Chime

Free banking paid for by swipes: Chime charges members no monthly or overdraft fees and earns mostly when they spend, through the interchange fee merchants pay on each Chime debit or credit card purchase ($1.50B of 2025's $2.19B revenue). Because members route their paychecks to Chime, it can offer fee-free overdraft (SpotMe), pay advances (MyPay) and Instant Loans repaid first from the next deposit, which pushed platform-related revenue up 73% in 2025 and 48% in Q2 2026. Q2 2026 revenue was $670M (+27%) with 10.4M Active Members and a second straight GAAP profit, and in September 2026 Chime agreed to buy its partner bank, Stride, for $590M to own the bank behind the app.

Business Model Canvas
Chime
Research date: Oct 7, 2026
Evidence-backed · sources in companion brief

Key Partners

  • The Bancorp Bank and Stride Bank hold deposits (FACT).
  • Visa-branded debit and secured credit cards (FACT).
  • Partner banks under $10B, exempt from Durbin cap (FACT).
  • Buying Stride for $590M; close expected H1 2027 (FACT).
  • ATM / cash networks, Experian Boost, Atomic Invest (FACT).

Key Activities

  • Win direct deposits (primary account) (FACT).
  • Process swipes on in-house ChimeCore (FACT).
  • Underwrite advances off pay history (FACT).
  • MyPay $4.5B originated in Q2'26, 0.9% loss (FACT).
  • ~10% workforce cut announced Aug 2026 (FACT).

Key Resources

  • Primary account for most Active Members (FACT).
  • $133.7B Purchase Volume in 2025 (FACT).
  • ChimeCore processor + ledger (FACT).
  • $1.06B cash + securities at Jun 30, 2026 (FACT).
  • No branches; 45,000+ fee-free ATMs via networks (FACT).

Value Propositions

  • No monthly or overdraft fees (FACT).
  • Get Paid Early — up to 2 days (FACT).
  • SpotMe fee-free overdraft (FACT).
  • MyPay earned-wage advance (FACT).
  • Credit Builder — no fees, no interest (FACT).
  • Chime Prime cash back for $3K+ depositors (FACT).

Customer Relationships

  • App-first, self-serve (FACT).
  • Goal — primary account + direct deposit (FACT).
  • Prime members >2× average ARPAM (FACT).
  • SpotMe Boosts + Pay Anyone (FACT).
  • $75K+ earners fastest-growing (FACT).

Channels

  • Social, paid and product-led marketing (FACT).
  • Member referrals + bonuses (FACT).
  • Chime Workplace via employers (FACT).
  • Allied Universal + retailer — 350K+ staff (FACT).
  • App, Visa card, ATM + cash-deposit networks (FACT).

Customer Segments

  • Paycheck-to-paycheck U.S. consumers (FACT).
  • 10.4M Active Members, +20% (FACT).
  • $75K+ earners fastest-growing (FACT).
  • Employers via Chime Enterprise (FACT).
  • Checking + cards in all 50 states; MyPay and loans not yet everywhere (FACT).

Cost Structure

  • Cost of revenue $263M in 2025 (FACT).
  • Transaction + risk losses $407M (FACT).
  • Sales + marketing $635M (FACT).
  • 2025 net loss $1.01B, mostly IPO stock comp (FACT).
  • Q2'26 net income $28M (FACT).

Revenue Streams

  • Interchange — $1.50B in 2025, ~69% (FACT; share INFERENCE).
  • Platform-related $686M in 2025, +73% (FACT).
  • Q2'26 — $430M payments, $240M platform (FACT).
  • MyPay fees, OIT, ATM, loans, tips (FACT).
  • 2026 guide — $2.725–2.745B (FACT).
Sources: sec.gov/Archives/edgar · sec.gov/Archives/edgar · sec.gov/Archives/edgar · sec.gov/Archives/edgar · sec.gov/Archives/edgar
Not affiliated with Chime.
BMC · Osterwalder 9-block · Oct 7, 2026