Virgin Money

Virgin Money is a prominent British financial services brand that offers a comprehensive range of banking products, including savings accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and business loans. The brand was originally founded by Sir Richard Branson in March 1995 as Virgin Direct, initially focusing on personal equity plans before expanding into a full-scale retail bank through strategic moves like the acquisition of Northern Rock in 2012.

Over the years, the brand underwent significant corporate transformations. In 2018, Virgin Money was acquired by CYBG plc (the parent company of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank), which subsequently rebranded the entire group under the Virgin Money name in 2019.

In a landmark deal for the UK financial sector, Nationwide Building Society completed a £2.9 billion acquisition of Virgin Money UK PLC on October 1, 2024. As of April 2, 2026, the legal transfer of the business was finalized, making Virgin Money a wholly-owned trading division of Nationwide. While the Virgin Money brand remains visible on the high street in 2026, it is currently in a transition period and is expected to be phased out by 2030 as Nationwide integrates the operations fully into its mutual structure.