Number26, a 10-month-old smartphone-based provider of consumer banking services, has announced that it will expand to six new countries: France; Greece; Ireland; Italy; Slovakia; and Spain. A press from the Berlin-based fintech provider claims that Number26 offers "the only mobile­-first bank account available across Europe."

Current account setup is simple, requiring only a brief (approximately eight minutes) video chat with a remote Number26 banker, the release said.

The new account is linked with a MasterCard that can be used worldwide to make purchases or transact fee-free cash withdrawals at ATMs. Additional features of the account include P2P money transfer capability that allows an accountholder to send funds friends via text message or email.

After each transaction, the user receives an instant push notification, helping accountholders to keep an eye on their spending and account security. All funds are protected under the German Deposit Protection Fund.

"Our vision from the start has been to build Europe's first bank account for the smartphone," Number26 CEO and founder Valentin Stalf said in the release. "We see traditional banks as having failed to adapt to the demands of the digital generation. The response to Number26 has been fantastic and we're thrilled to expand to further markets."

In less than a year, Number26 has become one of Berlin's most successful startups with more than 80,000 clients in Germany and Austria, the release said. The current expansion brings the total number of countries where Number26 is active to eight.

"The markets we chose to enter now are perfect examples of a bad user experience and overpriced retail banking products," said Number26 CFO and founder Maximilian Tayenthal. "The problems affecting banks in Europe, such as bureaucracy, outdated technology and inefficient structures, are well present in those markets. Thus the timing couldn't be better for a digital solution to banking."