My Big Idea: Fully automated bank myTU

‍myTU is a different kind of digital bank. We’re fully automated, AI-native, and cloud-first. myTU financial services for businesses and individuals are super secure, intelligent, and affordable. myTU is the bank for anyone, and we’re a real alternative for people who want or need to bypass their local banking system for whatever reason.

What does the market need it?

Digital banks are everywhere in 2026, but not all digital banks are created equal. The market needs a user-friendly digital bank that’s in step with the most sophisticated technology, which is to say fully automated, AI-native, and cloud-first. myTU is that bank, and we offer great exchange rates, rapid transfers, a fully mobile experience, and a robust set of APIs that let businesses tailor custom integrations to their operational needs. Our clients create and sign payment orders directly within internal systems, eliminating the need for manual input. We provide parents with monitored accounts for kids. Other digital banks can’t match myTU’s range of individual and business services at this level of technological sophistication. At base, we consider myTU less of a bank, per se, and more of a living financial ecosystem powered by AI and cloud-first thinking.

Where is the business today?

We’re in a really strong place looking further into 2026. Last year, we joined MasterCard as a principal member, secured acquiring licenses with both Visa and Mastercard, introduced Google Pay and Apple Pay, and launched SEPA direct debit. In short, we spent 2025 bolstering our position across global financial services and expanding accessibility. The company is now shifting from “building the foundation” to redefining the user experience through borderless connectivity and AI-native banking.

On the connectivity side, we’re currently integrating Visa Direct, Mastercard Cross-Border, and Visa B2B Connect. This isn't just about 'more logos'; it’s about velocity. We’re turning myTU into an essential global highway where cross-border transfers are instantaneous and frictionless for our clients.

But what really sets us apart is our AI-native approach. Internally, we’ve built a data-aware AI assistant that synthesizes complex databases, technical SEPA logs, and AML patterns so our team can focus on high-level decisions rather than manual data retrieval.

We’re also bringing AI to the user to close the usability gap. For audiences like children or the elderly who find banking apps daunting, we’re developing a voice-first, 'no-button' mode. You don't navigate menus; you just speak to send money or find a payment. It’s a concrete example of how we’re removing the friction of digital finance to make myTU truly universal.

What made you think there was money in this?

I spent 25 years in finance before co-founding myTU, and I had a front row seat to the rise of fintech. Envisioning a transformative bank was relatively easy, especially once trailblazers like Revolut began to succeed. Nevertheless, a vast segment of the European market remained obviously untapped. I knew that the niche sector of “mobile” customers weren’t being served, and we decided to pursue them. My co-founder Tomas Navickas complemented my industry know-how with serious technological prowess, and investors followed.

What's your biggest strength?

We weren’t first to this space. By watching companies like Revolut scale, we learned where the gaps were. Compared to us, the major European digital banks have bottomless resources and massive teams. We were lean to begin with, and in time we learned to view this as a strength. It bred efficiency and made us nimble. We stayed lean to achieve self-sustainability rapidly. Our nimbleness has been our competitive edge ever since.

What is the secret to making the business work?

There is no secret. Or if there is, then the secret is work. We’re meticulous about regulations and compliance. We’re obsessive about every byte of data and every interface because we want banking to feel invisible and intuitive. Our goal is for myTU to run quietly in the background of millions of people’s lives, powering billions in transactions while feeling effortless and almost magical.

How do you market the company?

Our marketing is less about shouting for attention and more about surgical precision and efficiency. We achieve customer acquisition costs that are 10x lower than traditional banks by constantly refining our digital strategies and testing different demographics and regions.

But acquiring a user is only half the battle. We focus heavily on maximizing lifetime value. We focus on making banking universal by removing friction for daunting segments, such as the elderly or children, through innovations like a "voice-first" mode which we’re developing right now.

What funding do you have? Is it enough?

A portion of our revenue comes from the business itself, but funding is also a critical part of our landscape. Last March, we closed an €10M Series A round, which boosted our value to over €35M. We have an excellent runway, and we’re growing at a very sustainable pace.

We’re currently laying the groundwork for our Series B, targeting €20-25M. Our goal is to have this closed by the end of 2026.

Why now? We’ve reached a point where we’re ready to hit the gas. These funds are specifically earmarked for two things: scaling our reach: aggressively bringing in new retail and business clients, leveling up - increasing our regulatory capital as we move toward securing our full banking license.

In short: We have the stability to keep doing what we’re doing, but this next round is about evolving from a fast-growing startup into a fully licensed financial institution.

Tell us about the business model

On the business side, we make money though multiple transaction- and volume-based revenue streams. We charge fees and commissions on core payment services such as account opening, instant transfers, and business cards. We also attach reasonable fees to advanced infrastructure products like API-based pay-ins and payouts built on SEPA Instant, SEPA Direct Debit, and global remittances. We generate additional revenue from our embedded banking solutions. On the individual user side, we net revenue from top-ups, withdrawals, and a monthly card service fee.

What were you doing before?

I always say that before I was in finance. I’ve spent my entire professional life in this industry. Most of this period was necessarily spent in traditional finance, and I’m grateful for that. Those years in the banking sector provided the perfect vantage point to see that starting a company like myTU was even possible.

Are there any technologies you've found useful?

Our entire philosophy is built on the idea that a lean, nimble team can outperform a massive institution if they have the right technological leverage.

Specifically, the Google Cloud Platform is the backbone of our operations. We host our entire infrastructure there for just €1,000 per month, which is a fraction of the cost of traditional setups. Within that ecosystem, we utilize several tools such as Vertex AI, Gemini, Cloud Spanner, Google Flutter and more.

We’ve recently rolled out AIA, myTU’s new internal AI assistant designed to act like a data-aware co-worker, giving employees instant access to real-time company information. It can search client records, explain payment issues, analyze transaction patterns, and generate reports across teams - from compliance and support to executives and marketing - helping turn complex data into quick insights. The tool is meant to speed up work, not replace human judgment, with staff expected to verify critical outputs and retain full decision-making authority.

As we grow to a million customers, AI will allow us to operate with just 5 additional employees, whereas a traditional setup would require 150.

Beyond Google, we’re integrating Visa and Mastercard high-velocity integration technologies for cross-border transfers to turn myTU into a global highway where cross-border transfers are instantaneous. We also integrate with several companies to enable customers to make international transfers using stablecoins. We aren't just building a bank; we’re building a living financial ecosystem powered by automation.

What is the future vision?

Automation is at the center of our current work and future vision. We’re integrating automation and AI to improve efficiency, scalability, and operational reliability. Automation touches all of our key focus areas: international money transfers, corporate payment card programs, and a comprehensive suite of payment services for both businesses and retail customers. It supports efficient scaling, robust risk management, and continued cost effectiveness. We’re always looking to improve that automation.

Ultimately we want to obtain a banking license that will enable us to accept deposits and significantly expand our lending capabilities. Our overall financial services offering will one day include everything our customers need, wherever they are in the world. Such a license would be a key enabler for scalable, cross-border growth.

We’re already recognized as a trusted, technology-driven financial institution. In the future, we want an even stronger foundation for international expansion and sustainable long-term growth.

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