I personally don’t (any longer) get my salary paid directly into Revolut, but I do know of many that do. Likewise many also use it as a spending card they top up from a salary account.
In terms of overall numbers using Revolut, I’ve seen numbers like ‘three quarters of Irish adults’ are users and I wouldn’t be remotely surprised if this was true. I work in a team of 10 directly, in which everybody is a Revolut user. If you are out in a pub for example, you’ll see that a high majority of cards being used are Revolut cards (very commonly Virtual cards). Kids out on their lunch break from school are using Revolut <18 cards everywhere.
I think a lot of this comes down to Revolut being in the right place, at the right time with regards to Ireland.
When Revolut first appeared, banks here were applying fees in some cases per-transaction as well as monthly account charges. There was no means of faster or instant electronic payments between folks. Ireland is a dual-currency island and Revolut was the first payment card to come along that didn’t surcharge cross-currency transactions between North and South.
I firmly believe this drove mass adoption and to ‘Revolut’ someone, ie to transfer money to them, is used as a verb here. Revolut decals appear on parking meters and shop windows. Buskers in Grafton Street have large Revolut QR codes on display to take donations. The yearly Late Late Toy Show has used Revolut as a donations partner for a few years now. Even a local health insurance company is advertising reimbursements direct to Revolut in their TV ads. My employer awards cash ‘gifts’ to Revolut through our Employee Recognition portal. Aer Lingus take Revolut Pay. My (nearly retired) plumber has a Revolut card terminal. You get the idea of how much of the market Revolut has gained here.
In a further bit of luck, being in the right place at the right time, Revolut became a bank in Ireland at the time KBC and Ulster exited. Despite more than two years notice, Irish banking customers were really apathetic over moving their banking and large swathes left it right up to the very last minute. Revolut targeted those customers with the message that they could become their main bank with little effort - they already hold an account after all - and so many did.
Times are certainly going to be interesting when Monzo launches. Because of that apathy with the public, I wonder how many banking users, Revolut or otherwise will move over. Some may say, that all their circle are using Revolut so why switch to something incompatible. Also, bear in mind, we only got faster / instant payments between banks in the last few weeks, literally 
. For some direct debits, you actually have to write a letter to move the details over. I wonder how many will decide it’s worth the effort.
This does make me wonder about Monzo’s strategy in Ireland somewhat. N26 are here, and bunq have arrived recently too. Neither have scratched the surface in the market.
So with all that being said, my suspicion is for Monzo that the prize is not necessarily Ireland, but more the license to springboard it into Europe is what they’re after.
Hope that provides some non-scientific insight!
only just got tap and pay which is nice.
