# Bank Leumi + Pepper

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-leumi
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Bank Leumi — official](https://www.leumi.co.il/)

## Overview

**Bank Leumi** is **Israel's #2 bank** + **operator of Pepper, Israel's first mobile-only banking service** (launched June 2017) <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Israel report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/IL)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: **184 Israeli branches + service centers + advanced digital platforms** + **Pepper fully digital bank** (target: young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions).

**Distinctive Bank Leumi + Pepper positioning** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Israel's #2 bank** (behind Bank Hapoalim)
- **184 Israeli branches** (as of Dec 2025) + service centers + advanced digital platforms
- **Pepper Israel's first mobile-only banking service** — launched June 2017 as Israel's pioneering digital-only bank
- **Pepper target**: Young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions
- **Pepper services**: Bank account management + loans + savings + fixed deposits + checkbook + international credit/debit card

## History

**1902 — Anglo-Palestine Bank founded** (later renamed Bank Leumi) — distinctive Israeli banking heritage (pre-Israeli state).

**1948 — Bank Leumi formed** post-Israeli independence (Anglo-Palestine Bank rebrand to Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M.).

**1983 — Israeli bank stocks crisis** — Israeli government partially nationalizes Bank Leumi + other Israeli banks.

**1996 — Bank Leumi partial privatization** (Israeli government sells majority stake).

**June 2017 — Pepper by Leumi launches** <sup>[3][3]</sup> as Israel's first mobile-only banking service — distinctive Israeli digital-banking pioneer (direct and independent bank fully online via mobile app).

**2017-2025 — Mass Pepper adoption** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Target young people aged 16+ with preference for digital banking.

**2025 — Bank Leumi 184 Israeli branches + Pepper fully digital bank** <sup>[1][1]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M.** (TASE: LUMI).

**Major shareholders**: **Various Israeli institutional + TASE public float** (widely held; no single controlling shareholder post-1996 privatization).

**Regulators**: **Bank of Israel (Banking Supervision Department)** + **Israel Securities Authority (ISA)**.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Bank Leumi app (iOS + Android; primary IL retail-banking mobile channel) + Pepper app (iOS + Android; Israel's first mobile-only banking service since Jun 2017) + Bank Leumi Online Banking + Bank Leumi cards (Visa + Mastercard + Leumi Card) + Bank Leumi branch network (184 IL branches Dec 2025) |
| **Identifiers** | Phone + email + card number + Israeli ID |
| **IL rail** | **Israeli instant payments** (Bank of Israel national instant payment system) |
| **License** | Bank (Bank Leumi full Israeli banking license; Israel's #2 bank; Pepper Israel's first mobile-only banking service since Jun 2017) |
| **Sub-products** | Bank Leumi Account + Bank Leumi Cards + Bank Leumi Credit + Bank Leumi Mortgages + Bank Leumi Investments + Bank Leumi Insurance + Bank Leumi Business + Bank Leumi Capital Markets + Pepper (Israel's first mobile-only banking service since Jun 2017; bank account + loans + savings + fixed deposits + checkbook + international credit/debit card) + Leumi USA + Leumi UK + Leumi Mexico + Leumi Romania + Leumi Switzerland |
| **Distinctive Pepper target**: Young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions |

## Users & growth

**2025 baseline** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Israel's #2 bank** (behind Bank Hapoalim)
- **184 Israeli branches** (as of Dec 2025) + service centers + advanced digital platforms
- **Pepper Israel's first mobile-only banking service** — launched June 2017
- **Pepper target**: Young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions
- **Multi-country presence**: IL + US + GB + MX + RO + CH

## Use cases

Israeli + multi-country retail + corporate + investment + capital markets + insurance banking via Bank Leumi app + Pepper app (Israel's first mobile-only banking service; bank account + loans + savings + fixed deposits + checkbook + international credit/debit card) + Bank Leumi Online + cards + branches (184 IL branches Dec 2025); Israeli national instant payment + IL rails; Leumi USA + Leumi UK + Leumi Mexico + Leumi Romania + Leumi Switzerland multi-country subsidiaries.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M.** (TASE: LUMI).

**Major shareholders**: **Various Israeli institutional + TASE public float** (widely held; no single controlling shareholder post-1996 privatization).

**Major Israeli banking + fintech competitors**:
- **[Bank Hapoalim + Bit](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-hapoalim)** (Bank Hapoalim; Israel's largest bank by customers; 2M+ customers; Bit Israel's largest payment app with 2M+ users + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share)
- **Mizrahi Tefahot Bank** (Israel #3 bank; mortgages leader)
- **Discount Bank** (Israeli Discount Bank; Israel's 4th largest bank)
- **First International Bank of Israel (FIBI)** + **Bank of Jerusalem** + **Mercantile Discount Bank** (Israeli banking competitors)
- **One Zero Bank** (Israel's first all-digital bank since 2022)

