Moneybase review
Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Moneybase suits readers who want one clear licence and EU deposit cover of EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 on the balance they spend. The trade-off is that an e-money permission, e money, is not a bank licence like Varo's, so treat the balance as a spending wallet rather than a savings account.
Key facts
- Best for
- A spending balance with EU deposit guarantee cover and one named regulator to check.
- Licence type
- E money↗
- Deposit protection
- EU DGS up to EUR 100,000↗
- Legal entity
- MONEYBASE LIMITED↗
- Headquarters
- Malta↗
- Official website
- moneybase.com
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 1 source
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App Store
Pros and cons
Pros
- Balances sit behind EU deposit guarantee cover of EU DGS up to EUR 100,000.
- One readable structure: MONEYBASE LIMITED in Malta, registered as PSD_EMI MT_MFSA!MNB.
- The licence type is easy to place against rivals: Varo is a bank, Wise a payment institution, Moneybase is e money.
Cons
- An e-money permission, e money, is not a bank licence, so the balance leans on the EU guarantee of EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 rather than a bank regime.
- UK readers get a euro guarantee, EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, not the FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind Starling.
- The account rests on a single permission, e money on entry PSD_EMI MT_MFSA!MNB, where a bank licence such as Varo's bank carries a different regime.
Who it suits
- Readers who want EU deposit guarantee cover, EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, on what they spend.
- People who read the register first: the entity is MONEYBASE LIMITED and the permission is e money.
- Readers weighing e-money accounts against bank and payment institution alternatives side by side.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs a bank licence: Varo is a bank institution, while Moneybase holds e money.
- People who want a UK scheme behind their money, such as the FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind Starling.
- Readers set on a payment institution structure: Wise is a payment institution.
How Moneybase compares
Where Moneybase is available
- Available
- Malta
- Licence in Malta
- MT_MFSA (PSD_EMI MT_MFSA!MNB), checked September 26, 2026, also valid in Malta
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is my money protected if I keep a balance with Moneybase?+
Yes, up to the limit the scheme sets. The recorded deposit protection for Moneybase is EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, so the EU guarantee stands behind the balance you hold. That cover applies to funds held at an e-money institution, which is a different job from the cover a bank deposit carries.
Who actually runs Moneybase?+
The account sits with MONEYBASE LIMITED, registered in Malta. That matters when you compare brands, because the name on the register is the entity holding your money, and the same name is attached to licence PSD_EMI MT_MFSA!MNB.
What kind of licence does Moneybase hold?+
It is an e-money licence, recorded as e money, supervised by the Malta regulator MT_MFSA. An e-money permission lets a firm hold customer funds and issue payment accounts, which is a different job from running a bank and it changes who stands behind your balance.
How does Moneybase's deposit cover compare with Starling's?+
The two schemes differ. Moneybase's cover is EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, while Starling's personal account and debit card sit under FSCS up to GBP 85,000. One is a euro guarantee and the other a sterling guarantee, so the useful question is which one your home regulator stands behind.
How does an e-money account differ from a bank account for my money?+
A bank licence puts deposits under a bank regime, and Varo holds a bank. Moneybase's e money permission covers holding funds and issuing payment accounts, with the deposit guarantee as the backstop, so weigh the two structures before moving a large balance.
How does Moneybase compare with Wise on licence type?+
They sit in different categories. Wise is recorded as a payment institution, while Moneybase is an e-money institution, e money. A payment institution is chartered for payment services, so if the kind of permission behind the account matters to you, this is a direct comparison to make.
Which regulator supervises Moneybase?+
Oversight sits in Malta with the regulator MT_MFSA. The register entry is PSD_EMI MT_MFSA!MNB, and the entity behind the account is MONEYBASE LIMITED, registered in Malta. That trio is worth checking first: a named authority, a named company and a licence type you can compare with rivals.
Sources
- euclid.eba.europa.eu/register/downloads/PSDMD/20260926/do... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Deposit protection, Headquarters, Legal entity, Licence type, Licences
“EntityCode=MT_MFSA!MNB; EntityType=PSD_EMI; ENT_NAM=MONEYBASE LIMITED”
Compiled from 1 source page, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Monthly fee, Currency conversion fee, Currencies.
Related by the facts
Moneybase
A spending balance with EU deposit guarantee cover and one named regulator to check.