Zopa, the digital challenger bank trusted by more than 1.5million customers, has provided more details about its planned 500+ job Manchester expansion at a launch event with city officials and stakeholders, and added that it is already recruiting for its first 50 staff in the city.
The Zopa Manchester office, which will initially provide space for a team of 50+ employees with roles focused on retail finance, product, engineering, and specialist operations, is planned to grow tenfold to over 500 staff over time, drawing from regional universities and the wider local talent pool Manchester offers.
The company anticipates significant growth for the 2025 financial year. In the first half of the year alone, Zopa tripled its profitability compared to the same period last year, driven by £3.4bn in gross lending and £5.4bn in retail deposits.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, opened the event, praising Zopa’s investment in the city and welcoming the bank to Manchester.
READ MORE: 1000 new jobs as Starling Bank reveals location of new Northern base
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “Zopa’s decision to establish a new base in Manchester is another massive vote of confidence in our city region’s digital and tech sector. It was fantastic to hear about their exciting plans to create 500 jobs and open up opportunities for people across Greater Manchester.
“Our city region has the fastest growing digital and tech hub in the UK and FinTech has been recognised as one of our emerging strengths, with Zopa the latest addition to the sector. We’re making Greater Manchester a great place to do business by offering a supportive ecosystem and access to the talent businesses need to grow.”
Peter Donlon, chief technology officer, Zopa Bank; Phil Swan, director for digital, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and Katie Gallagher OBE, managing director, Manchester Digital, discussed Manchester’s status as one of the fastest-growing tech and financial hubs outside of London, how the city is attracting and retaining graduate talent, and what the future for fintech looks like in the city a panel discussion at the event.
Addressing Zopa’s hiring plans, Donlon highlighted the bank’s ongoing search for the “best and brightest talent,” noting that Zopa looked at six locations before choosing Manchester because of its thriving tech ecosystem and deep talent pool. He also noted that 85% of Zopa customers are based outside of London, and the Manchester launch will help it better support customers wherever they are based, while Gallagher reflected on how the strengths of Manchester’s ecosystem in cyber, AI, data and talent make it one of the best places for fintechs to grow and thrive.
The event was attended by guests from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester City Council, the city’s universities, Fintech North and more.
Joe Manning, managing director of Manchester inward investment agency MIDAS, said: “The successful opening of Zopa’s Manchester office marks another milestone for our city-region’s FinTech sector. Zopa’s choice of Manchester reflects our digital landscape and financial services capabilities, with their team being able to benefit from our tech sector presence and local talent base. With plans to create up to 500 jobs over time, starting with more than 50 employees at their Dalton Place location, the investment will deliver significant economic impact for Greater Manchester residents and the local economy.”
Zopa launched its flagship bank account Biscuit in June 2025, quickly becoming the UK’s best current account for everyday value and amassing 100,000 customers.
In September 2025, Zopa acquired payments platform Rvvup to offer merchants multi-channel checkout experiences across all payment methods using AI. It is Zopa’s second acquisition, having also acquired point-of-sale finance technology and lending platform DivideBuy in 2023. The acquisition is expected to treble the size of Zopa’s embedded finance business within two years and will cement its position as a top three retail finance provider within five years.
Unlike many fintechs, Zopa holds a full UK banking license, meeting the same regulatory standards as traditional banks. Deposits are protected up to £85,000 by the FSCS.
One of the UK’s highest rated and most celebrated financial brands, Zopa was again voted the UK’s Best Personal Loan Provider and Best Credit Card Provider at the 2024 British Bank Awards.
Image: Andy Howarth photography
