# Tide

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/tide
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Tide — official](https://www.tide.co/)

## Overview

**Tide** is **UK's leading SME business-banking platform** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [United Kingdom report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/GB)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: **~800,000 UK SMB members** + **14% UK SMB market share**.

**September 2025 — Tide $120M funding round + $1.5B unicorn valuation** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- **Lead investor**: **TPG (TPG Rise Funds impact-investing arm)**.
- **Existing investor participation**: **Apax Digital Funds**.
- **Round structure**: Primary + secondary investment.
- **Valuation**: $1.5 billion = **UK SME-fintech unicorn**.

**May 2025 — Tide £100M Fasanara Capital debt facility** <sup>[4][4]</sup>:
- **Purpose**: Strengthen short-term cash-flow management solutions for UK SME members.
- **Outcome**: Support **£300M+ working-capital loans distribution** across UK.

**Funding Options acquisition** <sup>[5][5]</sup>: Tide acquired **Funding Options** (UK SME finance marketplace) — gives Tide's SME customers access to **120+ lender partners** for credit options.

## History

**2017 — Tide founded** <sup>[2][2]</sup> in London by **George Bevis** (and team) as UK SME business-banking challenger.

**2018-2024 — Mass UK SMB adoption** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: From early-stage to 800K+ members.

**India expansion**: Tide India launched (RBI India SME-banking).

**May 2025 — Fasanara Capital £100M debt facility** <sup>[4][4]</sup>.

**September 2025 — TPG-led $120M funding at $1.5B unicorn valuation** <sup>[3][3]</sup>.

**2025 — Funding Options acquisition** <sup>[5][5]</sup> for 120+ lender SME-finance-marketplace.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Tide Platform Limited** (TPG-backed unicorn).

**Founder**: **George Bevis**.

**Current CEO**: **Oliver Prill**.

**Major investors**: **TPG (TPG Rise Funds; lead Sep 2025) + Apax Digital Funds + Augmentum Fintech + LocalGlobe + SBI Group + Fasanara Capital (debt) + others**.

**Banking-license partner**: **ClearBank** (UK clearing-bank infrastructure).

**Regulators**: **FCA (UK Financial Conduct Authority)** + per-country (RBI India for Tide India).

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Tide mobile app (iOS + Android) + Tide web + Tide card |
| **Identifiers** | Email + phone + card number + business account |
| **UK rail** | **Faster Payments UK + BACS + CHAPS** via ClearBank partnership |
| **License** | E-Money Institution + Bank Agent (via ClearBank partnership) |
| **Sub-products** | Tide Business Account + Tide Card + Tide Cashback + Tide Capital (SME credit + working-capital loans £300M+ distributed) + Tide Accounting + Tide Invoicing + Funding Options marketplace (acquired) |
| **Customer focus** | UK SMBs (small-medium businesses) — 14% UK SMB market share |
| **India expansion** | Tide India RBI-regulated SME banking |

## Users & growth

**2025 baseline** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- **UK SMB members**: ~800,000
- **UK SMB market share**: 14%
- **September 2025**: $120M funding round at $1.5B unicorn valuation (TPG lead + Apax Digital Funds)
- **May 2025**: £100M Fasanara Capital debt facility → £300M+ working-capital loans distribution
- **2025 Funding Options acquisition** for 120+ lender SME-finance-marketplace
- **India expansion**: Tide India

## Use cases

UK SMB business-banking (Tide Business Account + Tide Card + Tide Cashback); Tide Capital SME credit + working-capital loans (£300M+ distribution via May 2025 Fasanara £100M facility); Tide Accounting + Invoicing; Funding Options marketplace (120+ lender partners post-acquisition); UK Faster Payments + BACS + CHAPS via ClearBank partnership; Tide India RBI-regulated SME banking expansion.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Tide Platform Limited**.

**Major investors**: **TPG (TPG Rise Funds lead Sep 2025) + Apax Digital Funds + Augmentum Fintech + LocalGlobe + SBI Group + Fasanara Capital (debt)**.

