Zelf

Zalf is a digital bank that focuses on Generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012). The service does not have its own banking application or debit cards - it provides services through popular messengers, including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber. Zelf users can transfer money, pay for purchases and accept payments inside instant messengers using a chat bot. To do this, the service implements voice control using artificial intelligence. The project website says that you can get a virtual card and register an account in 30 seconds.

History

2021: Attracting $2 million investment

At the end of February 2021, Zelf announced the attraction of $2 million in investments following the results of the pre-seed round, which was headed by the 3VC venture fund. In addition, the venture capital firm headquartered in Liechtenstein Seed X Liechtenstein, the American Hard Yaka Foundation, ICQ co-founder Yair Goldfinger, former Alfa Bank CEO Alexei Marey, as well as partner accelerator Techstars and Outrun Adures Foundation.

The founder of the startup, a native of Russia, Elliot Goichman, refused to disclose the startup's estimate and revenue for 2020. According to a Forbes source in the company, revenue in 2020 amounted to no more than $500 thousand. Goichman says that Zelf is unprofitable due to significant investments in expanding the geography of the business.

Former Chief Manager of Alfa Bank Alexei Marey

We are confident that our business model of abandoning bulky banking applications, as well as physical plastic cards, will be a winning strategy, "he said.

The Zelf team intends to spend the attracted investments on business expansion in Spain, Germany, Poland and Italy, as well as to enter the British and American markets.

According to Forbes, by the end of February 2021, the company is also actively looking for a Russian partner bank, under whose license the startup will be able to work in the country.^[1][2]

Notes