Hellobank Store

What Hellobank Store does

Hello bank! is the digital-only mobile banking brand of BNP Paribas Fortis SA-NV, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It serves Belgian retail consumers and, increasingly, self-employed professionals through a mobile-first online banking platform with no proprietary physical branches. The offering centers on a free all-in payment account paired with a Bancontact-Visa Debit card, and extends across savings accounts (Savings, Boost, Savings Account Plus), a Hello Credit Card, mortgages, instalment loans, and insurance products (Digital Protect device insurance, Top Habitation home insurance, outstanding balance insurance). The company reports 500,000+ active mobile and connected members as of 2024 and operates as a direct-to-consumer business with in-person support available via the parent's BNP Paribas Fortis branch network.

The technology platform comprises native iOS and Android applications plus Easy Banking Web for desktop access, integrating contactless NFC payments, QR code-based peer transfers, instant payment processing, and real-time 24/7 account management. Proprietary functionality includes Instant Money Transfer (EUR 0.60 per transfer, EUR 5,000 daily limit, executed in seconds), QR Code Payment, Budget Analysis with 12-month history, and Easy Cashback powered by PayLead. The platform also offers multi-bank account aggregation from KBC, Belfius, and ING, biometric authentication via itsme, and integrations with Wero (EPI), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Garmin Pay, Payconiq, Zoomit (bill payment), De Lijn and SNCB (transit), Monizze (meal vouchers), PayPal, and Joyn (loyalty).

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: subscription fees on the Hello Credit Card (EUR 2.25/month after a free first year, with 50% off for Hello4You members up to age 27), interchange on card transactions, interest on revolving credit balances, transaction fees (instant money transfers, non-EU cash withdrawals, currency conversions), and commission revenue from insurance products. Customer acquisition relies on digital marketing (website, Facebook, email newsletter, app stores) and the Hello Friends referral program paying EUR 25 per successful referral. BNP Paribas Fortis holds the underlying banking license and provides regulatory infrastructure, including PSD2-compliant APIs exposed via the BNP Paribas Fortis Developers Portal.

Name

Hellobank Store

Legal name

BNP Paribas Fortis SA-NV

Website

https://hellobank.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hello bank! is the digital-only mobile banking brand of BNP Paribas Fortis, serving 500,000+ Belgian retail and professional customers via app and web. It offers free payment accounts, cards, savings, mortgages, loans, and insurance under BNP Paribas Fortis's banking license.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Retail Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022)

akta.pro primary industry

Embedded Deposit Accounts & Digital Wallet Infrastructure (FSAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

QR Code Payments Wallets (FSAMAEAC), Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG)

Keywords

• Digital retail banking
• Mobile payment solutions
• Consumer lending products
• Savings account services
• Online banking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Credit Card Operations: Monthly fees on Hello credit cards (EUR 2.25/month after free first year), interchange fees on card transactions, and interest on revolving credit balances.
2. Payment Processing: Fees for specific transaction types including instant money transfers (EUR 0.60), cash withdrawals abroad outside EU, and certain payment account usages.
3. Insurance Products: Commission revenue from insurance products including Digital Protect device insurance, Top Habitation home insurance, and outstanding balance insurance for mortgages and loans.
4. International Transaction Fees: Fees for currency conversions, card usage outside Europe, and international transfers outside the SEPA zone.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hello bank! operates as a digital-only mobile banking brand of BNP Paribas Fortis, delivering a free all-in payment account paired with a Bancontact-Visa Debit card through iOS/Android apps and Easy Banking Web. The product portfolio spans credit cards, regulated savings accounts, mortgages, instalment loans, basic investment access, and device/home/payment protection insurance. Mobile payment integrations (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Garmin Pay, Wero, Payconiq), instant EUR transfers, QR-code peer payments, multi-bank account aggregation, cashback rewards, and Zoomit bill payment round out the consumer offering.

Product overview

Hello bank! is the digital banking brand of BNP Paribas Fortis, offering a comprehensive suite of online banking products and services. The core offering centers on the Hello bank! mobile app paired with a free all-in payment account and Bancontact-Visa Debit card. The product portfolio spans payment solutions including Wero, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Garmin Pay; savings products including Savings Account, Boost Savings Account, and Savings Account Plus; credit offerings with Hello Credit Card and instalment loans; and home financing through mortgages. Additional services include Zoomit for bill payments, Easy Cashback for automatic rewards, Budget Analysis for expense tracking, Digital Protect device insurance, home insurance, and outstanding balance insurance. The platform integrates with external services for transit cards (De Lijn, SNCB), meal vouchers (Monizze), PayPal, and offers account aggregation from KBC, Belfius, and ING banks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hello4You: A banking product/service tier offered by Hello bank! for younger customers (up to age 27) with discounted credit card rates.
• Hello Pack

