Zopa first UK bank to be green lit to roll out targeted support
Zopa Bank has received regulatory approval to roll out targeted support for its investment customers, marking it as the first UK bank to get the green light.
The bank joins a range of financial firms, including Royal London, Quilter and Vanguard, which has secured targeted support permissions since the scheme went live on 6 April.
Zopa also beat out over 350 banks and building societies to become the first bank to gain permission to offer the financial support.
Merve Ferrero, chief strategy officer at Zopa Bank, said: “We’re… removing unnecessary jargon and friction, and giving customers the confidence to grow their wealth with peace of mind.
“Our new permissions allow us to take that mission even further, delivering more tailored support and an intuitive investing experience that fits naturally into customers’ everyday financial lives.”
Government overhaul
Targeted support is a key part of the government’s overhaul of the UK’s savings habits, in a bid to push more people into the stock market.
The scheme enables firms to offer tailored advice aimed to groups of consumers with similar characteristics, with the advice filling the gap between generic and full individual financial advice.
It was found most effective when focusing on consumer’s perceived attitudes of investing and the stock market, ultimately increasing investment by at least 30 per cent, according to new findings from The Investing and Saving Alliance (TISA).
When support provided recommendations designed around these attitudes it was materially more effective than expected questions surrounding age, gender, income or other social demographics.
It is hoped by industry figures that it will prevent Brits from using unregulated advice or chatbots to assist with investments, as well as help already seasoned investors who cannot afford or do not wish to use a financial advisor.
Alongside the scheme, the government also released the first phase of its Invest for the Future campaign, with mascot Savvy the Squirrel, being plastered on bus stops and billboards across the country.
The campaign aims to teach the basics of investing and how it can grow wealth in the long term.
Zopa performance
Zopa offers two ready-made funds, dubbed balance and bold, which are managed by investment management company Invesco, which has over $2 trillion (£1.4 trillion) in assets.
Meanwhile, Zopa marked its third consecutive year of profitability in 2025, recording a 42 per cent increase to pre-tax profit in the last year, up from £31.6m in 2024.
It came as the digital bank’s revenue jumped 24 per cent to £377.1m as it added over 300,000 net new customers in 2025, amid a flurry of new product launches.