By Ryan Weeks on Thursday 14 June 2018
The German digital bank will fully launch its premium product on June 19th.
Digital banking leader N26 will soon launch its premium account for all new and existing customers across Germany, Austria, France and Italy. On June 19th, customers will be able get their hands on a newly-designed version of the bank’s metal card. Previously, the premium account and card were available only to ‘selected customers’.
N26 is extremely pleased with the look and feel of the new card. You might think, from the company’s announcement, that it was unveiling a piece of fine jewellery, or a new sports car.
The card ‘showcases an all-metal stainless steel surface, complimented by precision laser engraving’. It is crafted ‘using N26’s signature minimalist design’. The ‘all-metal stainless steel front highlights the mechanically etched logos’. The card ‘weighs in at 18g, making it more than three times heavier than a regular plastic card’. And finally: ‘The new design and double-coated matte black finish gives the card a sleek look and refined touch.’
The bank has also provided some detail on what the card will actually do. ‘Metal’ membership (the name given to its premium accounts) gives users access to an exclusive partner programme, dedicated customer service, worldwide travel insurance and more.
Once launched, Metal users will be able to access market-leading exchange rates for card purchases and withdrawals abroad, while incurring no extra fees.
N26 Metal also features a partner programme, which can be personalised. The bank hopes to go ‘beyond financial services’ in this section of the app – a phrase often used in digital banking to refer to banks integrating with a range of non-financial, digital services. Examples of the services currently available to Metal users include WeWork, GetYourGuide and Babbel.
Metal users will also get ‘premium access’ to new N26 products. The first premium access opportunity will go live in a few weeks – and will help users ‘revolutionise their personal money management’.
N26 offers three different accounts to its customers: Standard, Black and Metal. The first is a free-to-use option, with all the usual neo-banking bells and whistles. The Black account is a paid-for package which includes, among other things, travel insurance and premium foreign exchange rates.
“N26 Metal is more than just a premium banking product, it's a membership program for today’s digital lifestyle,” said Valentin Stalf, CEO and founder of N26, in a statement. “We have seen overwhelming demand on our waiting list and are happy to officially start shipping cards next week.”
