Do you remember when banking meant wasting time queueing in-branch, or poring over paper statements? Thankfully, the industry has come a long way since then. Today, managing your finances is as easy as logging in to an app; and opening an account is as simple as verifying your identity with a selfie.
Traditionally the banking sector has been shrouded in secrecy, guardians of not only customer financial data but their own internal information. In the aftermath of the 2007 financial crisis, stakeholders, customers and regulators have demanded more honesty from the industry.
Regulatory change is coming, geared towards increasing competition and innovation in retail banking. This is good news for customers. In August this year, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) released recommendations arising from its investigation into the retail banking sector.