What Tinaba does

Tinaba is a Milan-based Italian fintech founded in 2015 and operated as the digital banking technology platform for Banca Profilo S.p.A., an Italian private bank established in 1988. Tinaba delivers a mobile-first neobanking experience via iOS, Android, and Huawei AppGallery apps, serving Italian retail consumers, Italian travelers to China and other markets, merchants, and minors aged 12+. Core products include a free Start current account with Italian IBAN, a reloadable prepaid Mastercard, a paid Premium tier with reduced commissions, and integrated modules spanning savings (piggy bank, time deposits up to 3%), roboadvisor investing, securities accounts, cryptocurrency with tax reporting, and collaborative money features (Groups, Gift Cards, Raccogli Soldi). Additional services include business accounts, a charity e-shop (WISHOPe), and an Investiamo financial education platform (5M+ views, 100K+ YouTube subscribers) delivered with ICE SDA Bocconi.

The platform's technical foundation is a multi-currency digital banking infrastructure centered on a flagship integration with Alipay+, enabling Italian users to scan QR codes and pay in euros with transparent exchange rates at over 80 million merchants across China and other countries. The integration extends across Apple Pay, Google Pay, and American Express card issuance, with a planned rollout of the Alipay+ Voyager AI travel companion for trip planning.

Tinaba generates revenue through a freemium subscription model (free Start tier; paid Premium), transaction fees on payments and transfers, roboadvisor and securities account service charges, and ancillary services such as crypto tax reports. Go-to-market is product-led via app-store distribution and an ambassador referral program offering up to €60 per referral, supplemented by promotional cashback (school fees, deposits, Alipay+ usage), educational content marketing, and partnerships with SiVola (travel), WISHOPe (charity), and American Express. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding rounds, operating instead as a captive technology outsourcer to its parent bank.

Name

Tinaba

Legal name

Tinaba S.p.A.

Website

https://bancaprofilo.tinaba.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tinaba is a Milan-based Italian neobank operated by Banca Profilo, offering a mobile-first banking app with IBAN, prepaid card, savings, investments, crypto, and Alipay+ QR-code payments at 80M+ merchants for Italian consumers and travelers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Banking / Neobank

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Platforms (BPAMAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border A2A & Bank Transfer Networks (FSAMAIAF), Digital Wallet Infrastructure (Tokenization, Wallet-as-a-Service) (FSAMAEAI), Alternative Payment Methods (APM) Enablement (Wallets, A2A, Local Rails) (FSAGABAJ)

Keywords

• Digital banking services
• Mobile payment solutions
• Personal finance management
• Investment and crypto trading
• International money transfers

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription - Premium Tier: Premium subscription tier offering unlimited functionality, reserved services, discounts, and reduced commissions. Premium membership provides enhanced features over the free Start tier.
2. Transaction Fees: Fees associated with payment transactions, international transfers, and specific banking operations within the platform.
3. Premium Membership Discounts: Premium subscribers receive reduced commissions and discounts, generating revenue through tighter fee structures on high-volume users.
4. Roboadvisor and Investment Services: Cashback promotions (150€) for activating PAC (periodic investment plan) through Roboadvisor, generating revenue from investment service fees.
5. Crypto Report Services: Crypto tax report service (Report Fiscale Cripto) sold to users for cryptocurrency declaration assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tinaba is an Italian mobile-first digital banking platform that combines current accounts (Start, Premium, and Under18 tiers), a prepaid Mastercard, peer-to-peer and group money transfers, gift cards, time deposits, roboadvisor portfolios, a securities account, crypto trading, and Alipay+ cross-border QR payments for use in China. The service is operated by Banca Profilo S.p.A. under a platform-outsourcing model, targeting individual Italian consumers, minors aged 12–17, and merchants/organizations through a fully digital, branchless experience.

