Wallets/fnb-app
FNB Banking App (First National Bank)
0 standards supported
Overview
First National Bank (FNB) is a flagship subsidiary of FirstRand Limited + one of South Africa's Big-4 banks [1, 2, za-cro]. 2025 baseline: 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets (2024) + FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app + FNB App named Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in South Africa 4 years in a row.
Distinctive FNB positioning [3, 4]:
- Flagship FirstRand Limited (JSE: FSR) subsidiary — distinctive South African banking-group structure
- 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets (2024)
- FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app — distinctive digital-first banking
- FNB App globally recognized: Named Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in South Africa 4 years in a row — distinctive SA digital banking leadership
- FNB eWallet (covered Batch 25) for SA mobile money
- Pan-African presence: ZA + BW + NA + SZ + LS + MZ + ZM + ZW + GH + IN + GB (11 countries)
- FirstRand also operates RMB (Rand Merchant Bank) + WesBank within group
History
1838 — Eastern Province Bank founded — FNB's oldest predecessor.
1888 — National Bank of the Orange River Colony founded.
1926 — Barclays National Bank formed via SA bank consolidations.
1987 — First National Bank (FNB) rebranded from Barclays National Bank post-Barclays SA withdrawal during apartheid era.
1998 — FirstRand Limited formed via merger of First National Bank Holdings + RMB Holdings + Momentum Life Holdings (Anglo American + Remgro Group consortium).
2011 — FNB Banking App launches.
2010s-2025 — FNB App globally recognized: Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in South Africa 4 years in a row [2, 4].
2025 — FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app + 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets [1, 3].
Ownership & operator
Operating entity: First National Bank (FNB) (FirstRand Limited subsidiary).
Parent: FirstRand Limited (JSE: FSR) — South African banking group.
Major shareholders (FirstRand): Remgro Group (Rupert family-controlled SA conglomerate; major shareholder ~34%) + Public Investment Corporation (PIC; SA state pension fund manager) + various South African institutional + JSE public float.
Regulators: SARB (South African Reserve Bank) + Prudential Authority + FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority) + per-country.
Technical integration
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Channels | FNB Banking App (iOS + Android; primary ZA retail-banking mobile channel; 8M+ users; 80% transactions via app) + FNB Online Banking + FNB cards (Visa + Mastercard; eBucks rewards) + FNB branch network + FNB eWallet (covered Batch 25 SA mobile money for unbanked) + FNB Connect (MVNO) |
| Identifiers | Phone + email + card number + South African ID |
| ZA rail | [[payshap]] (BankservAfrica PayShap national instant payment + South African instant rails) |
| License | Bank (FNB / FirstRand full South African banking license; SA Big-4 bank; R550B assets 2024) |
| Sub-products | FNB Account + FNB Cards + FNB Credit + FNB Home Loans + FNB Vehicle Loans (via WesBank sister) + FNB Investments + FNB Insurance + FNB Wealth + FNB for Business + eBucks (FNB loyalty) + FNB eWallet (SA mobile money for unbanked; covered Batch 25) + FNB Connect (MVNO) + RMB (Rand Merchant Bank; FirstRand investment-banking sister) + WesBank (FirstRand vehicle + asset finance sister) |
| Distinctive 4 years in a row Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in SA | |
| Distinctive 80% of transactions via FNB App |
Users & growth
- 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets (2024)
- FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app
- FNB App named Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in South Africa 4 years in a row
- South Africa Big-4 bank
- Pan-African presence: 11 countries
Use cases
South African + Pan-African (FirstRand Africa) retail + corporate + investment + insurance + home loans + vehicle loans (via WesBank) + investment banking (via RMB) via FNB Banking App + FNB Online + cards (with eBucks rewards) + branches + FNB eWallet (Batch 25 SA mobile money for unbanked) + FNB Connect (MVNO); PayShap national instant payment + South African instant rails; RMB (Rand Merchant Bank; FirstRand investment-banking sister) + WesBank (FirstRand vehicle + asset finance sister).
Implementations & partners
Operator: First National Bank (FNB) (FirstRand Limited subsidiary; FirstRand: JSE: FSR).
Major shareholders (FirstRand): Remgro Group (Rupert family-controlled SA conglomerate; major shareholder ~34%) + Public Investment Corporation (PIC; SA state pension fund manager) + South African institutional + JSE public float.
FirstRand sister entities: First National Bank (FNB) + RMB (Rand Merchant Bank; investment-banking) + WesBank (vehicle + asset finance) + Aldermore Bank (UK challenger bank acquired Mar 2018) + DirectAxis (consumer credit) + Ashburton Investments.
Major South African + Pan-African banking competitors:
- [[standard-bank]] (Batch 31 covered; Standard Bank Group; SA's largest bank by assets; Pan-African Banking presence)
- [[absa]] (Absa Group; SA Big-4; Absa Banking App 5M+ users + 4.8/5 rating; Pan-African 12+ countries)
- [[nedbank]] (Nedbank; SA Big-4; Nedbank Money 3M+ users; 8M+ total clients; R2.6B tech investment)
- [[capitec]] (Batch 31 covered; SA challenger bank by customer count leader)
- [[discovery-bank]] (Batch 31 covered; Discovery Group SA digital bank)
- TymeBank + African Bank + Investec + HBZ Bank + Bidvest Bank (SA banking competitors)
- snapscan (Batch 25 covered; Standard Bank SA QR payments)
- [[fnb-ewallet]] (Batch 25 covered; FNB eWallet SA mobile money; same operator)
- [[yoco]] (Batch 21 covered; SA SME card-payments fintech)
Regulators: SARB + Prudential Authority + FSCA + per-country.
