Spain-based Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) has introduced a new global and borderless account, Denizen, for expat banking.
The new borderless account will help customers to secure money in any country and pay it out in another immediately, helping to avoid international transfer fees and currency exchange fees.
Designed at the BBVA’s New Digital Business unit in San Francisco, the new global account will help to reduce the cost, uncertainty and risks associated with international banking.
Featuring a mobile app for on-the-go money management, the Denizen account will provide a no FX fee and no bank-owned ATM fee debit card.
Through offering simplified banking at the account level for global citizens, Denizen will save time and reduces costs for individual wire transfers, remittances, payments.
According to BBVA, the technology behind Denizen plugs into partner banks APIs, enabling the solution to work in multiple countries.
Denizen will also be provided to refugees, immigrants and frequent travelers to manage finance across borders, in addition to expats.
The service will be expanded to top ten top European Union countries in the second half of the year, including the UK.
BBVA also intends to offer white label solution for international businesses to provide employees with their own branded bank account. It will help users to keep their existing direct debits and regular payments in one country and set up new ones in other countries.
Denizen CEO Joaquin Ayuso de Paul said: “National borders act as barriers to the free movement of money, inhibiting individuals and limiting the potential for global commerce. Denizen is on a mission to simplify banking for global citizens.
“By delivering the world’s first truly borderless account, we make it easy for anyone to access the financial system from anywhere, then carry it with them as they move for work or travel.”
BBVA new digital businesses head Ian Ormerod said: “As someone who has lived and worked in a number countries globally, I know first-hand how difficult it is to manage one’s money across borders.”
Image: Denizen is BBVA’s new global and borderless account. Photo: courtesy of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.
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- ^ BBR Staff Writer (payments.banking-business-review.com)
