First Internet Bank Routing Number: The Original Online-Only Bank

The bank that did it first

First Internet Bank of Indiana's routing number is 074014187. What makes this routing number historically significant is the institution behind it: First Internet Bank launched in 1999 as the first state-chartered, FDIC-insured bank in the United States to operate without any physical branches. Every online-only bank that followed (Ally, Discover Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Capital One 360) walked a path that First Internet Bank paved.

Founded by David Becker in Indianapolis, the bank received its charter from the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions and opened for business on February 22, 1999. At the time, the concept of a bank with no branches was radical. The internet was still in its early commercial phase, online security was a genuine concern for consumers, and the idea of depositing money into a bank you could not physically visit required a leap of faith that few were willing to take.

Why the routing number starts with 074

The 074 prefix in routing number 074014187 corresponds to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Indianapolis processing center. Unlike many fintechs that charter in states like Utah or Delaware for regulatory reasons, First Internet Bank is genuinely an Indiana institution - headquartered in Fishers, Indiana (a suburb of Indianapolis) and chartered by the state of Indiana. The bank converted to a federal charter in 2008 but has maintained its Indiana headquarters and the same routing number throughout.

First Internet Bank today

While First Internet Bank pioneered consumer online banking, it has evolved significantly since 1999. The bank went public in 2013 (trading as INBK on Nasdaq) and has grown its asset base to over $5 billion. Its focus has shifted toward commercial lending, SBA loans, franchise finance, and public finance - areas where an online-first model provides cost advantages over branch-heavy competitors.

On the consumer side, First Internet Bank still offers checking accounts, savings accounts, CDs, and mortgage products, all accessible online. The routing number 074014187 applies to every consumer and commercial account at the bank.

Using routing number 074014187

The routing number works for all transaction types: ACH transfers, direct deposit, wire transfers, and bill payments. Because First Internet Bank has always been online-only, every account management and transfer function is handled through the bank's website or mobile app.

For wire transfers, both domestic and international, the routing number is the same 074014187. The bank's SWIFT code is available through customer service for incoming international wires. First Internet Bank charges standard fees for wire transfers that are competitive with other online banks.

Before neobanks were cool

First Internet Bank launched during the dot-com boom, survived the bust, operated through the 2008 financial crisis, and continued growing while hundreds of traditional banks failed. The model it proved viable - banking without branches, lower overhead passed along as better rates, and 24/7 access - is now the default for an entire generation of financial companies.

The difference between First Internet Bank and the neobanks that came later is important: First Internet Bank was always a chartered, regulated bank with its own routing number. It never relied on a partner bank. When fintechs like Chime or Current launched decades later using partner-bank models, they were, in a sense, doing a lighter version of what First Internet Bank had already built from scratch.

How Slash carries the online-first torch for businesses

First Internet Bank proved in 1999 that branches were optional. Slash builds on that foundation with a business banking platform designed for how companies operate today - not just moving branch services online, but rethinking what business banking should include: real-time spend controls on every card, automated receipt matching, cashback on card spend, and direct integrations with accounting software. The future that First Internet Bank started is still being built.