Banks continue to close thousands of branches. Is branch banking dying? (2024)

FAQs

Is branch banking dying? ›

Net branch closures continued in 2023, but the pace is slowing as banks rethink the purpose and value of a physical presence.

Profound technological changes, and the ease with which customers can access their accounts digitally means that our physical branch network is experiencing a sustained fall in demand. In fact, the majority of our customers (74 percent) now choose to interact with us via telephone, online, or mobile banking.

In 2023, America saw its highest amount of bank closings since the 2008 recession. The increase in mobile banking use, inflation and interest rates, and real-estate struggles all contributed to why 2023 experienced so many banks shutting their doors.

BofA branches in Hayward, Los Altos, Pinole and St. Helena, among others, have also already closed. “Financial center closures are driven by changing banking behaviors and where we have multiple financial centers close together,” a BofA spokesperson told KRON4.

The future branch will be a physical space for face-to-face interactions, but the underlying processes will be end-to-end automated, digitalized, and largely paperless. This automation will enhance efficiency and improve customer experiences.

Two major California banks — Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic — have failed. While some banking industry leaders have said the immediate crisis is over, stock prices for other regional banks, including PacWest and Western Alliance, fell this week.

If your local bank branch closes, you might consider searching for a nearby branch, finding a convenient ATM, banking online or switching to a different bank altogether.

Generally, credit unions are viewed as safer than banks, although deposits at both types of financial institutions are usually insured at the same dollar amounts. The FDIC insures deposits at most banks, and the NCUA insures deposits at most credit unions.

More than 220 bank branches have closed in the United States within the first two months of 2024, according to official US Government data.

What banks are failing in 2024? ›

2024 in Brief

There are no bank failures in 2024. See detailed descriptions below.

Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Lloyds, which are all part of the Lloyds Banking Group, will shut at least 176 of their bank branches in 2024 and 2025, after the Group announced a further 53 closures. The banks had a combined total of 1,154 branches as of Thursday 14 March.

Bank of America has closed more than 100 branches in 2023, and is preparing to close more locations next year, starting in January. One of the reasons for the closures is the rise of online banking. In recent years, competition has increased against banks that offer only online services.

Bank of America's Financial Health

In recent years, Bank of America's financial performance has been relatively stable. In 2022, the bank reported a net income of $20.4 billion, a decrease from the previous year's $27.4 billion.

The most common cause of bank failure is when the value of the bank's assets falls below the market value of the bank's liabilities, which are the bank's obligations to creditors and depositors. This might happen because the bank loses too much on its investments.

Many of the nation's largest banks are reducing their branch systems, and smaller banks are also trimming their networks. U.S. banks closed 2,118 branch locations between January and the end of October 2023, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Cons of brick-and-mortar banks

They charge higher fees and often have high minimum balance requirements. Loans and other products may cost more. They typically pay lower yields on savings and other deposit products. Visiting a branch takes longer than banking online.

Branch banking usage in the U.S. 2019-2023, by quarter

Branch banking usage dropped rather notably in 2019 and 2020 but remained stable since then. While the popularity of branch banking dropped, mobile banking usage increased during the same period.

KPMG said there had already been a rise in use of branches. In December 25% of individuals surveyed had visited their bank in-person, up from 22% during the same period a year earlier. About 18% had visited in the past week alone, compared with 13% in 2021.