# Zopa

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/zopa
> research date 2026-06-01 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Zopa — official](https://www.zopa.com/)

## Overview

**Zopa** is a **UK digital bank** operated by **Zopa Bank Limited**, notable for having launched in **2005 as the world's first peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform** before transforming into a fully licensed bank in **2020** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>. Zopa now offers savings accounts, personal loans, credit cards and a smart-money app, and reported reaching profitability and several million customers. It closed its legacy P2P business in 2021 to focus on the bank.

## History

**2005 — Zopa founded as the world's first P2P lender** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Pioneered marketplace lending, matching individual lenders with borrowers.

**June 2020 — UK banking license granted** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>: Zopa received a full banking license and launched savings and credit-card products under Zopa Bank.

**2021 — P2P business wound down** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Zopa exited peer-to-peer lending to concentrate fully on the bank.

**2022-2023 — Profitability + funding** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Zopa raised a large round (including SoftBank Vision Fund 2 participation) and reported reaching profitability as a bank.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Zopa Bank Limited** (UK).

**Major investors**: SoftBank Vision Fund 2, IAG Silverstripe, Augmentum Fintech and others <sup>[2][2]</sup>.

**Regulators**: **FCA** + **PRA** (UK); deposits FSCS-protected.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Zopa mobile app (iOS + Android) + Zopa card |
| **Identifiers** | Email + phone + sort code + account number |
| **UK rails** | Faster Payments + BACS |
| **Card network** | Mastercard / Visa (credit card) |
| **Wallets** | Apple Pay + Google Pay via EMV tokenization |
| **Products** | Savings, personal loans, credit card, car finance, smart-money tools |

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Zopa Bank Limited** (FCA + PRA-regulated UK bank).

**Heritage**: World's first P2P lender (2005), converted to bank (2020).

**Competitors**: [Monzo](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/monzo), [Starling Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/starling), [Atom Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/atom-bank), [Tandem Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/tandem-bank), and incumbent UK lenders/credit-card issuers.

## Status

**Active** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **Zopa Bank Limited** — full UK banking license since June 2020.
- Pivoted from world-first P2P lending (2005) to a licensed digital bank; P2P wound down in 2021.
- Reported profitability; precise current customer counts not consistently disclosed in verifiable form (~).

## Sources

[1]: https://www.zopa.com/ "Zopa — official"
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zopa "Zopa — Wikipedia"
[3]: https://www.altfi.com/ "Zopa coverage — AltFi"

- [1] [Zopa — official][1]
- [2] [Zopa — Wikipedia][2]
- [3] [Zopa coverage — AltFi][3]

## Source

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