The judicial liquidation of Kard, pronounced in September, causes an unexpected situation for thousands of families with accounts now frozen, without any clear information on the recovery of funds. The neobank, positioned in the adolescent segment, did not communicate publicly beyond an email sent on September 29, and no message was broadcast in the application, nor was any follow-up provided on the status of the deposits.
In fact, withdrawals were possible until November 11, with an official deadline set for November 16. However, the alerts in the app were only activated on November 19, after the window allowing customers to recover their money. This discrepancy has taken many families by surprise, some of whom are now discovering that access to their child’s account is suspended.
The case raises the question of transparency in financial services intended for minors. Youth accounts, often used as a first introduction to budgetary management, require a reinforced duty of information. Kard’s lack of proactive communication creates a reputational risk for all neobanks, in a context where trust is a central element of their adoption.
This episode reminds us of the limits of the fintech model and the importance of a clear protocol in the event of failure. For the families concerned, the challenge now remains the recovery of funds, in a complex liquidation procedure little known to the general public.
