Brazil
activeFeaturedNeobankCrypto card
- HQ
- London
- Fee
- Free
Nubank
Latin America’s default digital bank, listed in New York.
Rate this app
8.1Strong
AlternativesOur take
Desk verdict
If you live in Brazil, Nu is the control account every comparison starts from. If you do not, skip it.
Nubank began as a no-annual-fee Mastercard in Brazil and became one of the largest digital banks on earth, listed on the NYSE as NU. Mexico and Colombia followed. FGC protection applies to qualifying deposit products at member entities — not to every Nu sleeve.
Nubank lists Financial institution / credit card issuer under Banco Central do Brasil in Brazil. On safeguarding we currently write: FGC on qualifying deposit products up to R$250,000. Holder / issuer line: Nu Financeira / Nu Pagamentos (product-dependent). An AML programme is claimed. There is no IBAN-class local rail on the flags we store. We list 1 live markets on the product. As we score the sticker: monthly No annual fee on core card; FX IOF + spread on foreign spend (Brazil rules); ATM Network-dependent. This desk would open it for: Residents of Brazil (and Nu’s other LATAM markets) who want the default digital bank.
What it does well: Scale that broke the ‘challenger’ frame; Credit card that actually got adopted; PIX-native account. What to watch: Not a product for non-residents; Foreign spend has Brazil tax reality (IOF); Credit is still credit. Desk score 8.1 / 10 (safety 8.4, fees 8.8, features 8.4, app 9.0). Last verified 2026-08-01. Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil; founded 2013. None of this is advice — it is a file so you can read the entity before the card colour.
Best for: Residents of Brazil (and Nu’s other LATAM markets) who want the default digital bank.
Pros
- +Scale that broke the ‘challenger’ frame
- +Credit card that actually got adopted
- +PIX-native account
- +Public reporting
Cons
- −Not a product for non-residents
- −Foreign spend has Brazil tax reality (IOF)
- −Credit is still credit
- −Support at 100M customers is industrial
How it actually works
- Custody
- Issued / held via Nu Financeira / Nu Pagamentos (product-dependent)
- Local rails
- In-app ledger
- Built for
- Personal · Investing
- Settlement
- App-ledger instant; bank rails per corridor
- Review risk
- Fintech reviews can pause inbound while they check a transfer
- Pay surface
- mastercard · physical · virtual · metal · Apple Pay · Google Pay
Safety
FGC on qualifying deposit products up to R$250,000
Holder / issuer: Nu Financeira / Nu Pagamentos (product-dependent)
- Banco Central do BrasilFinancial institution / credit card issuer · Brazil
Fees
- Monthly
- No annual fee on core card
- FX markup
- IOF + spread on foreign spend (Brazil rules)
- ATM
- Network-dependent
Features
- –IBAN
- –Fee-free core
- ✓Multi-currency
- ✓Apple Pay
- ✓Google Pay
- ✓Virtual card
- ✓Physical card
- ✓Metal card
- –Crypto
- –Stocks
- –Business
- –Kids
- –Halal
- Purple Mastercard, including Ultraviolet metal
- NuConta account
- PIX payments
- Lending and insurance
- Mexico and Colombia apps
Score
- Safety25%
- 8.4
- Fees20%
- 8.8
- Features15%
- 8.4
- App15%
- 9.0
- Global15%
- 6.2
- Support10%
- 7.2
Change log
Full logNo dated notes yet. When the licence, fees, or status moves, it lands here.
Available in
FAQ
Is Nubank a bank?+–
Nubank is not a licensed deposit-taker in the classic sense. Money, if any, sits with Nu Financeira / Nu Pagamentos (product-dependent).
How is money protected?+–
FGC on qualifying deposit products up to R$250,000
Where is Nubank available?+–
We list 1 market desk on the desk. Residency and onboarding rules still sit with Nubank.
Card and wallets?+–
mastercard · physical · virtual · metal · Apple Pay · Google Pay
Ratings and reviews
No published user reviews yet. The desk score still comes from licence, fees, and the product — not from a empty star average.
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