[ Answers · Fintech ]

Who are the main BaaS providers?

By Ben Tabas, Intrica Research · Updated · US and EU

Answer

Banking as a service (BaaS) providers let a non-bank offer accounts, cards and payments through a licensed bank's charter. Crassula's BaaS provider guide, last edited April 21, 2026, names Unit, Treasury Prime, Synctera, Marqeta, Galileo, Stripe Treasury and Column in the US. Pathward said on Aug. 18, 2026 that it was a finalist for Best Banking as a Service Provider at the 2026 Finovate Awards.

US providers, by type

  • Middleware platforms: Unit, described by Crassula as US embedded banking through sponsor banks. Treasury Prime, which lets fintechs contract directly with a choice of sponsor banks. Synctera, which connects fintechs to US community banks with a compliance focus.
  • Card issuing and processing: Marqeta, a card issuer processor for card-first programs, and Galileo, owned by SoFi, which Crassula says gives access to SoFi's national bank charter.
  • Platform product: Stripe Treasury, which offers accounts and cards to Stripe Connect platforms through a sponsor bank, per Crassula.
  • Chartered banks: Column, which Crassula lists as a direct-licensed BaaS provider with its own charter, and Pathward, N.A., a 2026 Finovate finalist for Best Banking as a Service Provider.

UK and EU providers

  • Griffin, which holds its own UK banking license (Crassula, April 21, 2026).
  • ClearBank, which holds a UK clearing license for real-time GBP clearing and agency banking.
  • Solaris, which holds a BaFin banking license in Germany.
  • Swan, which holds an EMI license in France for SEPA accounts, IBANs and cards.

What to check before you pick one

  1. Find out which bank holds the deposits and issues the cards, and whether you contract with the bank, the platform or both.
  2. Ask who keeps the ledger of record. Synapse, a BaaS startup per Banking Dive, filed for bankruptcy in April 2024, and the Consumer Federation of America wrote on July 8, 2024 that tens of thousands of depositors were affected.
  3. Search the regulators' enforcement databases for the sponsor bank. The Federal Reserve announced an enforcement action against Evolve Bank and Trust on June 14, 2024 over its fintech partnership risk management.
  4. Confirm who handles KYC, disputes and complaints, and put the split in writing.

See which BaaS providers and sites ChatGPT and Google AI cite when a fintech founder asks who to build on.

Run the free Share of VoiceBook a call

Sources

  1. BaaS providers guide · Crassula, April 21, 2026Supports: Names and describes Unit, Treasury Prime, Synctera, Marqeta, Galileo, Stripe Treasury, Column, Griffin, ClearBank, Solaris and Swan as BaaS providers.
  2. Pathward named a 2026 Finovate Award finalist · Pathward, Aug. 18, 2026Supports: Pathward is one of six companies shortlisted for Best Banking as a Service Provider.
  3. Synapse signs deal with TabaPay, files for bankruptcy · Banking Dive, April 24, 2024Supports: Synapse, a BaaS startup, filed for bankruptcy in April 2024.
  4. The Synapse crisis reveals the urgent need for supervision of BaaS · Consumer Federation of America, July 8, 2024Supports: Tens of thousands of depositors affected by the Synapse failure.
  5. Enforcement action against Evolve Bancorp, Inc. and Evolve Bank and Trust (press release) · Federal Reserve Board, June 14, 2024Supports: The enforcement action over Evolve's fintech partnership risk management.

Related questions

Intrica helps fintech companies get found in Google and named in AI answers. Fintech SEO →