Starling's Engine roars, but will it be enough? 🤔🏦; Global Payments streamlines operations with $1.1B Heartland Payroll sale to Acrisure 😳💸

FinTech is Eating the World, 29 May

Hey Everyone,

Good morning & happy Thursday! Today we’re taking a deep dive into Starling Bank’s latest financials to see if Starling’s Engine will be enough to build a sustainable FinTech giant (diving deep into Starling’s 2025 annual report, breaking down the most important numbers, what they mean & what’s next + bonus deep dives into its biggest competitors Monzo & Revolut), and Global Payments that just streamlined operations with $1.1B Heartland Payroll sale (what it’s all about & why it matters + bonus reads on Global Payments & some priceless M&A resources). So let’s just jump straight into the interesting stuff 🌶️

Starling's Engine roars, but will it be enough? 🤔🏦

Following the money 🤑 Digital challenger Starling Bank just posted its FY2025 Annual Report. The 226-page report paints a picture of a bank with a potentially transformative B2B SaaS offering ("Engine") and a resilient, customer-praised UK digital bank, yet one heavily buffeted by the costly consequences of "legacy issues".

Let’s dive deeper into the British challenger’s latest financials and see whether Starling's innovative core can overcome serious headwinds to deliver sustainable, high-multiple growth, or if the turbulence is a more fundamental drag on its ambitions.