JPMorgan Chase has launched Finn, a mobile-only bank, making it the latest of several established banks around the world to create a purely digital sub-brand. …
RBI 750 retrospective: two-thirds of branches axed
It seems like another world. In 1981, the then big four UK retail banks – NatWest, Barclays, Midland and Lloyds – operated a combined UK branch …
CYBG-Virgin Money deal adds much needed competition
The £1.7bn ($2.4bn) takeover of Virgin Money by CYBG, which was agreed on June 18, means that the high street will gain a credible challenger …
Clydesdale, Yorkshire, B brands to be axed, new group to rebrand as Virgin Money
CYBG is to dump the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank brands as a consequence of its successful all-share offer for Virgin Money. The combination of CYBG …
Preview of Retail Banker International’s 750th subscriber edition
Since Retail Banker International’s first issue back in May 1981 there have been significant changes in Retail Banking globally, along with familiar themes still on …
HSBC enters open banking with Connected Money
HSBC is the first of the big four banks in the UK to release an Open Banking app. Connected Money allows HSBC customers to view …
750 and counting: there has never been a better time to be covering retail banking
As a rule it is always better to look forward than back, but for one issue we have been looking back as RBI celebrates its …
Looking back to 1981 and RBI #1
The world of banking has changed dramatically. As RBI celebrates issue 750, Briony Richter looks back to issue number one, published in May 1981, to …
FCA tightens the noose on high-cost credit
In a continuation of the long-running trend towards ever-tighter restrictions on lending practices, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced a crackdown on providers of …
Santander to boost competition in SME banking
The forthcoming launch of a digital-only SME bank by Santander will help improve competition in a sector that has been characterised by customer inertia, high …