U.K. digital bank Starling announced plans to expand its banking-as-a-service (BaaS) solution.

Starling launched its BaaS offering, Starling as a Service, in the U.K. in 2018. The company currently has 25 BaaS customers, including Raisin, CurrencyCloud, Moneybox, and Vitesse.

Starling as a Service will expand to the European Union in the first half of this year. Specifically, Starling aims to bring the service to companies in France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Spain.

The BaaS offering will enable businesses to build their own embedded financial products. While the business client offers the financial product to its end customers, Starling handles all technical and regulatory details involved.

Starling CEO Anne Boden described the European markets as a “great fit” for Starling due to the region’s “thriving” fintech scene. “We have seen a consistent and growing demand for digital financial services, further accelerated by extended lockdowns and a shift in consumer behaviors in key European markets,” said Boden, “and it is clear that Starling can power new and exciting opportunities for businesses across Europe.”

Starling as a Service takes advantage of the embedded finance trend that has been building since last year. By leveraging third party fintech solutions, any business can itself become a fintech by offering financial services to its customers. In Starling’s case, Starling as a Service will enable businesses to provide savings and current accounts, digital wallets, data processing, and payment cards.

Today’s news comes after Starling scored $376 million in funding in March and acquired Fleet Mortgages in July of this year. Headquartered in London, and with offices in Southampton, Cardiff, and Dublin, Starling has amassed $922 million in funding since launching its digital bank in 2014.

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Source: https://finovate.com/starling-bank-expands-in-europe-with-b2b-banking-and-payments-services/