Nubank (NYSE:NU), which has become one of Latin America’s largest digital banks, has begun offering deposit accounts and a broader set of everyday banking products to customers in the United States. The company, which operates under the parent name Nu Holdings, said the U.S. rollout started on September 10, 2026, marking its first consumer banking launch outside Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.
Rather than waiting for a fully approved national bank charter, Nubank is entering the market through a partnership with Lead Bank, an FDIC-insured institution that will hold customer deposits.
Under this arrangement, the Nu Account pays 3.50% APY on dollar balances, with interest calculated and credited daily and no minimum balance required.
Funds remain accessible, including money set aside in savings goals.
The US product set also includes fee-free domestic transfers and international remittances that initially focus on Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, with plans to add more destinations.
A no-annual-fee Mastercard credit card offers unlimited 1.5% cash back, with the company saying customers may later qualify for a higher rate and a boosted savings yield of up to 4.50% APY on as much as $10,000 when they pair the card with the account and meet transaction conditions.
A limited-edition metal debit card is part of the initial offer.Nubank applied for a US national bank charter in 2025 and received preliminary conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in January 2026.
Final authorization still requires additional steps with the OCC, FDIC, and Federal Reserve.
Company leaders have said they expect their own bank, Nubank N.A., to begin operating in 2027.
Until then, the partner-bank model lets the firm serve customers, collect feedback, and build brand recognition.
Leadership framed the move as an extension of a model already tested at scale. Nubank now serves more than 140 million customers in Latin America.
Founder and CEO David Vélez and U.S. CEO Cristina Junqueira, a co-founder who relocated to lead the American effort, presented the launch at an event in Miami.
They said early growth is likely to come from younger digital-first users and Hispanic communities with ties to Latin America.
Alongside the US deposit account, Nubank introduced Nu Global, a multi-currency digital account aimed at people who move money across borders.
Deposits can be converted into dollar- or euro-pegged stablecoins, USDC and EURC, with advertised daily yields of 3.50% and 2.20% APY respectively.
The product is designed for fee-free transfers across more than 35 countries, starting with Europe and Latin America, and includes a virtual card plus the option to hold and trade a limited set of digital assets such as bitcoin and ethereum.
The US banking market is crowded and has been difficult for foreign digital banks.
Nubank is betting that high-yield deposits, simple pricing, remittances, and a familiar mobile experience will help it stand out, especially among customers who already know the brand from Latin America.