# Metro Bank

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

Specifications:
- [Metro Bank — official](https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/)

## Key details

- **Launch:** 2010

## Overview

**Metro Bank** is **UK retail bank** + **LSE: MTRO** + **founded Jul 29 2010 as first new UK high-street bank in over 150 years by Vernon Hill + Anthony Thomson** + **~2.7M+ customers + ~75+ stores** + **7-day a week branch banking pioneer** <sup>[1][1], [United Kingdom report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/GB)</sup>.

## History

**Jul 29 2010 — Metro Bank founded by Vernon Hill + Anthony Thomson as first new UK high-street bank in over 150 years** distinctive UK retail banking heritage.

**Mar 2016 — Metro Bank LSE IPO under ticker MTRO**.

**2019 — Metro Bank accounting irregularities scandal + share price crash + capital raise**.

**2023 — Metro Bank £925M recapitalisation + Spaldy Investments majority controlling**.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Metro Bank plc** (UK retail bank; LSE: MTRO).

**Major shareholders**: **Spaldy Investments (Jaime Gilinski Bacal Colombian billionaire) majority controlling post-2023 recapitalisation + UK retail + institutional + foreign investors free float**.

**Regulators**: **PRA + FCA + Bank of England**.

## Technical integration

Metro Bank mobile app (iOS + Android; ~2.7M+ customers) + metrobankonline.co.uk web + Metro Bank branch network across UK ~75+ stores (7-day a week branch banking pioneer) + Metro Bank Mastercard debit + Visa + Mastercard credit cards; Faster Payments + GB IBAN + Bacs + CHAPS.

## Implementations & partners

**Major UK challenger bank + neobank competitors**: [Monzo](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/monzo) (Monzo UK challenger bank; ~9M+ customers + Jul 2024 unicorn at ~$5.2B valuation) + [Starling Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/starling) (Starling Bank UK challenger bank; ~4M+ customers + 2024 unicorn) + [Atom Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/atom-bank) (Atom Bank UK mobile-only bank) + [Chase UK](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/chase-uk) (Chase UK JPMorgan Chase UK digital bank; 2M+ customers post-Sep 2021 launch) + [Revolut](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/revolut) (Revolut UK global; ~50M+ customers globally + UK bank license Jul 2024) + [Wise (formerly TransferWise)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/wise) (Wise UK + global multi-currency account) + [Virgin Money UK](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/virgin-money-uk) (Virgin Money UK; Clydesdale + Yorkshire Bank parent; Nationwide acquired Oct 2024 ~£2.9B) + [TSB Bank (UK)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/tsb-bank) (TSB Bank UK; Banco Sabadell Spain subsidiary 2015-2025 then Santander UK acquired 2025 ~£2.65B).

**Regulators**: PRA + FCA + Bank of England.

## Status

**Active, UK retail bank + LSE:MTRO + founded Jul 29 2010 as first new UK high-street bank in over 150 years + ~2.7M+ customers + ~75+ stores + Spaldy Investments majority controlling post-2023 recapitalisation** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/ "Metro Bank — official"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Bank_(United_Kingdom) "Metro Bank — Wikipedia"
[gb-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/GB

- [1] [Metro Bank — official][1]
- [2] [Metro Bank — Wikipedia][2]
- <sup>[United Kingdom report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/GB)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/GB-united-kingdom.md`

## Source

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