Black Banx is a digital banking platform launched in 2015 by German billionaire Michael Gastauer. By offering individuals and businesses financial services, it aims to reduce global financial exclusion and create a borderless system that allows money to flow freely for everyone no matter where they are. The fintech service currently has over 39 million customers and an operating market of 180 countries. Clients can create accounts in 28 FIAT and two cryptocurrencies, make international payments, use its real time 24/7 currency exchange, real time 24/7 crypto trading services and take advantage of interest bearing savings accounts in EUR, USD, GBP and JPY.
Michael Gastauer is venture capitalist and philanthropist specialising in financial technology. Gastauer has led Black Banx to become one of the fastest growing fintechs in the world. But Black Banx wasn’t the start of his career. By 24, he already had a Swiss Management firm under his belt, and within three years it was sold to a Swiss investment firm for CHF 16 million – a substantial achievement for someone in their early twenties. Moving on, Gastauer took Europe by storm by being one of the first to create an online payment system that offered global card acceptance payment processing solutions for the eCommerce industry. He led the business to consistent growth and profitability, reaching a $480 million valuation before being sold in 2008.
Technology
Black Banx’s focus is on evolving their scalable and cost-efficient infrastructure, centred around efficient IT systems and its virtual branch architecture. The company’s ability to develop key components of back-end infrastructure in-house gives them a competitive advantage and they can respond to customer feedback and make changes quickly thanks to dynamic technology. Black Banx is continuously making carefully targeted investments in technology to improve the scale and resilience of its core systems. High levels of information security are integral to its systems. As a result, its internal processes and controls are fully automated.
Culture
Black Banx values innovation, equality of opportunity and operational excellence highly. The Group is committed to, and involved in each of the countries in which they operate. They believe that success comes from their employees and culture, and that great people operating in a vibrant culture will produce optimal outcomes. The digital bank encourages strong teamwork amongst a highly talented workforce and is focused on coaching, excellence and retention. They also strive constantly to improve upon what they have already developed, redefining expectations, disrupting established practices and reinventing products and processes to ensure the bank remains at the cutting edge of fintech innovation. Opening up a world of opportunity, the company uses its unique expertise, capabilities, breadth and perspectives to open up new kinds of opportunities for customers.
Message from CEO Michael Gastauer
“We’re on a mission to redefine banking on a global scale. To make financial transactions easier, more user-friendly and more rewarding for everyone. Fairness and accessibility are inherent to all we do. We are committed to everyone, regardless of their nationality or industry, having equal access to efficient, instant banking solutions at a fair price. Our technology is reliable, safe and easy-to-use with the aim of making our customers’ lives easier and giving them optimal confidence in their banking. We aim to interact with our customers on the basis of total integrity and reliability – and that is mutual. The customer loyalty and longevity we have established is testament to this.”
Sustainability
Three years ago, Black Banx laid out a new approach in response to the climate crisis. The digital bank set out an ambition to become net zero by 2030, across all of its direct and indirect emissions, and committed itself to aligning all business activities with the goals and timelines of the Paris Agreement. A crucial Black Banx aim is to be thoughtful and transparent in the way they address the climate challenge and to be accountable for progress.
Workforce
Black Banx thinks that optimal customer service is provided by teams who understand local market dynamics and therefore pride themselves in hiring local teams in each of its operating markets to ensure that they are closely involved in all countries where they operate. It has a current global workforce of more than 5,981 employees and is a well diversified mix of different races and different genders working for the company around the globe. Despite its already extremely diverse workforce, Black Banx are aiming to increase to 8,000 employees and diversify further with a minimum of 40% female and a growing proportion of females in leadership roles by the end of 2025.
Gastauer and his company are bringing together people, ideas and capital to nurture progress and growth, helping to create a better world – for their customers, people, shareholders, communities and the planet we all share.
