Revolut was founded in London in 2015 by Nik (Nikolay) Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko. Storonsky was born in Russia and is a British citizen; Yatsenko is Ukrainian by origin and was reported in 2022 to hold British and Ukrainian citizenship. Neither is Lithuanian: the Lithuania link is Revolut's EU banking licence, not its founders' origin.

Who are Revolut's founders?

Nik Storonsky is Revolut's chief executive. He grew up in Russia, studied physics in Moscow and worked as a trader in investment banking before launching the company. Vlad Yatsenko is a software engineer who also worked in banking and built Revolut's first technology as co-founder and chief technology officer.

The app they started in 2015 as a prepaid card and currency-exchange product now operates as a global financial app. RTE reported in March 2026 that Revolut counts about 70 million customers worldwide and 13 million in the UK.

Nationality and origin

  • Storonsky: born in Russia. City AM, citing The Telegraph in October 2022, reported that he had held British and Russian passports and gave up the Russian one after the invasion of Ukraine. He publicly condemned the war and waived fees on transfers to Ukraine.
  • Yatsenko: Ukrainian by origin, described by the same report as a dual British-Ukrainian citizen.

Revolut is therefore a London company founded by a Russian-born and a Ukrainian-origin pair, not a Baltic or Ukrainian startup. For other founder stories on this site, see Founders and our profile of Lovable's founders.

Where does Lithuania come in?

Revolut needed a banking licence to serve European customers after the UK left the EU. It obtained one in Lithuania, and its EU bank, Revolut Bank UAB, is based in Vilnius and supervised by the Bank of Lithuania together with the European Central Bank. That is the origin of the "Revolut Lithuania" searches. It describes the regulated entity serving customers in the European Economic Area, not the founders' background.

Founders thinking about relocating to Lithuania or elsewhere in Europe can compare programmes in Startup visas in Europe: seven programmes compared.

What changed recently

  • UK bank licence: RTE reported on 11 March 2026 that the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority had cleared Revolut for a full UK banking licence. Revolut first applied in 2021 and received a restricted licence in July 2024.
  • Storonsky's residency: a Companies House filing from October 2025 listed the UAE as his country of residence. According to Scottish Financial News, citing the Financial Times, a corrective filing later restated the UK. Storonsky had called the UAE reports "fake news", and Revolut said his role was unchanged.

Net worth figures vary widely between lists and are not covered here. Ownership changes with each funding round, so check the latest Companies House filings for current figures.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Revolut?

Nik Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko founded it in London in 2015.

Are the Revolut founders Russian or Ukrainian?

Storonsky was born in Russia and, according to press reports, gave up his Russian citizenship in 2022. Yatsenko is Ukrainian by origin.

Are the Revolut founders from Lithuania?

No. Lithuania hosts Revolut Bank UAB, its EU-licensed bank, in Vilnius. See Startups for more company coverage.