BdM Banca — Conto Zero24 Start
BdM Banca S.p.A. · Mastercard
Conto Zero24 Start is the entry-level digital current account of BdM Banca — formerly Banca Popolare di Bari, now in the state-owned Mediocredito Centrale (Invitalia) group — designed for people who operate remotely with a debit card. The fee is €4/month (€48/year) but can be zeroed: it drops by €1 for each product or service held (salary crediting, internet banking with token, credit card, mortgage or loan, insurance policies), down to nothing; it is also free for the first 12 months with the Pacchetto di Benvenuto Base. A genuine current account with an IBAN, an international Mastercard debit card (€12/year) and SEPA transfers.
Data & conditions
| Account fee | €4 |
|---|---|
| IBAN | dedicato · IT · IT |
| Deposit guarantee | EU guarantee €100,000 |
| Multi-currency | No (single currency) |
| Outbound transfers to third-party IBANs | Yes |
| Utility direct billing | Yes |
| SEPA direct debit (SDD) | Yes |
| On-chain crypto withdrawal | No |
| SEPA transfer | €1 |
| Card included | Carta di debito internazionale Mastercard, canone €12/anno |
| Interest on balance | 0% |
| Network | Mastercard |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| Free ATM limit | ATM withdrawals same bank €0; other bank in Italy €1.55 (first 24/year free with the Pacchetto di Benvenuto Base) |
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| KYC | Full |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Regulator | Banca d'Italia |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | Formerly Banca Popolare di Bari · state-owned Mediocredito Centrale group (Invitalia) · based in Bari |
| MiCA / License status | Licenza bancaria (Albo delle Banche) IT banking licence (Bank of Italy) |
Plans & pricing
Strengths
- €4/month fee that can be zeroed: −€1 for each product/service held (salary, token, credit card, mortgage/loan, policies)
- Free for the first 12 months with the Pacchetto di Benvenuto Base; SDD direct debits at €0
- ATM withdrawals at the same bank at €0 (first 24/year free also at other banks with the promo)
- Bank supervised by the Bank of Italy, state-owned Mediocredito Centrale group, FITD €100,000 deposit guarantee
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- The fee waiver is a cross-sell lever: to cut the fee you must take on products (cards, mortgage, policies), everyday use alone is not enough
- Mastercard debit card not free (€12/year) and online SEPA transfer not free (€0.80; €7 at a branch)
- Non-interest-bearing account; on top of the fee and card, add €34.20/year stamp duty (balance >€5,000)
- Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
- Subject to regulation (IT banking licence (Bank of Italy)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.
- FATF-aligned jurisdiction: strong cooperation with authorities.
- Closed source: no way to verify what it does with wallet and data.
Verdict
Conto Zero24 Start is an honest digital current account on the protection side: a bank supervised by the Bank of Italy, part of the state-owned Mediocredito Centrale group, with the FITD €100,000 guarantee and free SDD. The score stays average on cost: the €4/month fee is zeroed only by attaching other products (cards, mortgage, policies) — a cross-selling lever more than genuine gratuity — and the Mastercard debit card (€12/year) and online SEPA transfer (€0.80) remain chargeable. The first year free with the welcome package and the 24 included withdrawals/year soften onboarding, but for the average user the account costs more than a true zero-fee one.
Supervised bank account: custodial, full KYC, censorable and freezable by court order or AML obligation. The FITD guarantee and Bank of Italy supervision — strengths for protection — are exactly what distance it from the trustless model. No self-custody, no permissionless use: on the sovereignty lens it sits at the opposite pole from a self-custody wallet.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
FAQ
How do you zero the €4/month fee?
The fee drops by €1 for each product or service held (salary/pension crediting, internet banking with token, credit card, mortgage or loan, insurance policies), down to zero. It is also free for the first 12 months by joining the Pacchetto di Benvenuto Base.
How much do the card and transfers cost?
The international Mastercard debit card carries a €12/year fee. A SEPA transfer ordered online costs €0.80 (€7 at a branch). ATM withdrawals at the same bank are free; at other banks €1.55 (first 24/year free with the promo). SDD direct debits are at €0.
Are deposits guaranteed?
Yes, by the Interbank Deposit Protection Fund (FITD) up to €100,000 per depositor. BdM Banca is registered in the Bank Register and supervised by the Bank of Italy.
Sources
- Official service page Data verified on Jul 12, 2026