Revolut's new light-up Dogecoin card promises "no exchange fees" — so we put £25 through it and tracked every penny. What we found was a £16.16 Amazon purchase actually cost £18.05, and a tax headache behind every tap. 

In this episode:

• What the Doge card actually is
• The  test: buying DOGE, spending it at Amazon, and where £2.54 went in 35 minutes
• The hidden markup: how a "fee-free" card carried a ~2.9% round-trip spread
• The tax trap: why every tap is a potential tax
• Follow the money: interchange, dormant crypto balances, and why this card makes perfect sense for Revolut
• Serious bank or meme machine? A glowing Shiba Inu, just months after the UK banking licence
• Who actually buys this — and our verdicts

Nothing in this episode is financial or tax advice. If you're considering spending crypto, speak to a professional about the capital gains implications.

Watch the blowtorch unboxing: https://youtube.com/shorts/mh916J-LnJQ

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

Summer 2026 is officially here, and so are the hidden fees waiting to ambush your holiday budget! In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we pull back the curtain on international spending to ensure your next vacation is as fee-free as possible. We break down the exact anatomy of a perfect travel card, expose the legacy banks secretly draining your wallet, and dive into why the most popular fintech giants might not actually be your best option abroad.

What We Cover:

• The 4-Point Travel Card Checklist: The essential features your card needs before you board a flight.
• Legacy Banks vs. Challenger Banks: Why traditional accounts from Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest, and HSBC are costing you—and the free alternatives we highly recommend.
• The Wise & Revolut Debate: A transparent look at weekend markups, variable fees, and why they might not be the ultimate answer to international spending.
• Predatory ATMs & The DCC Trap: How to outsmart Dynamic Currency Conversion and avoid paying double fees at the terminal.

Revolut vs WISE: Who Has The Best Travel Card? https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458086/episodes/19324904

Trading 212 👉 https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/naSs
Get £25 using the link above or PROMO CODE "BWB". Sponsored content. Terms apply. Card distributed by T212, issued and provided by Paynetics (UK). Available with an Invest account. Other fees may apply.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode we cover the best UK savings rates for July 2026 — including a new headline regular saver rate from Santander, fixed bonds pushing to 4.90%, and the latest switch bonuses with some deadlines coming up fast. We also cover the Halifax rebrand to Lloyds and what it means for existing customers.

In this episode:

• Switch offers up to £600, including HSBC standard at £220 — best accessible bonus this month
• Easy access accounts up to 5.00%, including Revolut, Tembo and a notable rate increase from Cahoot
• Cash ISAs — easy access up to 4.62% with Plum, fixed up to 4.60% with Tembo and Oak North
• Fixed rate bonds up to 4.90% with Marcus and Afin Bank
• Notice accounts — honest take on whether they're worth it right now
• Regular savers — why 8% isn't as simple as it sounds, and the accounts actually worth opening
• Halifax is being rebranded to Lloyds — what changes and what doesn't

All accounts are listed and updated daily at DepositScout.com. Affiliate links for selected accounts are in the show notes.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, Jonny and Jan go head-to-head on two of the most talked-about premium cards in the UK — Amex Platinum and Revolut Ultra. One's a credit card, the other's a debit subscription, and yet they keep ending up in the same conversation.

So we're doing the thing everyone actually wants. Not "it depends" — but if you had to pick one and walk away with it, which is it?

We cover:

• Overseas spending and FX fees
• Lounges, hotels and car hire
• Travel insurance — including the catches in both policies
• Credits, subscriptions and how to actually break even on the fee
• Points and welcome bonuses

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

We pit the four biggest UK digital banks head-to-head to crown a winner. Spoiler alert: there's no single answer—it depends what matters to you.

From cashback and travel rewards to customer service and credit cards, we break down exactly what each bank gets right and where they fall short. Plus, which one has the worst app but the best banking fundamentals, and why Revolut's new banking license doesn't save its standard account.

What we cover:

• Cashback rates: Chase UK offers 2% on groceries, fuel, transport & dining
• Travel support: Which bank wins for international spending
• Credit cards & personal loans: Only Monzo offers both
• Cash deposits: Starling vs Monzo's £1 fee (and the hidden limit)
• Customer service tiers: Why Chase & Starling stand out
• The verdict: Best overall, best for travel, best for cashback—and the bank we'd skip entirely

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, we make the case for Trade Republic being the best bank account in Europe — then try our hardest to poke holes in it.

