Chime Reports 32% Revenue Growth in Third Quarter 2026, Extends GAAP Profitability Streak
Chime® (Nasdaq: CHYM), a consumer financial technology company, has reported strong financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, highlighting accelerating revenue growth, continued member expansion and its third consecutive quarter of GAAP profitability. The company delivered higher revenue across its payments and platform-related businesses while strengthening its lending portfolio and expanding the range of financial products available to members.
Revenue for the third quarter increased 32% year over year to $718 million, accelerating from the 27% growth recorded in the second quarter. Chime also reported net income of $44 million, a gross margin of 90% and adjusted EBITDA of $137 million. The results reflect continued growth in its member base, higher engagement with its financial products and improvements in the economics of customer acquisition and retention.
Chris Britt, CEO and Co-founder of Chime, described the quarter as the company’s strongest since becoming a public company. He said the business was seeing structural improvements in both growth and profitability.
“This was our strongest quarter yet as a public company, and we are seeing structural improvements in our growth and profitability profile,” Britt said. “We added a record 1.8 million net new Active Members over the past year, accelerated revenue growth to 32%, and delivered our third consecutive quarter of GAAP profitability. Chime Prime and our growing lending business are deepening primary account relationships and driving the strongest unit economics in our history. Our momentum gives us confidence to raise our outlook for the remainder of the year.”
The company attributed its performance to the expansion of its core payments business, the continued scaling of products such as MyPay and Instant Loans, and stronger relationships with members who use Chime as their primary financial account. Its Chime Prime offering is also contributing to higher engagement and increased revenue per member.
Revenue Accelerates to $718 Million
Chime generated $718 million in revenue during the third quarter of 2026, representing a 32% increase compared with the same period a year earlier. The acceleration from the second quarter’s 27% year-over-year growth rate demonstrates continued momentum across the company’s business lines.
Payments revenue reached $444 million, increasing 22% year over year. When Outbound Instant Transfer (OIT) revenue is included, payments-related revenue growth reached 26%. Payments remains a significant part of Chime’s business, supported by member transactions and the use of its financial products for everyday spending and money movement.
Platform-related revenue increased 52% year over year to $274 million. This growth reflected the continued expansion of MyPay and Instant Loans, two products that are becoming increasingly important contributors to the company’s revenue profile. The faster growth in platform-related revenue compared with payments revenue highlights the increasing contribution of Chime’s broader financial product portfolio.
The company’s strategy involves expanding beyond traditional payments services by offering members additional ways to access funds, manage their finances and use credit. As more members adopt these products, Chime aims to increase engagement and strengthen its position as a primary financial services provider.
Strong Gross Profit and Transaction Performance
Chime reported third-quarter gross profit of $646 million, producing a gross margin of 90%. The result demonstrates the company’s ability to generate substantial gross profit from its expanding revenue base.
Transaction profit, a non-GAAP financial measure, increased 41% year over year to $530 million. Transaction margin reached 74%, reflecting improvements in the economics of the company’s transactions and financial services activities.
Transaction profit is an important measure for Chime because it provides insight into the profitability of its member activity after certain transaction-related costs. Its 41% growth outpaced overall revenue growth of 32%, indicating that transaction-related profitability expanded during the quarter.
The company also reported adjusted EBITDA of $137 million, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 19%. The margin improved by 14 percentage points year over year. This performance reflects the company’s continued focus on growing revenue while maintaining operating efficiency.
Together, the improvements in gross profit, transaction profit and adjusted EBITDA point to a stronger financial profile as Chime expands its membership and product portfolio.
Third Consecutive Quarter of GAAP Profitability
Chime recorded net income of $44 million in the third quarter of 2026, marking its third consecutive quarter of GAAP profitability. Net margin reached 6%, representing an improvement of 16 percentage points compared with the prior-year period.
Maintaining GAAP profitability while accelerating revenue growth is an important development for the company. It indicates that Chime is expanding its business while also improving its ability to convert revenue into earnings.
The company has continued investing in new products, lending capabilities, employer partnerships and member acquisition. Its latest results suggest that these investments are being accompanied by stronger operating performance and improved unit economics.
Adjusted EBITDA of $137 million further highlights the company’s profitability progress. The 19% adjusted EBITDA margin, up 14 percentage points year over year, reflects improved financial performance as the business grows.
Active Members Reach 10.9 Million
Chime’s member base continued to expand during the third quarter. Active Members increased 20% year over year to 10.9 million, supported by strong customer acquisition and continued engagement with its financial products.
