New bank Bunq pledges to be WhatsApp for financial services

The Netherlands first so-called FinTech bank launched on Wednesday. And Bunq, described as an IT startup with a banking licence, pledges to become the WhatsApp for the financial services. With the Bunq app you can pay your friends, send photos of transfers and share an account in a group, RTL Nieuws reports. You can also do traditional banking things, like withdraw money from an ATM by applying for a debit card. Founder Ali Niknam claims that he will make Bunq "the WhatsApp of paying each other", NU reports. This is the Netherlands first new independent bank with a banking licences in ten years. Bunq launched as a trial among a thousand people in September. The trial succeeded and the bank is now open to everyone. According to Niknam, he is getting a new customer almost every minute. Bunq is initially focusing on individual banking, but plans to expand into business services in the future.