Deblock

High-Level Overview

Deblock is a French fintech startup that builds a hybrid banking platform combining traditional euro accounts with non-custodial crypto wallets, enabling seamless payments, investments, and access to DeFi protocols.[1][3][4] It serves crypto-native users and everyday consumers across Europe, solving the problem of fragmented financial experiences by offering on-chain self-custody alongside fiat banking features like virtual/physical cards and cross-border payments.[1][2][3] Since launching in France in April 2024, Deblock has attracted over 300,000 customers and raised €30 million in Series A funding in November 2025 (plus prior seed funding), fueling rapid expansion into Germany and broader Europe with strengthened teams, product localization, and customer support.[1]

Origin Story

Deblock was founded by fintech veterans Aaron Beck (former COO at Revolut Bank), Adriana Restrepo (former Head of Crypto at Revolut), Jean Meyer (former Head of Engineering at Ledger), and Mario Eguiluz (former Head of Payments at Revolut), blending expertise from leading crypto and banking players.[1][4] The idea emerged from their experiences at Revolut and Ledger, aiming to create a unified account for fiat and crypto that ensures true user ownership through self-custody.[3][4] Early traction came quickly after its April 2024 France launch as an on-chain banking solution, securing €12 million in initial backing and growing to 300,000+ users; a £13.3 million seed round preceded the recent €30 million Series A led by Speedinvest.[1]

Core Differentiators

• Hybrid On-Chain Banking: Merges traditional euro banking (IBAN accounts, cards) with non-custodial crypto wallets for self-custody, DeFi access, and seamless fiat-crypto exchanges—unlike siloed neobanks or pure crypto apps.[1][3]
• Regulatory Strength: Holds EMI authorization from France's ACPR and MiCA license from AMF, enabling compliant EEA-wide operations with full banking license coverage.[1][2]
• Superior Transaction Experience: Integrates tools like Tapix for enriching millions of transactions with clean merchant names, logos, and categorization in under 30 days, boosting user trust via instant spend clarity across borders.[2]
• Scalable Growth Focus: Rapid customer acquisition (300k+ in 18 months) and tech stack supporting high-velocity payments, with investments in localization for markets like Germany.[1][2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Deblock rides the wave of crypto-fiat convergence accelerated by EU's MiCA regulation, which standardizes crypto assets and bridges traditional finance with blockchain.[1] Timing is ideal post-2024 crypto market recovery and regulatory clarity, amid rising demand for self-custodial tools amid hacks and custody risks (e.g., FTX fallout). Market forces like neobank competition (Revolut) and DeFi growth favor its hybrid model, positioning it to capture Europe's 100M+ crypto users while influencing the ecosystem through on-chain innovations that normalize crypto for daily banking.[1][3] By expanding from France, it challenges incumbents and pioneers "safest accounts" for true ownership.[4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Deblock's momentum—300k users, €42m+ total funding, and Germany launch—signals breakout potential as Europe's go-to hybrid bank.[1] Next steps include pan-EU rollout, enhanced DeFi integrations, and fiat product scaling (e.g., more card features), shaped by MiCA evolution and AI-driven transaction tools.[1][2] Its influence could grow by setting standards for self-custody banking, potentially onboarding millions as crypto mainstreams, evolving from startup to category leader in a €100B+ fintech market. This builds on its core promise: the world's safest account where users truly own their money.[4]