The company added approximately 500,000 Active Members during the quarter. Over the trailing 12 months, it recorded a total of 1.8 million net new Active Members, representing a record level of annual member additions.
Direct depositor growth accelerated for the third consecutive quarter. This is an important development for Chime because members who establish direct deposit relationships are more likely to use the platform as their primary financial account.
A stronger primary account relationship can increase the frequency of transactions, improve member retention and create opportunities for additional product adoption. Chime’s focus on building these relationships is reflected in the growth of Chime Prime, its payments business and its lending products.
Average Revenue per Active Member (ARPAM) increased 10% year over year to $270. The improvement indicates that Chime is generating more revenue from its active member base, supported by greater product usage and the expansion of services beyond payments.
The combination of 20% Active Member growth and 10% ARPAM growth contributed to the company’s overall revenue acceleration during the quarter.
Purchase Volume Growth Strengthens
Purchase Volume (PV) growth accelerated to 19% year over year, reaching $38.5 billion in the third quarter. When Outbound Instant Transfer volume is included, purchase and related transaction volume reached $40 billion, representing 22% year-over-year growth.
The increase in purchase volume reflects continued member activity across Chime’s payments ecosystem. Higher transaction activity can support revenue growth and strengthen the company’s relationships with members who use its products for regular financial needs.
Credit-related activity also became a larger part of the company’s transaction mix. Chime said that Chime Prime and Chime Card helped increase credit to 29% of Purchase Volume, nearly double the level recorded a year earlier.
This development is consistent with the company’s broader strategy of expanding its financial services portfolio and increasing the range of products used by members.
Chime Prime Strengthens Member Relationships
Chime Prime continued to play an important role in the company’s strategy to deepen member relationships and improve revenue generation.
Members earning $75,000 or more annually remain Chime’s fastest-growing member segment. The company reported that a significantly larger share of these members are establishing direct deposit relationships and qualifying for Chime Prime.
Prime members generate more than double the Average Revenue per Active Member of the overall Active Member base. This demonstrates the contribution that deeper account relationships and broader product usage can make to Chime’s revenue performance.
The company’s strategy is focused on serving members across a wider range of financial needs rather than relying exclusively on everyday payment transactions. Chime Prime, together with Chime Card, is helping increase credit-related activity and strengthen engagement with members.
Credit accounted for 29% of Purchase Volume during the quarter, nearly twice the proportion recorded one year earlier. Chime views the growth of these products as an important part of improving member relationships and expanding its revenue opportunities.
Unit Economics Reach Record Levels
Chime reported that its lifetime value to member acquisition cost ratio, or LTV:CAC, reached nearly 10 times for all Active Members. The company described this as the strongest unit economics in its history.
The LTV:CAC ratio compares the estimated value a company generates from a member over the relationship’s lifetime with the cost of acquiring that member. A higher ratio generally indicates that the company is generating more long-term value relative to its acquisition spending.
For Chime, the nearly 10x ratio reflects the contribution of member growth, higher revenue per Active Member and deeper engagement with its products.
The company believes that its expanding product portfolio and increasing number of primary account relationships are supporting stronger member economics. As members use more Chime services, the company has additional opportunities to generate revenue while building longer-term relationships.
MyPay Records $5.3 Billion in Origination Volume
MyPay continued to expand during the third quarter, reaching record origination volume of $5.3 billion. Higher limits helped drive the increase, with origination growth reaching its fastest pace in a year.
The company reported that MyPay loss rates remained around 1%, while annualized revenue from the product exceeded $500 million. Transaction profit reached a record $80 million, nearly double the level recorded a year earlier.
These results demonstrate the growing contribution of MyPay to Chime’s platform-related revenue. The product provides members with access to funds and is becoming an increasingly important part of the company’s broader financial services offering.
The combination of record origination volume, low reported loss rates and higher transaction profit suggests that MyPay is scaling while maintaining the performance levels highlighted by the company.
Chime’s ability to expand MyPay also supports its strategy of increasing the number of financial needs members can address through its platform. Higher usage can deepen member engagement and create additional opportunities to build primary account relationships.
Instant Loans Continues to Scale
Instant Loans also recorded continued growth during the quarter. More than 20% of Chime’s Active Members now use the product, demonstrating its expanding reach across the company’s customer base.
Annualized revenue from Instant Loans exceeded $115 million, ahead of the company’s expectations. Chime originated $381 million in Instant Loans during the third quarter.