**Banking-license partner**: **ClearBank** (UK clearing-bank infrastructure).

**Acquisitions**: **Funding Options** (UK SME finance marketplace with 120+ lender partners).

**Major UK SMB-banking competitors**:
- **Starling Bank** (UK SMB digital bank)
- **Revolut Business** (Revolut SMB arm)
- **Monzo Business** (Monzo SMB arm)
- **Anna Money** (UK SMB freelancer + small business)
- **Mettle** (NatWest SMB digital banking arm)
- **HSBC Business + Barclays Business + Lloyds Business** (Big-4 UK SMB banking incumbents)

**Major comparable global SMB-fintech**:
- **[Pleo](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/pleo)** (European SMB expense platform; €164M Q4 2025 ARR)
- **[Mamo](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/mamo)** (UAE SME analogous)
- **[Hala](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/hala)** (Saudi SME comprehensive analogous)
- **Brex + Ramp** (US/global SMB analogous)

**Regulators**: **FCA + RBI India**.

## Fun facts

- **UK's leading SME business-banking platform** — ~800K UK SMB members + 14% UK SMB market share.
- **September 2025 TPG-led $120M funding at $1.5B unicorn valuation** — UK SME-fintech unicorn.
- **May 2025 £100M Fasanara Capital debt facility** → £300M+ working-capital loans distribution.
- **2025 Funding Options acquisition** for 120+ lender SME-finance-marketplace.
- **2017 founding by George Bevis** in London.
- **ClearBank partnership** for UK Faster Payments + BACS + CHAPS clearing-bank infrastructure.
- **India expansion** (Tide India RBI-regulated SME banking).
- **TPG Rise Funds impact-investing arm** lead investor — distinctive ESG-impact positioning.

## Comparison

| Feature | Tide | Starling Business (UK SMB digital-bank rival) | Revolut Business (Revolut SMB arm) | Mettle (NatWest SMB rival) | [Pleo](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/pleo) (European SMB expense rival) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Tide Platform Limited (TPG + Apax + Augmentum + LocalGlobe + SBI Group backed; ClearBank-partnership)** | Starling Bank | Revolut Group | Mettle (NatWest digital arm) | Pleo Technologies A/S |
| Type | **UK leading SME business-banking platform + Tide Capital working-capital loans + Funding Options marketplace** | UK SMB digital bank (own banking license) | Revolut SMB arm | NatWest SMB digital arm | European SMB expense + spend platform |
| Country | UK + India (Tide India) | UK | Global | UK | 13+ European countries |
| Users | **800K UK SMB members + 14% UK SMB market share** | Major UK SMB | Major Revolut SMB | Major NatWest SMB | 40K+ businesses + €164M Q4 2025 ARR |
| Valuation | **$1.5B (Sep 2025 TPG-led $120M unicorn)** | Major UK | Revolut Group $45B+ | NatWest parent | Dec 2021 $200M Series C at $4.7B |
| Distinctive | **TPG Rise Funds impact-investing lead Sep 2025; Funding Options acquisition; ClearBank partnership; India expansion** | Starling own banking license + SMB digital bank | Revolut multi-currency SMB | NatWest-anchored | Smart company cards + automated expenses + accounts payable |

## Status

**Active, UK's leading SME business-banking platform + UK SME-fintech unicorn** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Tide Platform Limited** since 2017.
- **800K UK SMB members + 14% UK SMB market share**.
- **September 2025 TPG-led $120M funding at $1.5B unicorn valuation**.
- **May 2025 £100M Fasanara Capital debt + £300M+ working-capital loans distribution**.
- **2025 Funding Options acquisition** for 120+ lender SME-finance-marketplace.
- **FCA + RBI India regulated** via ClearBank partnership.

## Sources

[1]: https://clear.bank/learn/insights/how-tide-and-clearbank-are-delivering-competition-and-innovation-in-sme-banking "Tide + ClearBank SME banking innovation"
[2]: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/tide-2 "Tide — Crunchbase"
[3]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-22/tpg-leads-funding-for-uk-fintech-tide-at-1-5-billion-valuation "TPG leads $120M funding Tide $1.5B valuation Sep 2025 — Bloomberg"
[4]: https://fintech.global/2025/05/01/uk-fintech-tide-secures-100m-from-fasanara-to-boost-sme-lending/ "Tide £100M Fasanara May 2025 — Fintech Global"
[5]: https://www.fintechfutures.com/commercial-sme-lending/tide-to-acquire-sme-finance-marketplace-funding-options "Tide acquires Funding Options — Fintech Futures"
[gb-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/GB

- [1] [Tide + ClearBank SME banking — ClearBank][1]
- [2] [Tide — Crunchbase][2]
- [3] [TPG leads $120M funding Tide $1.5B Sep 2025 — Bloomberg][3]
- [4] [Tide £100M Fasanara May 2025 — Fintech Global][4]
- [5] [Tide acquires Funding Options — Fintech Futures][5]
- <sup>[United Kingdom report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/GB)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/GB-united-kingdom.md`

## Source

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