Starling Bank has confirmed plans to open an office in Dublin as part of a broader European expansion strategy, with the digital lender applying for a full Irish banking licence through the Central Bank of Ireland. The move, which had been widely anticipated since Brexit curtailed UK-based banks' passporting rights, would allow Starling to offer its full suite of personal and business banking products across all 27 EU member states. The bank expects to begin onboarding Irish customers by early 2026 if regulatory approval proceeds on schedule.

Chief executive Raman Bhatia, who took over from founder Anne Boden in 2024, said the European push represents "the next logical step" for Starling after achieving sustained profitability in the UK. The bank reported pre-tax profits of £301 million for the year ending March 2025, up from £195 million the previous year, driven largely by its business banking division which now serves more than 500,000 SMEs. Starling plans to invest approximately £50 million in the Dublin operation over the next two years, creating around 200 jobs.

The expansion places Starling in direct competition with Revolut and N26, both of which already hold European banking licences and have established significant customer bases on the continent. Industry observers note that Starling's strength in business banking could be a key differentiator. "The European SME banking market is still underserved by digital players," said Marcus Sherwood, partner at Augmentum Fintech. "Starling has a proven playbook in the UK that could translate well to markets like Germany, France, and the Netherlands."