The company also highlighted differences in loss rates between repeat and first-time borrowers. Annualized loss rates for repeat borrowers were up to 50% lower than those for first-time borrowers.
This performance suggests that repeat borrowing relationships may provide Chime with valuable information about member behavior and repayment patterns. The company is continuing to scale Instant Loans as part of its broader lending strategy.
Alongside MyPay, Instant Loans is contributing to the expansion of platform-related revenue, which increased 52% year over year to $274 million during the quarter.
The growth of these products reflects Chime’s efforts to provide members with more financial options while expanding revenue sources beyond its core payments activities.
Chime Expands Its Product Portfolio
During the third quarter, Chime continued broadening its product offering to address a wider range of member financial needs.
The company rolled out Chime Invest to all members, expanding access to its investment-related offering. It also launched Visa Flex, began testing a new line of credit for Chime Prime members and introduced joint accounts.
These additions are intended to give members more ways to use Chime and strengthen their relationships with the platform. By offering products that address different financial activities, the company aims to increase member engagement and create a more comprehensive financial services experience.
The planned launch of an unsecured credit card next year represents another step in the company’s lending expansion. Chime also plans to roll out a paycard to strengthen its Enterprise offering.
The planned unsecured credit card will expand the company’s credit product portfolio, while the paycard is expected to enhance its services for employer partners and their employees.
Chime’s product expansion strategy is closely connected to its focus on increasing revenue per member and strengthening its primary account relationships. The company is seeking to build a broader set of services that members can use for payments, borrowing, investing and other financial activities.
Chime Enterprise Adds Employer Partnerships
Chime Enterprise continued to expand its employer network during the third quarter, adding new partnerships and strengthening existing relationships.
The company signed and launched The Michaels Companies, Inc., a leading retailer with nearly 40,000 employees in the United States. The partnership represents an expansion of Chime’s employer-focused business and provides another opportunity to make its financial services available through workplace relationships.
Chime also signed the City of Charleston as its first public-sector employer partner. This agreement marks an important development for the Enterprise business as the company extends its reach into the public sector.
In addition, Chime expanded its partnership with Workday. The expanded relationship is designed to make it easier for millions of employees to select Chime for direct deposit within Workday.
Employer partnerships can help Chime reach potential members through workplace channels and simplify the process of establishing direct deposit. These relationships also support the company’s broader objective of becoming a primary financial account for more consumers.
The expansion of Chime Enterprise adds another distribution channel to the company’s growth strategy, complementing its consumer-facing products and lending services.
Stride Bank Acquisition Remains on Track
Chime’s planned acquisition of Stride Bank remains on track to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
The company continues to expect more than $100 million in annual net after-tax synergies from the transaction.
Chime expects ownership of the bank subsidiary to provide several strategic advantages. These include the ability to accelerate product development, gain greater control over the member experience and strengthen its structural cost advantage.
The acquisition is an important part of Chime’s longer-term strategy to expand its financial services capabilities. Greater control over banking infrastructure could give the company additional flexibility in developing products and managing the services offered to members.
However, the transaction remains subject to the necessary regulatory approvals and closing requirements. Chime has indicated that it continues to expect completion during the first half of 2027.
Chime’s third-quarter results reflect growth across its core payments business, platform-related services and member base. Revenue increased 32% year over year, Active Members reached 10.9 million, and the company delivered its third consecutive quarter of GAAP profitability.
The expansion of Chime Prime, MyPay and Instant Loans is contributing to stronger member engagement and higher revenue generation. At the same time, the company’s new product launches and employer partnerships are broadening its potential sources of growth.
CEO Chris Britt said the company’s performance gives it confidence to raise its outlook for the remainder of 2026. The company did not provide specific revised guidance figures in the supplied results announcement.
Looking ahead, Chime plans to continue expanding its lending portfolio, introduce additional products and strengthen its Enterprise business. Its planned unsecured credit card and paycard launches next year will extend the range of services available to members and employer partners.
The expected acquisition of Stride Bank in the first half of 2027 is another significant component of its longer-term plans. Chime believes that owning the bank subsidiary will support faster product development, greater control over the member experience and more than $100 million in annual net after-tax synergies.
With accelerating revenue growth, expanding membership, stronger unit economics and continued investment in new financial products, Chime enters the remainder of 2026 with momentum across several areas of its business. Its latest quarterly performance highlights the company’s progress in combining member growth with improved profitability while developing a broader financial services platform.
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