Nu Enters the US Market: Can Its Latin American Playbook Travel?

Nu Holdings Ltd. NU is entering a U.S. banking market that is much larger, richer and more crowded than its Latin American base. The opportunity is clear: U.S. retail banking revenues reached about $1.2 trillion in 2024, while consumers pay an estimated $82 billion in banking and payment fees each year, according to Nu.

Its opening offer shows how Nu wants to compete. The account pays 3.5% APY with no minimum balance, while its Mastercard credit card carries no annual fee and offers unlimited 1.5% cash back. Planned relationship benefits include 4.5% APY and 2% cash back for qualifying customers, keeping the pitch simple.

This formula has traveled before. Nu entered Mexico in 2018 and now serves 16 million customers there. Management says the business reached break-even in six years, two years faster than Brazil. At similar market penetration, monthly ARPAC in Mexico was $12.3 compared with $5.6 for Brazil at that stage.

Still, the U.S. test is different. Nu built much of its lending advantage in Latin America from years of transaction and repayment data. CFO Rob Livingston said its technology can cross borders quickly, but developing U.S.-specific data and confidence in local credit models could take roughly 12 to 30 months.

Nu appears set to build the U.S. business in stages rather than chase lending growth. Deposits will be held at partner Lead Bank and insured by the FDIC, while Nu develops its national bank operation. Management has said U.S. investment should stay below 100 basis points of its efficiency ratio.

Nu Holdings Faces Established US Digital Banking Rivals

SoFi Technologies SOFI already offers the kind of digital relationship Nu wants to build in the United States. SoFi Technologies ended second-quarter 2026 with 15.8 million members and $1.2 billion in adjusted net revenues. Its banking, lending and investing mix means SoFi Technologies can compete for both deposits and customer wallet share.

Chime Financial, Inc. CHYM presents a closer test of Nu’s low-fee banking pitch. Chime Financial had 10.4 million active members in second-quarter, when revenues rose 27% to $670 million. On Sept. 8, Chime Financial agreed to buy Stride Bank for $590 million, giving it a path toward directly owning core banking infrastructure.

NU’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of NU have gained 23.2% over the past three months, outperforming the broader industry and the S&P 500 Index.

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From a valuation standpoint, NU trades at a forward price-to-earnings of 14.02X, well above the industry’s 11.26X. It carries a Value Score of D.

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NU’s estimates for both 2026 and 2027 have increased over the past month. The figures also suggest a year-over-year increase of 38.71% and 35.12%, respectively.

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NU stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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