**Bank Leumi multi-country subsidiaries**: **Leumi USA + Leumi UK + Leumi Mexico + Leumi Romania + Leumi Switzerland**.

**Regulators**: **Bank of Israel (Banking Supervision Department) + ISA + per-country**.

## Fun facts

- **Israel's #2 bank** (behind Bank Hapoalim).
- **Pepper Israel's first mobile-only banking service** — launched June 2017 as Israeli digital-banking pioneer.
- **184 Israeli branches** (as of Dec 2025) + service centers + advanced digital platforms.
- **1902 founding as Anglo-Palestine Bank** — distinctive Israeli banking heritage (pre-Israeli state).
- **1948 Bank Leumi formed** post-Israeli independence (Anglo-Palestine Bank rebrand).
- **1983 Israeli bank stocks crisis** — Israeli government partially nationalizes Bank Leumi; **1996 partial privatization**.
- **Pepper target**: Young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions.
- **Pepper services**: Bank account management + loans + savings + fixed deposits + checkbook + international credit/debit card.
- **Multi-country subsidiaries**: Leumi USA + Leumi UK + Leumi Mexico + Leumi Romania + Leumi Switzerland.

## Comparison

| Feature | Bank Leumi + Pepper | [Bank Hapoalim + Bit](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bank-hapoalim) (Israel's largest bank by customers rival; 2M+ customers; Bit Israel's largest payment app) | Mizrahi Tefahot Bank (Israel #3 mortgages leader rival) | One Zero Bank (Israel's first all-digital bank since 2022 rival) | [bunq](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/bunq) (EU #2 neobank comparable European mobile-first banking) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. (TASE: LUMI; widely held: Israeli institutional + TASE public float; no single controlling shareholder post-1996 privatization)** | Bank Hapoalim B.M. (TASE: POLI; Shari Arison family formerly major reduced 2020s + Israeli institutional + TASE public float) | Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd. (TASE: MZTF) | One Zero Bank (Israeli all-digital bank since 2022) | bunq B.V. (Amsterdam; Ali Niknam + Series A investors) |
| Type | **Israel's #2 bank + 184 IL branches (Dec 2025) + Pepper Israel's first mobile-only banking service since Jun 2017 (target: young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions)** | Israel's largest bank by customers + Bit Israel's largest payment app + ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share + Bit digital wallet 2025 | Israel #3 bank + mortgages leader | Israel's first all-digital bank (since 2022) | EU #2 neobank + 30 European countries |
| Country | IL + US + GB + MX + RO + CH | IL + US + GB + CH | IL primary | Israel | 30 European countries |
| Users | **Israel's #2 bank + 184 IL branches + Pepper mobile-only banking service** | 2M+ Bank Hapoalim customers; Bit 2M+ users; ~80% Israeli money-transfers market share | Israel #3 mortgages leader | Israel all-digital bank | 20M users (end 2025; EU #2) |
| Distinctive | **1902 founding as Anglo-Palestine Bank (Israeli banking heritage pre-Israeli state); 1948 Bank Leumi formed post-Israeli independence; 1983 partial nationalization (Israeli bank stocks crisis) + 1996 partial privatization; Pepper by Leumi launched Jun 2017 as Israel's first mobile-only banking service; Pepper target young people aged 16+; Pepper full bank services (account + loans + savings + fixed deposits + checkbook + international credit/debit card); multi-country subsidiaries Leumi USA + Leumi UK + Leumi Mexico + Leumi Romania + Leumi Switzerland** | 1921 founding by Histadrut; Bit Israel's largest payment app; 2025 Bit approved as digital wallet by Bank of Israel; pre-Apple Pay Israel's first digital wallet | IL mortgages leader | Israel's first all-digital bank (since 2022) | 2012 founding by Ali Niknam; Sep 2025 first European challenger bank with flexible crypto staking |

## Status

**Active, Israel's #2 bank + Pepper Israel's first mobile-only banking service since Jun 2017** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M.** (TASE: LUMI) since 1902 (Anglo-Palestine Bank founding); 1948 Bank Leumi formed post-Israeli independence.
- **184 Israeli branches** (as of December 2025) + service centers + advanced digital platforms.
- **Pepper** Israel's first mobile-only banking service since June 2017.
- **Pepper target**: Young people aged 16+ with strong preference for digital banking solutions.
- **Multi-country subsidiaries**: Leumi USA + Leumi UK + Leumi Mexico + Leumi Romania + Leumi Switzerland.
- **Bank of Israel + ISA + per-country regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.leumi.co.il/en/About-Leumi "About Leumi — Bank Leumi"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_(payment_application) "Pepper (payment application) — Wikipedia"
[3]: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pepper-by-leumi-goes-live---new-mobile-bank-offers-a-smart-transparent-technological-alternative-to-traditional-banking-614624984.html "PEPPER by Leumi Goes Live New Mobile Bank — PRNewswire"
[4]: https://www.financemagnates.com/fintech/news/leumi-launches-israels-first-mobile-banking-service-pepper/ "Leumi Launches Israel's First Mobile-Only Banking Service Pepper — Finance Magnates"
[il-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/IL

- [1] [About Leumi — Bank Leumi][1]
- [2] [Pepper (payment application) — Wikipedia][2]
- [3] [PEPPER by Leumi Goes Live — PRNewswire][3]
- [4] [Leumi Launches Israel's First Mobile-Only Banking Service Pepper — Finance Magnates][4]
- <sup>[Israel report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/IL)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/IL-israel.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [bank-leumi.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/bank-leumi). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.