Product overview

Tinaba is a digital banking platform and neobank offered by Banca Profilo, providing a comprehensive suite of financial services through a mobile app. The platform operates on a multi-tier subscription model (Start, Premium, Under18) and integrates banking, payments, savings, and investment services. Core offerings include current accounts with Italian IBAN, prepaid cards, international payments via Alipay+ integration, savings tools (piggy bank, time deposits up to 3%, robo-advisor, securities accounts, cryptocurrency), and collaborative money features for shared expenses. Additional services include business accounts, charity platforms (WISHOPe), and financial education initiatives including a partnership with ICE SDA Bocconi. The platform differentiates through global payment partnerships, particularly with Alipay+ enabling payments at over 80 million merchants in China and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Start Current Account (Piano Start) Free mobile-first current account (Start tier) for Italian consumers, providing an IBAN, prepaid Mastercard, P2P and group transfers, gift cards, and access to Tinaba savings and investment products. Targets everyday digital banking for users who do not need Premium benefits.
• Premium Current Account (Piano Premium) Paid subscription upgrade to the Tinaba current account offering Premium benefits including reduced commissions on transfers and trading, advanced features, and preferential pricing across the platform. Designed for active users who want better economics on payments, securities, and crypto.
• Under18 Account (Conto Minorenni) Dedicated banking account for Italian minors aged 12–17, opened with a parent/guardian, pairing a prepaid card and basic payments with structured financial education (Investiamo blog, Bocconi-affiliated course). Targets families seeking a first regulated account for their children.
• Tinaba Prepaid Mastercard (Carta) Reloadable prepaid Mastercard linked to the Tinaba current account for in-store, online, and contactless payments, with top-up from the Tinaba balance and multi-currency support.
• Time Deposit (Conto Deposito) Interest-bearing time deposit account accessible from the Tinaba app, advertised with returns up to 3% for users parking funds in a regulated, Banca Profilo-backed deposit product.
• Roboadvisor (Investimenti / Portafoglio automatico) Automated investment portfolio service offered inside the Tinaba app, enabling users to invest in diversified portfolios without a separate broker relationship. Targeted at consumers looking for hands-off investing from the same app they use for banking.
• Securities Account (Conto Titoli) Regulated securities trading account that lets Tinaba users buy and sell listed securities directly from the mobile app, with reduced commissions available to Premium subscribers.
• Crypto Service (Cripto) Crypto trading service built into the Tinaba app that lets users buy and sell cryptocurrencies from the same interface they use for banking and securities, regulated through the Banca Profilo partnership.
• Tinaba Transfers (Trasferimenti) P2P and group money-transfer service within the Tinaba app, supporting peer transfers, shared groups, piggy-bank goals, and money collections for friends and communities.
• Tinaba Gift Card (Gift Card / Carte Regalo) Digital monetary gift-card product within the Tinaba app, letting users send and redeem funds as gifts via the platform.
• Global Payments / Alipay+ Integration (Pagamenti Mondiali) Cross-border payment service using the Alipay+ QR-code rail so Tinaba users can convert EUR to CNY and pay Chinese merchants directly from the app, with multi-currency support and the Voyager AI travel companion for in-trip support.
• Tinaba Business Account & Merchant Services Business and merchant banking offering served via a dedicated business.tinaba.it portal, providing organizational accounts, QR-code payment acceptance, and payouts for Italian merchants, charities, and small organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 133% transaction volume growth through Alipay+ in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Alipay+flagshipTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Partnership initiated in 2018 enabling Tinaba users to pay via QR code at Alipay+ partner merchants worldwide. Currently enables payments at 80+ million merchants across China and multiple countries. First Italian fintech to enable euro-based payments across Alipay+ network. Transaction volume grew 133% in 2025. Planned integration of Alipay+ Voyager AI travel companion.
• Banca ProfiloflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanca Profilo is the parent banking institution providing the regulatory framework, banking license, and financial infrastructure for Tinaba services. Tinaba operates as the digital banking platform for Banca Profilo, providing technology and user experience while Banca Profilo provides banking services and compliance.
• ICE SDA BocconicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership creating the 'Digital Finance: Neobanks and FinTech Technologies' online course through ICE SDA Bocconi. Course covers Fintech, Blockchain, Crypto, and AI topics, positioning Tinaba as a fintech education leader in Italy.
• SiVolaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTour operator partnership providing Tinaba customers with exclusive benefits and discounts on travel bookings. Gift Card SiVola promotion offering 50€ gift cards for travel.
• WISHOPeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable e-shop initiative enabling users to make real gifts directly to people in need. First e-shop for true gifting to those who need it. Tinaba provides payment infrastructure for the platform.
• American ExpresscoreTechnology or IntegrationTinaba users can request American Express cards through the app, expanding payment options available to customers with Amex acceptance at global merchants.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Illimity Bank: Italian challenger bank providing digital current accounts, payments, and investment services to retail and SME customers. Comparable in offering a digital-first banking experience through a licensed Italian bank, similar to the Tinaba/Banca Profilo model.
• Revolut: UK-headquartered global neobank offering multi-currency accounts, payments, savings, investments, and crypto to consumers across Europe including Italy. Directly competes with Tinaba for Italian digital banking customers and is far better capitalised.
• N26: Berlin-based European neobank with a strong Italian consumer base offering mobile-first current accounts, payments, and savings. Direct competitor in the Italian digital banking segment served by Tinaba.
• HYPE: Italian neobank (originally by Banca Sella) offering mobile current accounts, payments, and savings to Italian consumers. Most direct local competitor given shared domestic focus, freemium tiers, and Italian IBAN positioning.
• Satispay: Italian mobile payment platform widely adopted for peer-to-peer and merchant payments in Italy. Competes with Tinaba on consumer payment habits and merchant acceptance, though without full banking services.
• Flowe: Italian neobank by Banca Mediolanum targeting younger consumers with sustainability-themed digital banking, savings, and payments. Competes with Tinaba for the same Italian millennial and Gen Z customer base, including education-focused positioning.
• BuddyBank: Mobile-first neobank launched by UniCredit for the Italian market, offering full current accounts, payments, and savings through an app. Direct competitor leveraging a large incumbent bank's license, similar in structure to Tinaba's Banca Profilo tie-up.

Emerging players

• Vivid Money: European neobank offering multi-currency accounts, payments, and investment features including cashback and savings products. Comparable product positioning to Tinaba's Premium tier and investment integrations, though active in different European markets.

Others

• Alipay+: Ant Group-operated global QR payment network that powers Tinaba's cross-border payment capability. Although a partner, it is also an ecosystem dependency and potential competitive risk if it deepens direct consumer offerings in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• bunq: Dutch-licensed European neobank offering multi-currency accounts and travel-friendly payments across multiple countries. Comparable to Tinaba on the international/traveler use case and app-led banking model, but at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TinabaOfficial
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmOdkb7KUseVSHDTYCM3gCg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TinabaOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10321271
• Instagraminstagram.com/tinaba_app

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tinaba