Chime Active Members Hit 9.5M as Demand Grows for Earned Wage Access

Chime’s fourth quarter 2025 results centered on linked trends: heavier use of the Chime Card for spending and continued growth in members treating the platform as their primary financial relationship.

“Over half of members in our new cohorts are adopting [Chime Card], and those members are using it for over 70% of their Chime spend,” CEO Chris Britt said on the earnings call Wednesday (Feb. 25). He added that the cash back, secured card is not simply an add-on product but is influencing how members transact day to day.

That adoption trend feeds directly into spending mix. Management said credit spend as a share of purchase volume rose to 21% in December, up from 16% in September. The distinction matters economically because transactions on Chime Card generate roughly twice the take rate of debit purchases, according to executives on the call.

Spending Patterns Steady

Against a backdrop of persistent inflation concerns and uneven household budgets, Chime’s management described a consumer base that continues to spend, with little visible retrenchment.

“Despite headlines of a pressured consumer, we continue to see stability,” Britt said. “Member spending remained healthy in Q4, with steady growth across both discretionary and nondiscretionary categories.”

Chime also highlighted that roughly 70% of purchase volume falls into nondiscretionary categories, a mix that tends to produce more consistent transaction activity than models tied heavily to discretionary retail cycles.

Management also pointed to differences beneath the surface. Discretionary spending growth outpaced nondiscretionary growth during the quarter, suggesting that while essential categories anchor the business, members are still allocating funds toward flexible purchases.

Topline Growth

Chime reported Q4 revenue of $596 million, up 25% year over year. Purchase volume reached $34.4 billion, while active members totaled 9.5 million, up by 500,000 year on year. ARPAM, a metric for platform monetization, stood at $257.

Management repeatedly linked revenue growth to product mix rather than simply user growth. Higher credit penetration, increased engagement from newer cohorts and continued use of liquidity tools all contributed to results.

MyPay Emerges as Margin Lever

Beyond card spending, MyPay continued to feature prominently in management’s discussion.

Britt said MyPay, which allows users to access part of their paycheck before payday without fees or interest, reached a revenue run rate exceeding $400 million in Q4 and achieved a transaction margin nearing 60%. He also noted that loss rates reached the company’s steady-state target of approximately 1%.

During the call, Britt attributed part of that performance to refinements in underwriting and pricing. A new variable pricing model, Britt said, is designed to widen access while preserving profitability.

Earned wage access products increasingly function as both engagement tools and revenue contributors, provided loss dynamics remain contained.

Profitability Outlook

Chime also used the quarter to highlight progress on enterprise distribution initiatives, including Chime Workplace. Management described early traction with employer-linked offerings that integrate MyPay into payroll workflows.

From a financial standpoint, CFO Matt Newcomb said the company expects GAAP profitability for the balance of the year. Guidance for 2026 calls for revenue between $2.63 billion and $2.67 billion, alongside adjusted EBITDA of $380 million to $400 million.

“We expect to maintain this momentum in 2026 with a clear line of sight to strong growth and further operating leverage,” said the CFO.

Shares were up 6% in after hours trading on Wednesday.

 

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