We launched in 2015 with the ambition to offer financial services to those without perfect credit scores or proof of address. Find out more about our backstory and just how Monese came to be!

Our story starts when our Founder and CEO Norris Koppel moved to the UK. The first thing on his to-do list was to open a bank account, so that he could receive his salary, rent a place to stay, set up his utility bills and manage his day-to-day spendings. The task was anything but simple. To open a bank account he needed proof of his address, local credit history, utility bills and countless other documents – but he couldn’t get any of these without having a bank account.

After being stuck in this frustrating loop, he vowed to fix it so that no one would ever have to go through the same painful experience again. He came up with the idea for Monese: an account that’s not just for those with perfect credit scores or the right set of utility bills. An account you can open instantly and use on your mobile, so you don’t lose access to your money every time you cross a border on a map. We launched in September 2015 as the UK’s first mobile app alternative to the banks.