Salt Bank, Romania’s first and fastest-growing digital bank, has teamed up with Berlin-based investment technology firm Upvest to launch its new securities trading offering. The partnership allows Salt Bank’s over 500,000 end users to seamlessly invest directly in international capital markets from within their trusted mobile banking app.
Backed by Banca Transilvania, south-eastern Europe’s largest financial group, Salt Bank is rapidly evolving from a challenger into a full-service financial platform. The introduction of securities trading marks the bank’s expansion beyond everyday banking, bringing long-term wealth-building tools to the fingertips of everyday Romanians.
Lowering the barrier to global investment
Powered by Upvest’s Investment API, the new service provides a fully integrated trading experience where end users can buy and sell securities starting from just 1 euro, with transparent fees. This embedded finance model simplifies the investment journey, allowing users to access global markets without leaving the convenience of their existing banking environment.
The successful launch strengthens Salt Bank’s growth trajectory, which has attracted more than half a million users in just one year, showcasing how Upvest’s modern investment infrastructure can rapidly scale in new markets.
Gabriela Nistor, CEO of Salt Bank, highlighted the strategic intent behind the product. “At Salt, banking has always been about people, about giving them the freedom to move at their own pace, in a way that feels right for them,” Nistor said. She stressed that the launch of Salt Investments, in partnership with Upvest, takes that freedom further, enabling people to invest globally. “But investing isn’t just about markets or charts. It’s about trust, about having the courage to take that first step toward your future, knowing you already have what you need: clarity, confidence, safety—investing from their banking app they already trust.”
Scaling modern financial services
Martin Kassing, CEO and co-founder of Upvest, echoed the sentiment on market demand. “Salt Bank’s impressive growth story shows the huge demand for modern financial services,” Kassing added. “We are proud to partner with them on their journey into investments and to provide the investment infrastructure that enables their end users to access securities effortlessly and at a low cost.”
Upvest provides modern infrastructure for securities trading via its Investment API, handling the underlying trading, custody, and back-office services for FIs. This allows financial institutions like Salt Bank to modernise their investment business cost-effectively.
The new investment product is now available to Salt Bank’s Romanian end users, with additional features and further expansion of the offering planned after the initial go-live.
