Suggestions wanted: UK & US Accounts

We’re hard at work building Monzo for the US, but we know a number of you have UK accounts already. We don’t have all the details yet on when US accounts will be available to users with UK accounts already, but once this is live, you’ll be able to see both in-app.

What are your great ideas on how the two should work together?

Let us know what you think, and post your questions below. Once we have the answers, you’ll be the first to hear about it.



I recognise this might be difficult to achieve and it might not work for how everyone uses their accounts but it would be good to recognise that you have landed in the US (or the UK) and automagically switch you to a view of that account. Perhaps an option that could be toggled off if it’s annoying?


I’ll be moving to the states in the next few months - I think it goes without saying but easy and instant transfer between the accounts would be ideal.


I don’t have any requirement for a US account but would people like a combined summary showing everything across both accounts?


I’d love to be able to move funds from one to the other at the real exchange rate and without any “wire transfer” fees. :pray:


Access to both accounts within the same App is table stakes for me.
The ability to transfer money between the accounts at favorable exchange rates would be very nice.
The ability to automatically pay in the proper currency depending on the merchant/location of the transaction would be nice.
In conjunction with the above, automatically moving funds from one account to the other if there were insufficient funds in the appropriate currency would also be nice.
In general, the extent to which you can make the accounts work together seamlessly across borders (as if they weren’t in different currencies and different countries) is a huge differentiator from the big banks.


Can I ask what the barrier to offering the beta to US people with UK accounts is right now? I would love to have the beta, and would be happy just having both a US and UK app installed and separate accounts on both, treated as two separate accounts.

Cross account integration is nice and fancy and all that, but surely just getting the account first is a good first step.

As for future integration ideas, I echo the idea of transferring money between the two accounts at a nice exchange rate, as simply as transferring between a Monzo UK Individual and Joint account.

Also perhaps having one app with the US account being just another one in the drop down account selector.


I would prefer keeping things simple and separated. Separate summary, separate cards, with one-click switch between accounts. Slightly different interface for each account such that it’s easy to know which account I’m on.

Minimal integration between accounts including near-instant currency exchange at a good rate, but that’s not a priority.

Hi, I spend my time 50/50 :uk:/:us:.
I have a US bank account and I’d swap it for a US Monzo account the moment I can.

The Americans really love the Hot Coral card - almost every time I use it the server/cashier makes a comment about it. They are all excited about Monzo coming to America!

Firstly, I’d love to be able to see my US account together with my UK accounts and secondly I’d like to be able to transfer funds like I can with the TransferWise app.

I hope you don’t have to create a separate US app and your customers can manage all their accounts from one place. #keepitsimple

Thanks for reading my post. :grinning:


I think a second app will happen for US users. I would imagine its because Monzo will have to funnel info through their partner bank in order to operate the account properly.

If they’re looking for a quick launch it would be much easier to separate them for now and look to merge them later, not to mention the features we need that are useless to the US and vice versa that could end up with an extremely wieldy app.

I agree with @nathankunicki the important thing first is to have an account in US.
I don’t mind to have a separate app or to login with another email. The truth is while I’m in US I barely use my UK one unless I have to buy something online there…
yes, it would be nice to have them linked, but not a priority.

  • Same app (please no US app and UK app)
  • Able to easily switch among US and UK account
  • Quick and easy transfer between accounts, with a good rate (show the rate on a clear/transparent way)
  • Keep the pots isolated among US/UK
  • Create a simple view that show all your money on both/all accounts
  • Be able to report to IRS/FICO in the US and here in the UK
  • Be able to integrate with Mint in the US

I want to be able to store my U.K. pounds from monthly pension receipts at Monzo and have both a U.K. and US debit card so when in US I use the US card, and when in U.K. use the UK card (or one card for both currencies). The fees need to be lower and the conversion rate better For US transactions than my current bank can provide

I would love for US and UK accounts to operate similar to TransferWise or Revolut where I just have one account with multiple currencies, and when using the card, it intelligently pulls from whichever currency the transaction is in. If there’s not enough funds in that currency, it pulls from the other currency.

Barring that, one login with ways to switch between the US and UK accounts, features, and pots. But still showing the same set of friends and contacts for payments and transfers, and allowing transfer from one currency to the other.

I think a guiding principle for me is not having to think about what currency I’m in to perform the actions I need to be able to do (paying with the card, paying friends, bills etc.)


I agree with this! I’ve just moved to the US and waiting for my SS number to come through which is due when my work permit comes through which could take months… So to open a bank account a friend recco’d opening an HSBC acct in the UK before leaving bc HSBC will allow you to then open a US one without SS. This is true but it’s like they work as completely separate entities, separate app, separate customer care, separate terms, separate processes - e.g. to change the pin of my CC I need to go in the bank and fill out a form to request it, which then gets sent off - erm ok…
Same with AMEX - although it’s a little better.

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100% agree. I’m in the exact same boat the HSBC US is like a different account completely. Really wish I could use monzo out here.

Needless to say, transferring currency between US and UK accounts with no/minimal fee would be fantastic. Maybe a certain cap per month if required for free?

Ideally it would be managed in the same app and you can make transfers to and from each account in the same app.

How about when you request payments from another UK monzo user, when it lands you get to choose which account/currency it arrives in?

In any case can you just hurry up and let existing users open a beta US account because I miss Monzo a lot! The US is miles behind, and I want to get paid into my monzo account!

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As you certainly know, there are a lot of developments in your market space. A lot of European fin-tech companies want access to the US customer. N26 Bank is and Revolut USA will soon be available on the US market. Transferwise is also testing the waters here with their debit card product.

Local players such as Varo bank with its 2.8% dividend and Tmobile Money Bank with its 4% dividend are rather exciting, too. bank offers a very interesting product - combining a credit card rewards experience with a debit card experience-they offer a 4-tier account with the highest tier at 3% cash back on ALL purchases.
Chime and SoFi are well established on the US market and it will not be long before the big banks enter this field.
For world travelers and expatriates, Denizen Bank is trying to create a product that can be easily used here and abroad. It offers both a US account and an Euro account (with a Germany IBAN).

Classic brick-and-mortar banks such as TD bank and Charles Schwab reimburse all ATM fees worldwide and do not charge foreign transaction fees.

So, the competition is strong and each product needs to present a compelling advantage.

I am looking forward to having Monzo in the USA. I hope it will offer a competitive product for the US customer. I realize that a lot of the post here are from UK citizens, who are now in the US or plan to be here soon. Monzo can not create a prospering business here if it caters only to the UK expatriate community. To be successful, you will need to recruit local customers in high numbers.

A bank account that can be used worldwide with no foreign transaction fees, no ATM fees (at least on Monzo’s part), possible reimbursement of ATM fees (the fees of the ATM operator), European account numbers for the frequent traveler (not just in the UK, but also in at least one Eurozone country), ability to add the card to Apple and Android Pay, travel insurance, price protection would be great features.

I know it will be expensive to offer a product like this. So, there could be different account levels: free accounts, low monthly fee accounts and high monthly fee accounts offering different perks.

Good luck,

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The ability to have a US account when you hold a UK account would be good but at present requirement of UK account is live only in UK and requirement of US account is legal right to live and work in the US so can’t a customer in the US be legally able to have the UK account and the US account and a customer in the UK be legally able to have a UK account and a US account and easy transfers between the two accounts and in future if an account in Europe starts then a euro account should be available to all customers