What we cover:

• Why it's not Revolut or Wise — and why we keep recommending Trade Republic instead
• The full ECB deposit rate passed straight to you (recently bumped to 2.25%)
• The 3% promotional rate for new customers — and who's locked out of it
• How "Saveback" actually works, and the savings-plan catch attached to it
• Fee-free spending and ATM withdrawals worldwide (plus the one €100 gotcha)
• How it stacks up against Revolut and Trading 212 on fees, limits and support
• The customer service meltdown they fixed with 1,000+ agents and a 24/7 phone line
• The reliability wobbles during volatile markets — and who they actually matter for
• The big question: can a fee structure this generous really last?

Using Trade Republic? Tell us what you actually think. Join our new Discord to chat directly with Jan and Jonny — link below. 

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, Jonny and Jan put Revolut and Wise head-to-head to settle which is actually the better card for spending abroad this summer — then ask the bigger question: are either of them the best option out there? Using live data pulled from both providers on 9 June, they break down the real cost of spending £2,000 across six countries, the ATM fee traps nobody mentions, and the cheaper alternatives most travellers overlook.

• The two completely different ways Wise and Revolut charge you — and why one is far less transparent than the other
• Real fees for spending £2,000 abroad in the USA, Spain, Thailand, Morocco, Indonesia and Australia
• The £1,000 monthly threshold that quietly makes Revolut Standard more expensive
• ATM withdrawal fees compared, and why even Revolut Ultra (£55/month) still won't give you unlimited free cash
• Wise's Smart Conversion vs Revolut's "all-or-nothing" rule — and the decline trap that can leave you stuck at checkout
• Why holding 40+ currencies matters for freelancers and digital nomads
• The cheaper alternatives: First Direct, Chase, Monzo, Trade Republic and Trading 212
• The honest debate: if you only travel once a year, is switching even worth it?

Data spreadsheet linked here. Rates were accurate at the time of recording and may have changed.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, Jonny and Jan go through every Revolut plan — Standard, Plus, Premium, Metal, and Ultra — breaking down what you actually get, what each one costs, and the catches Revolut doesn't shout about. Whether you're brand new to Revolut or wondering whether to upgrade, this episode will tell you exactly which plan makes sense for your lifestyle.

What we cover:

• The Standard account — decent app, underwhelming product, and how it compares to free alternatives like Monzo
• Why the Plus plan is mostly a pricing decoy — and who it's genuinely useful for
• Premium's subscription arbitrage trick: how one included app can make the whole plan free
• Metal's insurance value for skiers, car renters, and daily FT readers
• Ultra — worth £660 a year? The honest answer
• Revolut's cancellation policy and the costly trap hiding in the small print

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode we cover the best UK savings rates for June 2026 — every major category, the accounts worth your attention, and a few that look better than they really are.

We also break down two key dates for savers this month: the CPI inflation release on the 17th of June and the Bank of England base rate decision on the 18th, and what both could mean for rates in the second half of the year.

In this episode:

• Easy access accounts topping 4.5%, including Tembo, Chase, and Hanley Economic BS
• Cash ISAs up to 4.76% — flexible and non-flexible options covered
• Fixed rate bonds up to 4.85%, including a time-limited cashback offer from Raisin (ends 8 June)
• Notice accounts — and an honest take on whether they're worth it
• Regular savers — why the 7.1% headline rate isn't what it seems, and the three accounts actually worth opening
• Current account switch offers worth up to £200

All accounts are listed and updated daily at DepositScout.com. Affiliate links for selected accounts are in the show notes.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

Monzo just launched in Europe, and the way they've done it is smarter than most people have noticed. One Irish banking licence. All 27 EU member states. Spain next. This is a bigger deal than it looks.

In this episode:

• Monzo just launched in Europe — and their Irish banking licence quietly unlocks all 27 EU member states
• Spain is next, and it's no coincidence — 1 in 3 new bank accounts opened there in the last 3 years were with Revolut
• We compare what you actually get as a European customer with each account right now
• The legal quirk in Monzo's Spain launch that could have serious implications
• Why Monzo customers hold more than twice as much money per head as Revolut customers — despite lower savings rates
• Both annual reports dissected: £4.5bn vs £1.7bn in revenue, and the numbers that actually matter
• Can Monzo — late to the party and lighter on features — genuinely compete with Revolut's 68 million European customers?

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]