-Native Composable Core for Deposits and Lending

Mambu is a cloud-native, API-driven core banking platform designed for composability and speed-to-market. Teams use Mambu’s configurable product engine to stand up deposit and lending propositions quickly, then extend or swap components as needs evolve. This “plug-and-play” approach suits fintechs and SaaS players wanting to orchestrate best-of-breed services around a flexible core rather than adopt a monolith.

Pick Mambu when deposits and credit are your backbone and you require high scalability, extensibility, and a software-as-a-service operating model.

Green Dot (Arc): US Charter-Based BaaS with Retail Scale

Green Dot’s Arc platform leverages a full US bank charter to deliver branded accounts, cards, payments, and payroll/tax capabilities at national scale. The combination of direct access to US payment rails and experience in large-volume programs makes Arc attractive for payroll, benefits, and marketplace fintechs that value compliance alignment and distribution via retail partners.

Consider Arc when US charter coverage, high-volume account issuance, and payroll integrations outweigh the need for European licensing.

10x Banking: Enterprise-Grade API Core for High-Performance Banking

10x Banking’s SuperCore is an API-first, cloud-native core chosen by major banks for enterprise throughput, resiliency, and compliance—powering operations like Chase UK and Westpac. Its architecture is built for high-volume, regulated environments where uptime, observability, and robust controls are non-negotiable. For fintechs aiming to run bank-grade cores with composable features, 10x provides a proven foundation.

Select 10x when you need enterprise-level performance, data fidelity, and regulatory alignment from day one.

Treezor: European Specialist for Payments, E-Wallets, and Compliance

Treezor specializes in payments processing, e-wallets, card issuing, and embedded KYC compliance, helping fintechs launch quickly on EU rails. As SDK.finance’s industry guide notes, Treezor’s end-to-end suite suits use cases like neobanks, payroll, mobility, and employee-benefit platforms that need fast execution and strong compliance automation.

Treezor is a fit when European payments breadth and built-in KYC/AML orchestration matter more than deep deposit or lending stacks.

Key Features to Compare in BaaS Platforms

Comparing providers “like for like” requires clarity on regulated scope, tech maturity, and operating model.

API-first banking increases flexibility, accelerates partner integration, and supports embedded finance use cases; research on API-first transformation suggests API-driven onboarding can accelerate go-to-market by around 40% in corporate deployments (see The Financial Brand’s analysis of API-first transformation). Equally, high performance and reliability are non-negotiable for banking apps in 2026, as emphasized in Finextra’s look at banking app priorities.

Provider snapshot (indicative, not exhaustive):

Provider

Regulatory coverage

Primary region focus

API maturity

Cards

Real-time payments

KYC/ID support

Commercial model notes

Gemba

FCA-regulated; liability shield

UK/EU/global

High

Yes

Built-in

Transparent GBP pricing

Galileo

Via partner banks (US)

High

Strong

Varies by partner

Via partners

Program-based fees

Marqeta

Via partner banks

Global

High

Best-in-class

Varies by region

Via partners

Volume-aligned pricing

Solaris SE

Full German license

High

Yes

SEPA/instant

Built-in

Modular BaaS fees

Mambu

Tech core (no license)

Global

High

Via partners

SaaS subscription

Green Dot (Arc)

US bank charter

High

Yes

US rails

Built-in

Enterprise programs

10x Banking

Tech core (no license)

Global

High

Via partners

Enterprise licensing

Treezor

EU e-money/payment scope

High

Strong

SEPA/instant

Built-in

Program pricing

How to Choose the Best BaaS Provider for Your Fintech

Start with five core criteria:

Regulatory/licensing coverage in your target market(s).
Depth and maturity of developer APIs and sandbox tooling.
Real-time payments and/or card issuance support aligned to your product.
KYC, onboarding, and ongoing compliance processes.
Transparent commercial model and total cost at scale.

Regulatory liability shield: a feature whereby the BaaS provider assumes full compliance and regulatory responsibility (KYC/AML, transaction monitoring, reporting) on your behalf, reducing your operational exposure and time to market.

Practical selection flow:

Requirements scoping: product features, geographies, compliance needs, and SLAs.
Market shortlist: 3–5 providers matched to scope and license needs.
Technical due diligence: API quality, documentation, sandboxes, webhook/eventing, and performance SLAs.
Compliance/legal review: policies, reporting, oversight model, and liability allocation.
Pilot and testing: limited rollout to validate onboarding, payments/cards flows, and support responsiveness.

Finally, weigh outcome-aligned pricing and proven scalability—especially for international expansion and multi-product roadmaps. For a deeper strategic lens on embedded models, explore Gemba’s insights on redefining value beyond banking.

Frequently Asked Questions about Banking-as-a-Service Providers

What's the best fintech offering BaaS?

The best fit depends on your product scope, region, and compliance needs; prioritize providers with strong regulatory coverage, robust APIs, and transparent pricing.

Which fintech has the best banking-as-a-service platform?

The strongest platforms pair mature developer tooling with embedded compliance and scalable features, allowing you to ship quickly and stay audit-ready.

What is the best BaaS for neobanks?

Look for rapid account creation, integrated KYC, flexible card issuing, and instant payments to enable fast onboarding and daily engagement.

Who's the best BaaS provider among fintechs?

The “best” provider is the one aligned with your technical stack, growth plans, and licensing needs, offering reliable SLAs and responsive developer support.