# Chime

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/chime
> research date 2026-05-30 · extracted at 2026-10-07
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Chime — official](https://www.chime.com/)

## Overview

**Chime** is **US largest neobank for low-income + financially underserved Americans** + **post-Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [United States report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/US)</sup>. **Mar 31 2025 baseline**: Chime 8.6M active members + ~25M signups since launch; **Jun 12 2025 Chime NASDAQ IPO** priced $24-$26/share + market cap up to $11.2B + skyrocketed to $18.2B on day; Chime addressable market 196M Americans earning up to $100K annual wages + <5% penetration (massive growth runway).

**Distinctive Chime positioning**:
- **US largest neobank for low-income + financially underserved Americans** (Chime focused on Americans earning up to $100K annual wages; 196M addressable market with <5% Chime penetration)
- **Jun 12 2025 Chime NASDAQ IPO**: priced $24-$26/share + market cap up to $11.2B + skyrocketed to $18.2B on day → distinctive US neobank IPO
- **8.6M Chime active members Mar 31 2025 + ~25M signups since launch**
- **2013 Chime founding by Chris Britt + Ryan King** in San Francisco → distinctive US neobank heritage
- **SpotMe distinctive Chime overdraft protection** + Chime Credit Builder + Chime SpotMe credit
- **Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued** (Chime does NOT have own banking license; uses Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured accounts)
- **Chime's sticky user base** distinctive US neobank engagement (KBW analyst note 2025)

## History

**2013 — Chime founded by Chris Britt + Ryan King** in San Francisco → distinctive US neobank heritage.

**2014 — Chime mobile banking app launches**.

**2014 — Chime SpotMe distinctive Chime overdraft protection launches** + Chime Credit Builder.

**Jun 12 2025 — Chime NASDAQ IPO** priced $24-$26/share + market cap up to $11.2B + skyrocketed to $18.2B on day <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>.

**Mar 31 2025 baseline**: 8.6M active members + ~25M signups since launch <sup>[1][1]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Chime Financial Inc.** (NASDAQ: CHYM).

**Major shareholders**: **Chris Britt (co-founder + CEO) + Ryan King (co-founder + COO) + DST Global + General Atlantic + Sequoia Capital + Tiger Global + Iconiq Capital + post-Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO public float (CHYM ticker)**.

**Regulators**: **OCC + FDIC + state-level** (Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured Chime accounts).

## Technical integration

Chime mobile banking app (iOS + Android) + chime.com online + Chime debit card (Visa) + Chime online-only banking (no branch network); ACH + RTP; **Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured Chime accounts**; **Chime SpotMe distinctive Chime overdraft protection** + Chime Credit Builder + Chime SpotMe credit + Chime Savings + Chime MyPay (early access to wages).

## Users & growth

**Mar 31 2025 baseline**: Chime 8.6M active members + ~25M signups since launch; **Jun 12 2025 Chime NASDAQ IPO**: $11.2B market cap up to $18.2B skyrocket on day; Chime addressable market 196M Americans earning up to $100K annual wages + <5% Chime penetration.

## Use cases

US retail + low-income + financially underserved + Americans earning up to $100K + paycheck-to-paycheck banking via Chime mobile + chime.com online + Visa debit card; ACH + RTP; **Chime SpotMe distinctive Chime overdraft protection** + Chime Credit Builder + Chime SpotMe credit + Chime Savings + Chime MyPay (early access to wages); **Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured Chime accounts**.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: Chime Financial Inc. (NASDAQ: CHYM); Chris Britt (co-founder + CEO) + Ryan King (co-founder + COO) + DST Global + General Atlantic + Sequoia Capital + Tiger Global + Iconiq Capital + post-Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO public float.

**Banking partners**: **The Bancorp Bank N.A. + Stride Bank N.A.** (Chime does NOT have own banking license; uses Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured accounts).

**Major US neobank competitors**: [SoFi](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/sofi) (US neobank + lending + investing + OCC national bank charter Jan 2022 + 15M+ members + SoFiUSD stablecoin + SoFi Big Business Banking) + [Varo Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/varo) (US neobank with OCC national bank charter; first US neobank to receive national bank charter from OCC Jul 31 2020) + [Current](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/current) (US neobank for Gen Z) + [Ally Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/ally-bank-app) (US online bank; post-2009 GMAC conversion) + [Discover Financial Services](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/discover-financial) (US credit card + online bank) + Credit Karma (Intuit subsidiary post-2020 $7.1B acquisition) + [Robinhood](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/robinhood) (US #1 by app users) + Albert (US financial app) + Dave (US financial app).

