![\"Breaking](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot2026-03-2416.01.43.jpeg\")
\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tWednesday 25 March 2026 1:00 am
\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Updated:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\tTuesday 24 March 2026 5:32 pm\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
If you had \u2018Graham Norton<\/a> sitting on a horse\u2019 on your banking bingo card, congratulations.<\/p>\n The BBC chat show host has swapped his famous sofa with a more equine-shaped seat in a TV appearance already sparking chatter among the upper echelons of the banking sphere.<\/p>\n But take a closer look and beyond the Irish comedian\u2019s witty jokes and flaunting of his mobile app, the herd of black stallions surrounding him offer a clear and cunning message.<\/p>\n Indeed, the five-time BAFTA award winner is holding an app that doesn\u2019t belong to Lloyds, famous for its iconic horse logo. Instead, Norton is re-introducing Revolut to the British consumer in its final form as a fully-fledged banking rival.\u00a0<\/p>\n As he trots away on his obedient brown steed, Norton quips \u201cit\u2019s a metaphor\u201d leaving the several black horses \u2013 a nod to the name of Lloyds motor finance lender<\/a> \u2013 behind.<\/p>\n It took Nik Storonsky\u2019s $75bn titan<\/a> just under a week from clinching its licence to ramping up the game of financial fisticuffs to lure banking customers. The sly dig has left the fintech superfans of social media salivating as Revolut fired the starting gun on its ambitious plans post-licence.<\/p>\n In a revealing LinkedIn post, Tobi Fink, who steers brand activation at Revolut, said the fintech opted to \u201cgently poke\u201d at the \u201cbig, emotional promises\u201d made by banks.\u00a0<\/p>\n But it isn\u2019t the only firm going on the offensive in the battle to bank Britain.<\/p>\n Nationwide has pulled away from the keyboard and taken a swing at Lloyds for apparently leaving customers behind. Walking down my own high street, I was met with a rallying call in the window of Britain\u2019s biggest building society\u2019s branch: \u201cLloyds is leaving Streatham. Maybe it\u2019s time you left Lloyds.\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, it is no surprise the big four giant, the largest retail and commercial bank in the UK, is a target for these attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Revolut and Nationwide aim for the top dog<\/p>\n Revolut already has around 13m customers in the UK, within touching distance of the 16m Nationwide clocked after its takeover of Virgin Money, while Lloyds boasts over 28m users in the UK. So when the challengers aim for disruption, it is no wonder they target the top dog \u2013 or horse.\u00a0<\/p>\n And for the bank that likes to call itself the \u201cfront runner,\u201d it may feel no need to buck at the ponies in the dust.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n \t\t\tRevolut\u2019s triumph reminds us what British tech sector is capable of<\/a><\/p>\n The traditional bankers would of course like to shrug off the mud thrown at them from the disruptors.<\/p>\n Last summer, fintech challenger Zopa paraded through London with two giant boxes on the back of a lorry that were filled with biscuits, comparing the value of saving with Santander\u2019s \u2018Everyday\u2019 product and Zopa\u2019s new \u2018Biscuit\u2019 account.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t settle for crumbs,\u201d a sign on the truck said. I recall a conversation with a senior big four banker at the time who described the stunt as a \u201cnibble\u201d at the traditional incumbents as opposed to something they were genuinely threatened by.<\/p>\n But is the cookie slowly crumbling for the traditional giants?<\/p>\n The numbers do tell a story: those going on the offensive are gaining ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n The current account switching service from Pay.UK<\/a> reveals of the three quarters thus far accounted for in 2025 Lloyds shed over 17,000 users, with a net loss in each quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Nationwide has reigned supreme <\/a>in the switching battle gaining over 40,000 in the third-quarter alone. Monzo, which has often framed its branding around challenging the legacy banks, scored second gaining around 10,000.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Armed with its banking licence, Revolut is expected to make its debut on the rankings in the coming months as speculation ramps up of a \u201cdeposit war\u201d with the incumbents.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"There](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774400958_300_unnamed.jpg\")
Nationwide goes on the offensive<\/p>\n![\"Zopa](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Zopa_Bank_01_ACaptioned-1.jpeg\")
Zopa Bank\u2019s stunt last Summer.<\/p>\n