Chime Stride Bank Acquisition Accelerates Charter Path
Chime Stride Bank acquisition lifted 2026 revenue and EBITDA guidance and forecast more than $100 million in synergies, shifting investor earnings position.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Chime agreed to buy Stride Bank for $590 million in cash.
- Chime raised 2026 revenue to $2.76-$2.77 billion and adjusted EBITDA to $481-$489 million.
- Closing is expected in the first half of 2027 subject to OCC and Federal Reserve approvals.
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Chime Financial Inc. (NASDAQ: CHYM) announced on Sept. 8, 2026, a definitive agreement to acquire Stride Bank, bringing key banking infrastructure in-house and advancing its path to become a bank holding company while supporting expanded lending.
Deal Terms, Guidance, and Financial Impact
Chime will acquire Central Service Corporation, the parent of Stride Bank, N.A., for $590 million in cash, funded from its existing cash balance with no additional capital expected. After closing, Stride will be renamed Chime Bank, N.A. and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Both Chime’s and Central Service’s boards have unanimously approved the transaction. Morgan Stanley advises Chime, and Piper Sandler & Co. advises Stride.
Alongside the announcement, Chime updated its 2026 guidance. It now expects third-quarter revenue of $705 million and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) between $117 million and $120 million, implying a margin near 17%. For full-year 2026, revenue guidance is $2.76 billion to $2.77 billion, reflecting about 26–27% year-over-year growth, with adjusted EBITDA of $481 million to $489 million, implying a margin in the high teens.
Chime projects more than $100 million in net synergies from eliminating sponsor-bank fees, expanding lending products, and lowering funding costs. The company expects the deal to be immediately accretive to earnings per share upon closing.
Strategic and Regulatory Outlook
An SEC Form 8-K and a customer FAQ filed by Chime documented the Agreement and Plan of Merger. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to approvals from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, and customary closing conditions. The FAQ confirmed that customer accounts, app access, cards, and direct deposit will remain unchanged, requiring no customer action.
Stride is a nationally chartered, profitable, and well-capitalized bank that has partnered with Chime for over seven years. External analysis suggests the deal values Stride at roughly 1.5 times tangible book value. Chime plans to manage Stride’s balance sheet after closing and intends to keep the bank’s assets below $10 billion, a scale relevant to U.S. regulatory thresholds.
The acquisition accelerates Chime’s bank charter ambitions by bringing a nationally chartered institution under its ownership rather than continuing a sponsor-bank relationship. Morgan Stanley and Piper Sandler & Co. serve as financial advisers to Chime and Stride, respectively.