**Regulators**: OCC + FDIC + state-level.

## Fun facts

- **US largest neobank for low-income + financially underserved Americans** (Chime focused on Americans earning up to $100K annual wages; 196M addressable market with <5% Chime penetration).
- **Jun 12 2025 Chime NASDAQ IPO**: priced $24-$26/share + market cap up to $11.2B + skyrocketed to $18.2B on day.
- **8.6M Chime active members Mar 31 2025 + ~25M signups since launch**.
- **2013 Chime founding by Chris Britt + Ryan King** in San Francisco → distinctive US neobank heritage.
- **Chime SpotMe distinctive Chime overdraft protection** + Chime Credit Builder + Chime SpotMe credit.
- **Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured Chime accounts** (Chime does NOT have own banking license; distinctive US neobank model).
- **Chime's sticky user base** distinctive US neobank engagement (KBW analyst note 2025).

## Comparison

| Feature | Chime | [SoFi](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/sofi) (US neobank + lending + investing + OCC national bank charter Jan 2022 rival; 15M+ members) | [Varo Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/varo) (US neobank with OCC national bank charter rival; first US neobank to receive national bank charter from OCC Jul 31 2020) | [Ally Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/ally-bank-app) (US online bank rival; post-2009 GMAC conversion) | [Robinhood](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/robinhood) (US #1 by app users rival; commission-free pioneer + crypto + Bitstamp) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Chime Financial Inc. (NASDAQ: CHYM; post-Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO)** | SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFI) | Varo Bank N.A. (privately-held; OCC national bank charter since Jul 31 2020) | Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY; post-2009 GMAC conversion) | Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) |
| Type | **US largest neobank for low-income + financially underserved Americans + 8.6M active members + ~25M signups + Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO $11.2B → $18.2B day skyrocket + Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued (no own banking license) + Chime SpotMe distinctive overdraft protection** | US neobank + lending + investing all-in-one fintech + OCC national bank charter (Jan 2022) + 15M+ members + SoFiUSD stablecoin May 2026 + SoFi Big Business Banking Apr 2026 | US neobank with OCC national bank charter (Jul 31 2020 first US neobank to receive national bank charter from OCC) + ~$100M fintech cost to obtain charter | US online bank post-2009 GMAC conversion + Ally Auto Finance + Ally Invest | Most-used US stock trading app + 10.8M users + crypto + Bitstamp + UK + EU expansion |
| Country | US | US | US | US + CA | US + GB + AU |
| Distinctive | **2013 Chime founding by Chris Britt + Ryan King in San Francisco; 2014 mobile app launch + Chime SpotMe overdraft protection launch; Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured Chime accounts (no own banking license); Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO $11.2B → $18.2B day skyrocket** | 2011 founding by Stanford University students (Mike Cagney + Dan Macklin + James Finnigan + Ian Brady); Jun 1 2021 SPAC public listing; Jan 2022 OCC national bank charter via Golden Pacific Bank $22.3M acquisition | 2015 founding by Colin Walsh + Mykola Klymenko; Jul 31 2020 OCC national bank charter (first US neobank to receive); Aug 1 2020 Varo Bank opens | 1919 GMAC founding; 2009 GMAC conversion to Ally Financial post-GM bankruptcy | 2013 founding by Vlad Tenev + Baiju Bhatt; Mar 2015 mobile app launch; Jul 29 2021 NASDAQ IPO |

## Status

**Active, US largest neobank for low-income + financially underserved Americans + post-Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Chime Financial Inc. (NASDAQ: CHYM; post-Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO)** since 2013 Chime founding by Chris Britt + Ryan King in San Francisco + Jun 12 2025 NASDAQ IPO $11.2B → $18.2B day skyrocket.
- **8.6M Chime active members Mar 31 2025 + ~25M signups since launch**.
- **Bancorp Bank + Stride Bank partner-issued FDIC-insured Chime accounts (no own banking license)**.
- **OCC + FDIC + state-level regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/chime-statistics/ "Chime Revenue and Usage Statistics — Business of Apps"
[2]: https://fortune.com/2025/07/08/chime-sofi-affirm-cash-app-ipo-goldman-wall-street-kbw/ "Chime's sticky user base makes it a winner for investors — Fortune"
[3]: https://www.goodwatercap.com/insights/thesis/understanding-chime-the-largest-neobank-in-the-us/ "Understanding Chime's IPO: The Largest Neobank in the US — Goodwater"
[us-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/US

- [1] [Chime Revenue and Usage Statistics — Business of Apps][1]
- [2] [Chime's sticky user base makes it a winner for investors — Fortune][2]
- [3] [Understanding Chime's IPO: The Largest Neobank in the US — Goodwater][3]
- <sup>[United States report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/US)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/US-united-states.md`

## Source

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