Finextra Research: Latest fintech news, analysis, interviews, features and opinion by industry experts

Commerzbank mulls deeper branch cuts and further job losses

Germany's Commerzbank is mulling the shut down of up to 200 branches with the loss of 2000 jobs as part of a new strategic plan to be unveiled this Autumn.

23 August 2019

Company update/Branch banking

Nationwide unveils new concept branch

Nationwide Building Society has today announced it is opening a new concept branch in Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield, with the branch set to open seven days a week and some early evenings. The branch will open on 27 August 2019.

22 August 2019

Company update/retail

Travelex opens five currency exchange stores in Kuala Lumpur airport

Travelex, the world’s leading foreign exchange provider today launched the opening of five ‘retailtainment’ and ‘open concept’ currency exchange stores at KL International Airport, Malaysia. The bureau de change stores at KLIA, which feature digital and interactive technology aim to create more engaging and fuss-free transactions for those traveling through KUL.

13 August 2019

News/Branch banking

Hang Seng introduces mobile e-tickets for branch counter service

Hang Seng bank is introducing a mobile e-ticketing service to cut the queues at its branch outlets in Hong Kong.

08 August 2019

News/payments

UK PSR confirms Confirmation of Payee 31 March 2020 deadline

Following a slow roll out of ‘Confirmation of Payee’ (CoP) technology, the UK Payment Systems Regulator has ordered Lloyds, RBS Natwest, Barclays, HSBC, Nationwide and Santander to assure implementation by 31 March 2020.

02 August 2019

News/Branch banking

Caixabank rolls out facial recognition ATMs

Caixabank is introducing ATMs that enable customers to withdraw cash using just facial recognition technology at a new 2200 square metre branch in Valencia.

01 August 2019

Company update/Branch banking

KeyBank institutes in-branch Financial Wellness Review

Paving new paths on the journey to financial wellness, KeyBank has introduced the Financial Wellness Review—a new tool aimed at helping clients better understand and address their financial pictures.

31 July 2019

News/Branch banking

ING introduces 'branches that make you feel like home'

ING is to transform its branches into a home-from-home for customers, rolling out a more human-centric design across its entire estate.

18 July 2019

News/Branch banking

Santander transforms shuttered branch into 'Work Cafe'

Banco Santander is to launch its 'Work Café' concept in the UK, billed as a community hub offering state-of-the-art banking facilities, free co-working spaces and freshly-brewed artisan coffee.

17 July 2019

News/Branch banking

Santander pips Metro Bank for best savings account

Santander has the most intuitive savings account and ranks fastest for account opening time when compared with nine other leading UK banks, according to Worship’s inaugural Savings Account Audit.

01 July 2019

Company update/Branch banking

Nomura to cut a sixth of branches

Nomura Securities Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nomura Holdings, Inc., today announced that it will consolidate some of its retail branch offices located in metropolitan areas.

13 June 2019

News/Branch banking

Money 20/20 Europe 2019 Q&A: Rabobank’s Nico Strauss and Signicat’s John Erik Setsaas

Following their panel on why KYC is seen as a necessary evil, Finextra spoke to Nico Strauss, Tribe Lead B2B services at Rabobank and John Erik Setsaas, VP of Identity and Innovation at Signicat about how KYC could be used for social good, why digital identity is crucial for vulnerable groups like migrants and the impact of PSD2.

12 June 2019

News/inclusion

UK banks commit to free access to cash

The UK banking industry is promising to work with local communities to ensure that Brits continue to have free access to cash as the country drifts towards a digital economy.

12 June 2019

News/Branch banking

Sberbank to open pilot branch in McDonald's outlet

Customers of Russia's Sberbank will soon be able to do their banking with a side-order of Big Mac and Fries following a collaboration deal agreed between the state-owned banking entity and the giant US burger chain.

10 June 2019

News/retail

Money 20/20 Europe 2019: How to build a bank

Ronit Ghose, head of global banks research at Citi went hard before Money 20/20 Europe 2019 attendees headed home from Amsterdam and graced the stage to discuss long term strategy for building a bank from scratch.

06 June 2019

News/Branch banking

Credit Agricole sets €15bn tech budget through 2022

French bank Credit Agricole (CA) is set to spend €15 billion on new technology over the next four years as part of its digital transformation.

06 June 2019

News/ai

Money 20/20 Europe 2019: The interplay of AI, cloud, blockchain and quantum computing

On the final day of Money 20/20 Europe 2019 in Amsterdam, Jesse McWaters, financial innovation lead at the World Economic Forum starts the day discussing the interplay of AI, cloud, blockchain and quantum computing, and what happens when it all collides.

05 June 2019

News/Branch banking

Money 20/20 Europe 2019 Q&A: ING’s Benoît Legrand

Benoît Legrand, chief innovation officer at ING, graced the stage at Money 20/20 Europe in Amsterdam to discuss how the Dutch bank has developed and deployed its own innovation methodology. Ahead of the session, Finextra spoke to Legrand about post-Brexit Amsterdam, where ideas for innovation comes from and what platforms actually are.

05 June 2019

News/Branch banking

Money 20/20 Europe 2019: Is Open Banking a complete fiasco?

On the Industry Transmutation stage at Money 20/20 Europe 2019 in Amsterdam, Dave Birch, global ambassador at Consult Hyperion opens an afternoon of sessions on Open Banking and the potential it has to reshape the way the financial services industry works.

04 June 2019

News/Branch banking

Money 20/20 Europe 2019: The future of B2B banking

What can we expect from the banking industry in 2019? The second day of sessions at Money 20/20 Europe 2019 answers this question, with Drew Graham, director, digital strategy at Barclays, kicking off proceedings with Claire Calmejane, group chief innovation officer at Société Générale, Dr. Leda Glyptis, 11:FS Foundry CEO and chief of staff at 11:FS and Anne Boden, CEO and founder of Starling Bank.

04 June 2019