Valentin Stalf, the visionary founder and CEO of N26, is a prominent figure in the European fintech landscape. In 2013, Stalf co-founded N26 with his longtime friend Maximilian Tayenthal, driven by a shared vision to create a bank that people would love to use Under Stalf’s leadership, N26 has grown from a small startup to become Europe’s leading digital bank, serving millions of customers across 24 European markets.
Stalf’s entrepreneurial journey began before N26, as he worked as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Rocket Internet, where he helped develop several companies in the mobile payments industry. His experience in strategy consulting and investment banking, combined with a passion for solving problems through technology, led him to challenge the traditional banking sector.
N26 has achieved significant milestones under Stalf’s guidance, including launching the first fully digital bank accounts in Germany in 2015 and securing a full banking license from the European Central Bank in 2016. The company now processes over 130 billion EUR in transaction volume annually and employs a team of 1,500 professionals from more than 80 nationalities
Stalf’s vision extends beyond banking, as he remains actively engaged in the startup ecosystem as an investor and advisor across Europe. His leadership has propelled N26 to the forefront of fintech innovation, with recent ventures into crypto trading and plans for expansion into investments and savings products.
As of February 2025, Stalf continues to drive N26’s growth and innovation, recently discussing the rebound in fintech valuations on CNBC. His insights and leadership in the rapidly evolving fintech space make him a key figure to watch in the industry.