← Embedded Finance Index 2026

Firstcard

“Can a BaaS-powered neobank democratize credit access for the credit-invisible — international students, immigrants, and foreigners — in the US?”

Founded2020
HQMenlo Park, California, United States
Total raised$7.7M
Latest roundSeed
IndustryFintech / Consumer banking

The story

Founded in 2020, Firstcard targeted an underserved demographic — international students, immigrants, and credit-invisible individuals — with a secured credit builder card requiring no SSN or credit check. The company expanded beyond the card to offer a full banking platform including savings accounts with competitive APY and cashback rewards, effectively becoming a neobank for the credit-invisible. The FDIC-insured deposits are held at Regent Bank, and banking infrastructure is powered by Synctera, indicating a BaaS-stack approach rather than charter-seeking.

Last 12 months

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Product timeline

2020

Firstcard Inc. founded in Menlo Park, CA with a mission to democratize credit for underserved populations including international students and immigrants.· banking

2022

Launched Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card, a no-credit-check secured card accepting applicants without SSN, targeting international students and immigrants.· card

2023

Expanded product to include FDIC-insured bank account, cashback rewards, and up to 4.00% APY savings via Firstcard Premium, powered by Regent Bank.· banking

The stack

3 layers disclosed in Firstcard’s embedded-finance stack

Banking / BaaS

Synctera

Card issuing

in the full report

Sponsor bank

in the full report

Accounting gap: none

2 more providers across 2 layers, with confidence-scored evidence and source URLs, are in the Embedded Finance Index report.

Firstcard — frequently asked

What bank does Firstcard use?

Firstcard discloses Synctera as its banking provider, with Regent Bank as its sponsor bank, according to the Embedded Finance Index 2026.

Is Firstcard a bank?

Firstcard does not disclose a bank charter of its own; its banking services are provided through Regent Bank.

Who issues Firstcard's cards?

Firstcard's cards are issued through Regent Bank.

What is Firstcard's embedded finance stack?

The Embedded Finance Index 2026 maps 3 layers in Firstcard's stack: Banking / BaaS (Synctera); Card issuing (Regent Bank); Sponsor bank (Regent Bank).

Where is Firstcard headquartered?

Firstcard is founded in 2020 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States.

How much funding has Firstcard raised?

Firstcard has raised $7.7M in total (latest round: Seed).

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