Starling Group has reported a fifth consecutive year of profitability as the company continues expanding its banking infrastructure platform, Engine by Starling, across international markets.
For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, the Group reported profit before tax of ยฃ217.1 million, compared with ยฃ223.4 million in FY25, while revenue totaled ยฃ887.4 million amid broader pressure from declining interest rates.
Despite the softer rate environment, Starling continued growing both its customer base and deposit volumes, with total platform accounts increasing to 6.2 million and customer deposits reaching ยฃ12.7 billion.
The Group also maintained strong operational efficiency metrics, reporting an average revenue per active user (ARPAU) of ยฃ275 and a pre-tax return on capital employed (ROCE) of 34.6%.
A major strategic focus during FY26 was the continued expansion of Engine by Starling, the companyโs banking infrastructure and SaaS division.
Engine recorded 25% revenue growth during the year and has now reached ยฃ70 million in committed annual recurring revenue (ARR), with management signaling a path toward surpassing ยฃ100 million.
The platform also secured several international expansion milestones.
In North America, Engine signed a 10-year partnership agreement with Tangerine, a subsidiary of Scotiabank, marking its first North American client.
The business also entered the New Zealand market through a partnership with SBS Bank, extending Engineโs footprint to four global banking clients.
The results highlight how digital banks are increasingly monetizing proprietary infrastructure platforms alongside traditional consumer banking operations.
Starling additionally accelerated deployment of AI-powered capabilities across both customer and operational systems during FY26.
New features introduced during the year included Spending Intelligence, Scam Intelligence, and the Starling Assistant, which the company describes as the UKโs first agentic AI financial assistant.
The Group also expanded its SME financial services ecosystem through the acquisition of accounting and tax platform Ember, later launching an HMRC-recognized Making Tax Digital solution targeted at sole traders and landlords.
Starling said it plans to increase marketing investment during FY27 as it continues scaling both its banking operations and global infrastructure business.
