UK digital bank Zopa has swung to its first full year profit as it prepares to start offering current accounts and eyes a future IPO.
Zopa posted a pre-tax profit of £15.8 million in 2023, compared to a £16 million loss the previous year. The company now has a million customers, with a deposit base of £3.4 billion and loan balance of £2.7 million.
Having made its name as a P2P lending pioneer, Zopa pivoted in 2021 to become a traditional bank. So far, it has focused on saving and credit products but will offer existing customers a current account by the end of the year.
The bank has made no secret of its desire to go public ever since it notched up its first profitable month in April 2022 and has flagged profitability as a key pre-requisite for a market float.
Speaking to the Financial Times, CEO Jaidev Janardana, says the company is ready to float and still wants to do so in London.
However, he says that low investor sentiment around the banking sector means that he would be "surprised" if there any fintech listings in the UK this year.