Revolut sharpens push for business clients

Revolut has offered employees across its global workforce a £1,000 payment for helping bring new business customers to the digital bank, signalling a sharper push into corporate banking as Chief Executive Officer Nik Storonsky seeks to sustain rapid growth ahead of a planned public listing.

The incentive, communicated to staff on Friday, places business customer acquisition at the centre of the London-based fintech’s next phase. Employees across departments, not only sales teams, have been urged to identify potential corporate clients and help convert them into Revolut Business users. Storonsky has asked staff to send pitches directly to him, underlining the intensity with which the company is treating the campaign.

The move reflects a broader shift at Revolut from high-speed consumer expansion towards deeper revenue generation from companies, subscriptions, lending and day-to-day banking relationships. The group has built one of Europe’s largest fintech franchises on low-cost foreign exchange, digital payments, crypto trading and app-based money management. Its next challenge is to turn scale into durable banking income while competing more directly with established lenders.

Revolut’s business customer base grew 33 per cent in 2025 to 767,000, while total business transaction volume reached about $365bn. The company has said more than 100,000 business app downloads are being recorded each month in Europe, helped by new account tiers and tools aimed at start-ups, small firms and larger companies managing cross-border payments, cards and expenses.

The staff reward scheme is therefore more than a referral bonus. It is a signal that Revolut sees business banking as a route to higher-value relationships and more predictable income. Corporate accounts can bring payment flows, deposits, foreign exchange, card spending and software-style subscriptions, giving the fintech a larger share of each customer’s financial activity.

Revolut reported its strongest annual results for 2025, with revenue rising 46 per cent to £4.5bn and pre-tax profit increasing 57 per cent to £1.7bn. Customer balances, including money held with partner institutions, rose 66 per cent to £50.2bn. Retail customers grew 30 per cent to 68.3mn, keeping the company on a growth path that few private financial technology groups have matched.

The campaign also comes as Revolut prepares for a more demanding regulatory and capital markets environment. The company received a UK banking licence with restrictions in 2024 and gained permission in March to move ahead with its UK bank launch, opening the way for lending products such as credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts. A stronger business banking arm could help diversify income as consumer-focused products face tighter competition and regulatory scrutiny.

Storonsky has indicated that a public listing remains at least two years away, while investor attention has focused on whether Revolut can justify a valuation far above traditional European banks. The company was valued at $75bn in a secondary share sale, up from $45bn in 2024. Ambitions for a much higher eventual market value depend on continued customer growth, disciplined compliance and evidence that the platform can generate bank-like earnings without losing its fintech speed.

The new incentive also revives debate about Revolut’s demanding internal culture. The company has long been known for aggressive targets, fast execution and close measurement of performance. Supporters argue that this operating style has allowed it to move faster than incumbents, launch products across multiple markets and build a global brand from a prepaid travel card launched in 2015. Critics say the pressure can heighten risks around staff workload, governance and customer service.

Regulatory confidence remains central to Revolut’s prospects. The company has spent years strengthening controls after concerns over accounting, compliance and risk management delayed progress on its UK banking ambitions. Its internal systems now place greater emphasis on conduct, risk discipline and compliance performance, reflecting the demands of operating as a bank rather than only a payments and e-money platform.