Products and services

• Free All-in Payment Account No-monthly-fee payment account with a Bancontact-Visa Debit card for secure payments worldwide, app access, basic transfers, and customer support, targeted at Belgian residents aged 18+.
• Hello bank! Mobile App Mobile banking application available 24/7 for managing daily banking operations including payments, transfers, card management, budget analysis, biometric authentication, and multi-bank account aggregation.
• Hello Credit Card - VISA Credit card with a free refund period for expenses, priced at EUR 2.25 per month (free for the first year, 50% off for Hello4You members up to age 27), subject to application acceptance.
• Wero Mobile wallet and instant account-to-account payment solution enabling free money transfers in roughly 10 seconds via QR codes or contact lists, with cross-border payments to France and Germany already integrated.
• Apple Pay Mobile payment service integrated with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac for contactless payments in stores, apps, and websites via Touch ID or Face ID authentication.
• Google Pay Mobile payment service for Android devices enabling contactless payments with Hello bank! debit and credit cards using SMS verification.
• Garmin Pay Mobile payment service for Garmin smartwatches allowing payments with up to 10 stored payment cards using PIN authentication.
• Savings Account Regulated Belgian savings account with a base interest rate paid annually and a loyalty premium paid quarterly.
• Boost Savings Account Savings account offering potentially higher interest rates for new deposits.
• Savings Account Plus Savings account with enhanced interest rates and additional features.
• Investing for Beginners Investment guidance and tools designed for customers new to investing.
• Mortgage Home loan products for purchasing or refinancing residential property.
• Instalment Loans Personal loans for financing purchases or consolidating debt with fixed monthly repayments.
• Zoomit Bill Payment Free bill payment service in the Hello bank! app that processes bills, credit notes, and payslips with pre-completed European transfers.
• Digital Protect Device Insurance Insurance covering laptops, hand-held devices, image/video equipment, and mobile phones against damage and theft.
• Top Habitation Home Insurance Home insurance policy covering property damage, theft, and related risks with 24/7 Teleclaims service.
• Outstanding Balance Insurance Payment protection insurance that reimburses housing credit or instalment loan balances in case of death.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ active mobile banking members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• European Payments Initiative (EPI) - WerocoreTechnology or Integration · 19 November 2024Wero is a mobile wallet and instant account-to-account payment solution launched by European Payments Initiative. Hello bank! customers can send and receive money via QR codes or contact lists for free, with cross-border payments to France and Germany already integrated. Netherlands and Luxembourg will follow, and Payconiq will be replaced by Wero by 2025.
• KBC, Belfius, INGcoreTechnology or IntegrationAccount aggregation partnerships allowing Hello bank! customers to add accounts from these Belgian banks to view balances and transactions within the Hello bank! app, providing unified banking overview.
• itsmecoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital identity partnership enabling customers to log in to Easy Banking Web and authorize transactions using the itsme app instead of card reader, simplifying authentication for transfers over EUR 5,000.
• Apple PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile payment integration allowing Hello bank! debit and credit card holders to make payments in stores, apps, and websites using Apple devices with Touch ID or Face ID authentication.
• Google PaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile payment integration allowing Hello bank! debit and credit card holders to make contactless payments using Android devices with SMS verification.
• PayLead (Easy Cashback)coreTechnology or IntegrationCashback rewards partnership powering the Easy Cashback feature. Automatically earns refunds when paying with Bancontact-Visa Debit card at partner merchants, credited monthly to customer accounts.
• Payconiq by BancontactcoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile payment solution for peer-to-peer payments, QR code scanning, and in-store payments. Free for Hello bank! customers, replacing traditional payment methods. Will be replaced by Wero by 2025.
• BNP Paribas FortiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and brand owner. Hello bank! is the digital-only mobile banking brand of BNP Paribas Fortis, utilizing its banking infrastructure, regulatory licenses, customer support (Hello Team), and branch network for in-person services. Part of the BNP Paribas Group.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Aion Bank: Belgian-licensed digital bank offering mobile-only banking, savings, and lending products. Comparable as a smaller, Belgium-focused digital bank competing for the same digital-first consumer niche.

Broad incumbents

• Belfius Bank: Belgian incumbent bank offering retail and commercial banking with significant digital investment. Comparable as one of the four predominant Belgian banks competing for the same digitally-active consumer base.
• ING Belgium: Belgian arm of ING Group with a well-developed mobile banking app and full retail product range. Comparable as another top-four Belgian incumbent with established digital capabilities targeting similar customers.
• KBC Bank: Belgian incumbent bank with a strong KBC Mobile app and broad retail banking, lending, and insurance offerings. Comparable as the primary Belgian competitor with mature digital channels serving the same consumer segment.
• Argenta: Belgian retail bank offering savings, mortgages, and payment accounts with an increasingly digital channel mix. Comparable as a Belgian bank with a value-oriented positioning overlapping Hello bank!'s free-account value proposition.

Direct peers

• Bunq: Dutch mobile-first bank offering free and premium accounts, IBAN services, instant payments, and multi-currency cards. Comparable as a branchless digital bank with subscription pricing tiers and a focus on tech-savvy European consumers.
• N26: Berlin-based mobile-first digital bank operating across Europe with free payment accounts, savings, and credit products. Comparable as a pan-European digital bank with no physical branches targeting digitally-native consumers.
• Revolut: UK-headquartered digital bank with active Belgian presence offering multi-currency accounts, cards, instant transfers, and budgeting tools. Comparable as a mobile-first European challenger bank with strong app-centric UX.
• Nickel: French-originated digital banking service (now under BNP Paribas ownership) offering basic payment accounts via retail-agent distribution. Comparable as a no-frills digital banking service owned by BNP Paribas, with an alternative distribution approach.
• Keytrade Bank: Belgian online-only bank offering payment accounts, savings, investments, and credit cards through digital channels. Most directly comparable Belgian competitor with a similar branchless, digitally-focused model serving self-directed consumers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HellobankBelgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Hellobank Store