Nubank Targets Brazil’s Middle Class With New Croma Tier

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Brazil · Fintech

*Brazil’s digital banking giant built an empire by giving the overlooked their first credit cards. Now it is chasing a richer clientele, rolling out a premium service designed to capture the country’s expanding middle class before traditional rivals can stop the bleeding.*

Sao Paulo. Nubank is moving up the income ladder. (Photo internet reproduction)

From financial inclusion to the mass-affluent

Nubank became Latin America’s largest private financial institution by customer count by dismantling barriers for the underbanked with a no-fee digital account and a simple purple credit card. That strategy built a colossal base of over 112 million users, with 60% now calling it their primary bank.

With Croma, the fintech is pivoting to deepen relationships with a more lucrative slice of the population. It is explicitly targeting mass-affluent users who drive higher fee and lending revenue, a group the company expects will be much larger than its elite Ultravioleta base.

Why Nubank is moving upmarket now

The shift is a direct play for ‘principalidade’—becoming the main repository for a client’s entire financial life. By pulling in salaries, everyday spending, and investments from mid-income earners, Nubank can significantly boost its average revenue per active customer.

This move comes as traditional giants like Itaú and Bradesco are losing high-margin clients to digital disruptors. Nubank is investing heavily in AI-driven personalization to offer quasi-private-bank attention at a low cost-to-serve, making the economics of serving this segment highly attractive.

What Nu Holdings does. Nu Holdings Ltd. provides digital banking platform in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the Cayman Islands, and the United States. The company provides spending solutions comprising Nu credit and prepaid card, a digitally enabled card that acts as a credit and a prepaid card; Nubank+ Tier, an evolution of the Nu experience; Ultraviolet credit…

How Croma bridges the gap to wealth

Croma is not defined strictly by income but by affluent financial behaviors. Eligibility hinges on consistent high card spending or sizable on-platform assets, with thresholds set lower than the Ultravioleta tier to capture a broader audience.

The product bundles a Mastercard Platinum card with travel perks, a dedicated money box yielding 120% of the interbank benchmark rate, and lifestyle benefits like toll tags with no monthly fee. A relationship manager and priority service channels aim to make the digital experience feel premium and personalized.

The competitive battlefield in Brazil

Nubank is segmenting its user base by profile rather than building a strict income ladder, a strategy that pits Croma directly against established banks’ mid-tier offerings. The launch complements recent enhancements to Ultravioleta, which now includes global accounts and zero foreign exchange fees for the wealthy.

While the fintech continues its financial inclusion work for low-income Brazilians, Croma completes a full-spectrum assault on the market. By locking in customers who are on the path to affluence, Nubank aims to capture their loyalty before they ever walk into a legacy bank branch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the Nubank Croma segment for?
Croma is designed for mid-income customers in a wealth-building phase, typically earning around US$900 per month, who already use Nubank and seek more sophisticated financial products.

How does Croma differ from Nubank Ultravioleta?
Ultravioleta targets high-income clients with higher spending and investment thresholds, while Croma serves a broader mass-affluent base with lower entry requirements and a smaller monthly fee.

What are the main benefits of the Croma card?
It offers a Mastercard Platinum card with 0.8% cashback, a dedicated relationship manager, priority service, and perks like free mobile data and a toll tag with no monthly fee.

How can a customer join Nubank Croma?
Access is by invitation only. Nubank evaluates a customer’s overall relationship, including spending patterns and resource volume, before sending an invite through the app.

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