buddybank — Conto Corrente Genius buddy
UniCredit S.p.A. (buddybank) · Mastercard
buddybank is the app-only digital bank of the UniCredit Group, offering the Conto Corrente Genius buddy with a structurally zero monthly fee (you only pay the €34.20/year stamp duty). Included MyOne international debit card on the Mastercard network, free withdrawals at UniCredit ATMs in Italy and abroad, €0 online SEPA and instant transfers and FITD €100,000 deposit guarantee. No branches: those who don't use the app find over-the-counter operations very expensive.
Data & conditions
| Account fee | Free |
|---|---|
| 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 | Free |
| Card included | Carta di debito internazionale MyOne (circuito Mastercard) inclusa, canone €0 (emissione fisica €3,50) |
| Interest on balance | 0% |
| Network | Mastercard |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| Free ATM limit | UniCredit ATMs in Italy and abroad €0; other banks in Italy and abroad €2.00 per withdrawal |
| Fund custody | Custodial (platform holds funds) |
| KYC | Full |
| Supported countries | EEA · 1+ countries |
| Regulator | Banca d'Italia · BCE (MVU) |
| Segment | B2C |
| Funding / solidity | App-only digital bank of the UniCredit Group · zero-fee account · direct ECB supervision |
| MiCA / License status | Licenza bancaria (Banca d'Italia · Gruppo UniCredit) IT banking licence (Bank of Italy · ECB-SSM) |
Plans & pricing
Strengths
- €0/month fee with no conditions; you only pay the €34.20/year stamp duty
- Included MyOne Mastercard debit card at €0 fee (digital issuance €0, physical €3.50)
- €0 online SEPA and instant transfers; free withdrawals at UniCredit ATMs in Italy and abroad
- UniCredit Group bank supervised by the Bank of Italy and the ECB, FITD €100,000 deposit guarantee
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- App-only experience: no branches, expensive over-the-counter operations (branch transfer €11.80) and no cheques
- Withdrawals at other banks in Italy and abroad are chargeable (€2.00)
- Balance essentially non-interest-bearing (0% up to €2,500, 0.001% above); EUR-only account
- 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 · ECB-SSM)): 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
buddybank is strong on the protection front: a UniCredit Group bank supervised by the Bank of Italy and the ECB (a significant bank), FITD €100,000 deposit guarantee, €0 fee with no conditions, an included MyOne Mastercard debit card and €0 online SEPA/instant transfers. The limits are the app-only experience with no branches (expensive over-the-counter operations, no cheques), other-bank withdrawals at €2.00 and an essentially non-interest-bearing balance. Single-currency account.
Supervised bank account: custodial, full KYC, censorable and freezable by court order or AML obligation. The FITD deposit guarantee and Bank of Italy supervision — strengths for protection — are exactly what distance it from the trustless model. No self-custody, no permissionless use.
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
Is the Conto Genius buddy really zero-fee?
Yes: the monthly and annual fee is €0, with no conditions to meet. You only pay the €34.20/year state stamp duty (due if the average balance exceeds €5,000). Operations are unlimited on channels other than the branch.
Are deposits guaranteed?
Yes, by the Interbank Deposit Protection Fund (FITD) up to €100,000 per depositor; the bank is also a member of the National Guarantee Fund. buddybank is the digital bank of the UniCredit Group.
Sources
- Official service page Data verified on Jul 12, 2026
- trasparenza.unicredit.it Prelievi · Bonifici Data verified on Jul 12, 2026
Update history
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4% gross on balance until 31/12/2026
For those with no relationship with the bank as of 31/05/2026: open a Genius buddy account by 31/08/2026. The 4% gross applies to average balances up to €50,000 but ONLY until 31/12/2026: opening in July earns ~5 months (net ~€62 on €5,000), not 12. Above the cap and from 2027 the rate drops to 0.001%.