In a major win for consumer fintech, San Francisco-based Monarch has secured $75 million in Series B funding, defying what many are calling a “nuclear winter” for the startup sector. The fresh capital injects new momentum into Monarch’s mission to become the go-to personal finance app for American households—and it arrives at a critical moment.
This sizable round, among the largest for any U.S. consumer fintech in 2025, pushes Monarch’s valuation to $850 million, according to co-founder Val Agostino. Leading the investment were Forerunner Ventures and FPV Ventures, two firms betting that a new era of money management is long overdue.
The timing couldn’t be better for Monarch. Last year, long-time market leader Mint was officially shut down by parent company Intuit, leaving millions of users without a reliable budgeting tool. Monarch, launched in 2018, quickly emerged as the leading alternative—growing its subscriber base by 20x in the aftermath, Agostino told CNBC.
For Agostino, who helped build Mint in its early days, the opportunity to fix what he once helped create is deeply personal. “How families manage their money really hasn’t changed much since the ‘90s,” he said. “Sure, we’ve moved from spreadsheets and in-person banking to mobile apps—but the process still lacks depth and control.”
That’s where Monarch hopes to stand out. Instead of selling user data or relying on credit card ads like Mint once did, Monarch is built around a paid subscription model, giving users more control and ensuring the product itself—not advertisers—is the priority.
The app offers an all-in-one platform that helps users track their spending, set goals, and monitor investments. With its clean design and customizable features, Monarch is positioning itself as a modern personal finance tool built for long-term financial planning, not just budgeting on the fly.
While much of the fintech industry is facing slowdowns in fundraising and product adoption, Monarch’s growth bucks the trend. Its success highlights a growing appetite among consumers for more transparent, subscription-based tools that help them manage their money without being sold to in the background.
As competitors struggle and consumer trust in traditional financial platforms fades, Monarch’s rise could signal a broader shift in how Americans engage with their finances—and who they trust to help them do it.
