ING announces its withdrawal from the online banking market in France (…) and is currently exploring with third parties the possibility of entering into an agreement regarding its client portfolio. » The official announcement of December 21, 2021 raises legitimate questions from the million customers claimed by ING in France.
“There is no need to worry: it is not a question of bankruptcy but of a decision by the group, which is also a solid player”, reassures Basile Duval, content manager of the Panorabanques.com banking comparator. Two potential buyers would be in the running: Société Générale, for its online bank Boursorama, and Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, for Fortuneo.
For now, some ING customers have been surprised to be informed of the upcoming closure of their Orange Savings account. The association for the defense of banking users France Conso Banque estimates the number of accounts concerned at 300,000. “ING is seeking to get rid of its least profitable accounts before selling its client portfolio”, deplores Michel Guillaud, the president of the association, which launched the defense collective Les Orphelins d’ING.
For his part, Frédéric Niel, director of ING’s online banking in France, confirms that since the summer of 2021 he has been closing certain savings accounts yielding 0.01%: “Only customers holding an Orange savings account and no other ING product are affected by these closures. »
What to do today if you are an ING customer? “The bank remains 100% operational. Customers can continue to use their accounts, cards and services as usual,” assures Mr. Niel. Asked by The world, the Prudential Supervisory and Resolution Authority (ACPR) wants to be reassuring: “When a bank is sold, customers usually do not have to take any particular action because of this sale. » So there is no need to rush.
15 euros per transferred line
The attitude to adopt depends on the type of product held by the client at ING. “If you only have a current account, it may be wise to go looking for a new establishment, taking advantage of the welcome offers regularly offered by certain online banks”, notes Matthieu Robin, bank insurance project manager at UFC-Que Choisir.
The situation is more complex if you also hold savings and credit. Transferring a securities account or a stock savings plan (PEA) to another establishment is possible, but ING charges 15 euros per line transferred, up to a limit of 150 euros. “We want to obtain free transfer operations for eligible products such as the securities account and the PEA”, adds Mr. Guillaud. There is no rush to transfer these accounts at this time. “Many other banks refund transfer fees to their new customers,” notes however Basile Duval, at Panorabanques.
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