Fun facts
- Flagship FirstRand Limited (JSE: FSR) subsidiary — distinctive South African banking-group structure.
- 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets (2024).
- FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app.
- FNB App named Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in South Africa 4 years in a row — distinctive SA digital banking leadership.
- 1838 founding as Eastern Province Bank — FNB's oldest predecessor.
- 1987 First National Bank (FNB) rebranded from Barclays National Bank post-Barclays SA withdrawal during apartheid era.
- 1998 FirstRand Limited formed via FNB Holdings + RMB Holdings + Momentum Life Holdings merger (Anglo American + Remgro Group consortium).
- eBucks FNB loyalty program.
- FNB Connect MVNO.
- FNB eWallet SA mobile money for unbanked (covered Batch 25).
- RMB + WesBank FirstRand investment-banking + vehicle finance sister entities.
- Pan-African presence: 11 countries.
Comparison
| Feature | FNB | [[standard-bank]] (Batch 31; SA Big-4 + SA's largest by assets) | [[absa]] (SA Big-4 + Pan-African 12+ countries + Apr 2026 MVNO launch) | [[nedbank]] (SA Big-4 + Nedbank Money 3M+ users + 8M+ total clients + R2.6B tech investment) | [[capitec]] (Batch 31; SA challenger bank by customer count leader) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | First National Bank (FNB) (FirstRand Limited subsidiary; FirstRand: JSE: FSR; Remgro Group Rupert family-controlled SA conglomerate ~34% + PIC SA state pension fund manager + SA institutional + JSE public float) | Standard Bank Group Limited (JSE: SBK) | Absa Group Limited (JSE: ABG; PIC + SA institutional + JSE float) | Nedbank Group Limited (JSE: NED; PIC + Old Mutual ~19.9% legacy stake + SA institutional + JSE float) | Capitec Bank Holdings Limited (JSE: CPI) |
| Type | SA Big-4 + FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app + Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in SA 4 years in a row + FirstRand subsidiary + 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets (2024) + FNB eWallet + FNB Connect MVNO | SA Big-4 + SA's largest by assets + Pan-African Banking presence | SA Big-4 + Pan-African 12+ African countries + Apr 2026 Absa Mobile Network MVNO launch + Absa Banking App 5M+ users + 4.8/5 rating | SA Big-4 + Nedbank Money 3M+ users (+14% YoY) + 8M+ total clients (group first time) + R2.6B tech investment + Pan-African Nedbank Africa Regions | SA challenger bank by customer count leader |
| Country | ZA + 10+ African countries | ZA + multi-African + global | ZA + 11+ African countries | ZA + 14+ African countries | ZA primary |
| Users | 10M+ FNB clients; FNB App 8M+ users; 80% transactions via app; R550B assets 2024 | SA's largest by assets | Absa Banking App 5M+ users + 4.8/5 rating | Nedbank Money 3M+ active users (+14% YoY); 8M+ total clients group first time | SA's largest bank by customer count |
| Distinctive | 1838 founding as Eastern Province Bank; 1987 FNB rebranded from Barclays National Bank post-Barclays SA withdrawal during apartheid era; 1998 FirstRand Limited formed via FNB Holdings + RMB Holdings + Momentum Life Holdings merger (Anglo American + Remgro Group consortium); FNB App named Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in SA 4 years in a row (distinctive SA digital banking leadership); 80% transactions via FNB App; eBucks FNB loyalty; FNB Connect MVNO; FNB eWallet SA mobile money for unbanked; RMB + WesBank FirstRand investment-banking + vehicle finance sister entities | SA Big-4 + SA's largest by assets; Pan-African Banking presence | 1991 Absa formation via Allied + United + Volkskas + Trust Bank merger; 2005 Barclays acquires majority for $5.5B; 2017-2018 Barclays full divestment; Apr 2026 Absa Mobile Network MVNO launch | 1888 founding as Nederlandsche Bank en Credietvereeniging voor Zuid-Afrika by Dutch settlers; 1992 Old Mutual acquires Nedbank; 2018 Nedbank Group unbundled from Old Mutual; R2.6B tech investment | SA's largest bank by customer count |
Status
Active, flagship FirstRand Limited subsidiary + one of South Africa's Big-4 banks [1, 3]:
- First National Bank (FNB) (FirstRand Limited subsidiary; FirstRand: JSE: FSR) since 1838 (Eastern Province Bank founding); 1987 FNB rebranded from Barclays National Bank; 1998 FirstRand Limited formed.
- 10M+ FNB clients + R550B FNB assets (2024) + FNB App 8M+ users + 80% transactions via app.
- FNB App named Best Consumer Digital Bank and Best Mobile Banking App in South Africa 4 years in a row distinctive SA digital banking leadership.
- FirstRand sister entities: RMB (investment-banking) + WesBank (vehicle + asset finance) + Aldermore Bank (UK challenger).
- FNB eWallet SA mobile money for unbanked (covered Batch 25) + FNB Connect MVNO.
- Remgro Group (Rupert family-controlled SA conglomerate) ~34% major shareholder (via FirstRand).
- SARB + Prudential Authority + FSCA + per-country regulated.
Sources
- 1 First National Bank Ltd Review 2025 — Rateweb
- 2 FNB Easy & Efficient Personal, Family and Business Banking — official
- 3 First National Bank (South Africa) — Wikipedia
- 4 About FNB — FNB
- za-cro In-corpus:
reports/countries/ZA-south-africa.md
Source
Biography extracted from fnb-app.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.