Loop Capital Initiates Chime Financial With $45 Price Target

Loop Capital initiated coverage of Chime Financial (NASDAQ: CHYM) with a buy rating and a $45.00 price target, pointing to untapped revenue streams and growth momentum following the fintech's planned bank acquisition, according to a MarketBeat report. The initiation arrives as Chime shares rally following its strategic expansion into chartered banking operations.

The investment firm argued that public markets are currently underestimating the commercial scale of the Chime Card ecosystem. According to an Investing.com report, Loop Capital estimated that the card product represents a nearly $1 billion latent annual interchange revenue opportunity as user adoption and transaction volumes scale.

"Loop Capital believes investors do not fully appreciate Chime Card," analysts noted in the initial coverage report, highlighting the unmodeled upside in the company's core consumer payment rails.

Stride Bank Acquisition Strategy

The analyst coverage follows Chime's recent definitive agreement to acquire Stride Bank for $590 million in cash. Upon the completion of customary regulatory approvals, Stride Bank will become a wholly owned subsidiary and be renamed Chime Bank, N.A., bringing key issuing and banking infrastructure directly in-house.

This vertical integration allows digital-first financial platforms to capture economics previously shared with partner banks. Owning a chartered bank charter typically reduces compliance overhead costs over time while granting direct access to Federal Reserve payment networks and deposit-gathering capabilities.

Upgraded Financial Guidance and Revenue Projections

Alongside the structural changes, Chime recently raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $2.76 billion to $2.77 billion, according to an Investing.com earnings update. For the third quarter, the company projected revenue of $705 million.

These upward revisions reflect accelerating user monetization and stronger deposit balances across its digital checking and savings accounts. The combination of newly initiated institutional coverage and expanded earnings projections has drawn increased attention from market participants tracking the profitability paths of scaled consumer fintech companies.