Next Bank (將來銀行), the nation’s third Web-only bank, yesterday announced it would open on March 29, aiming to obtain 1 million clients within two years by offering an innovative service.
The bank hopes to attract 500,000 clients in its first phase by collaborating with shareholders such as Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), Mega Financial Holding Co (兆豐金控) and Shin Kong Financial Holding Co (新光金控), chairman Chung Fu-kuei (鍾福貴) told a news conference in Taipei.
More than 1,000 employees of shareholder companies or the bank’s suppliers participated in its pilot run, which started on Jan. 22, Chung said.
Photo: Lee Chin-hui, Taipei Times
Clients can deposit funds, apply for loans, pay bills or transfer money when the bank opens, while it plans to add foreign currency transaction services from October, and mortgage and wealth management products by the end of the year, Next Bank general manager Berlin Hsu (許柏林) said.
The bank hopes to break even in four years, Hsu said.
It would also allow clients to choose any 10 digits to represent their bank accounts, a first in the domestic market, Hsu said.
A client can choose the digits on Next Bank’s Web site, as long as the combination has not already been reserved, he said.
Clients could use their mobile number as their bank account number, he added.
“While clients have been able to pay to choose their own mobile phone number or vehicle plate number for many years in Taiwan, they still cannot do so with their bank account. Banks have total say in that.” Hsu said.
“We see it as an unmet need. As young people prefer individualized service, they would be happy to choose their account number,” he said.
It would also help clients remember their account numbers, he added.
Some special combinations are expected to be booked early, such as those containing “8” or “168,” which sounds like “wealth” and “being rich all along” in Mandarin respectively, or those containing “520,” which sounds like “I love you” in Mandarin, the bank said.
Some special combinations such as “7777777777” or “1234567890” had already been reserved, the bank’s Web site showed.
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