Over the last few years, neobanks have proven that people are willing to abandon traditional banks if the digital experience is better. But a newer shift is happening that feels under-discussed: the move from digital banks to fully on-chain financial infrastructure.
Market data suggests neobanks could grow from a ~$150B industry today to several trillion dollars over the next decade. What’s interesting isn’t just growth — it’s how that growth might happen.
On-chain neobanks don’t just offer apps and cards. Their core logic lives on blockchains:
• payments can settle 24/7
• cross-border transfers become software problems, not banking problems
• transparency and automation replace layers of middlemen
This isn’t necessarily about “crypto users” switching banks. It’s about global finance gradually adopting systems that are cheaper, faster, and programmable by default.
If this trajectory continues, blockchains may end up functioning less like speculative networks and more like neutral financial rails — with on-chain banks sitting on top as interfaces.
Curious how others see this playing out:
Do on-chain neobanks stay niche, or do they quietly become infrastructure most users interact with without realizing it?
Are on-chain neobanks quietly becoming the next big financial layer?
byu/OnChainSpecter inCryptoMarkets
Posted by OnChainSpecter
4 Comments
honestly think this is inevitable. why would anyone wait days for international transfers when on chain rails can do it in seconds? chains like SEI that can handle real throughput will end up powering these systems
These AI slop ads aren’t even trying to hide it anymore.
I haven’t had a B and M bank in years
In my opinion, the second scenario is closer to reality.
On-chain neobanks will likely not remain niche products in the long run, but will gradually transform into an invisible infrastructure. Most users don’t care whether their funds are on the blockchain or not; what matters to them is speed, low fees, global access, and transparency.
Just like what happened with the internet: people don’t say, “I use TCP/IP,” but rather use applications built on top of it. The same thing will happen here—familiar interfaces resembling traditional banks, but settlement, custody, and verification happen on the blockchain in the background.
The niche will only remain in the transitional phase or for power users. True adoption will come when on-chain becomes the default option without requiring explanation or technical expertise from the user.