Nubank, also known as Nu, has expanded its international presence by formally commencing operations in the United States. Concurrently, the company launched the Nu Global service, a digital account that enables fee-free financial transactions in over 35 nations.
Entry into the American territory allows the company to offer its services to residents of the country. The Nu Account provides an annual yield of 3.5% on every deposited dollar, with this operation conducted in collaboration with Lead Bank, a financial institution guaranteed by the FDIC, which functions as a United States Credit Guarantee Fund.
Additionally, the Nu Account offers features for bill payments, local money transfers, and a credit card. The latter operates under the Mastercard brand, has no annual fee, and grants 1.5% unlimited cashback on all purchases. Nubank reported that customers will eventually be able to increase this cashback to 2% by meeting specific requirements, as well as raise the account yield to 4.5% per year upon achieving certain savings goals.
It is possible to make international transfers through the Nu Account without charges. However, currently, this functionality is limited to sending to Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, markets where Nubank is already established. The expansion of these transfers to other countries will be implemented in subsequent phases.
Users will have access to high returns on their accounts, a metallic credit card with unlimited cashback, in addition to fast domestic and international payments, all integrated into a single application with attractive design and recognized customer support.
Cristina Junqueira, co-founder and CEO of Nu US, represents the leadership of the American expansion. David Vélez, founder and CEO of Nu, explained that the concept of Nu Global arose from the need to simplify international financial management given the complexity of multiple applications, confusing exchange rates, and high fees faced by people with global lives.
It is important to note that the name 'Nubank' is not used in American operations, due to the absence of a full banking license in the US. Such a request was made in September 2025, receiving preliminary conditional approval in January 2026. Due to this status, the partnership with Lead Bank is necessary to operate.
With Nu Global, Nubank officially competes with services such as Nomad and Wise. Previously, the global account offering was limited to the Ultravioleta service package. The new service does not require the Ultravioleta account and differs by converting all deposits into digital dollars (USDC) or digital euros (EURC), offering yields of 3.5% and 2.2% per year, respectively.
Nu Global customers can also send or receive funds to more than 35 countries in Europe and Latin America. Nubank plans to directly integrate accounts in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States in the coming months. Furthermore, Nu Global accounts will allow trading of digital assets, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, and will grant a virtual Mastercard.