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From citizen to banker is not a whistle of a penny
https://www.volkskrant.nl/economie/van-burger-tot-bankier-is-geen-fluitje-van-een-cent~a4449137
Koen Haegens 17 januari 2017, 02:00

They are deeply frustrated about the existing banks. Without exception, they call the financial crisis as a key moment in their awareness. And they all made that decisive decision.

Then we do it ourselves.

If it is at the DIY bankers, the whole system is on the run

Citizens who take hold of it and set up their own bank: they exist. Like Ronald Bernard. Under the motto 'Boss in own bank', the self-employed entrepreneur, together with his relatives, took over the initiative for the Blije B. A few years ago, Blije Bank said that, after the intervention of the Dutch Bank (DNB), that title was deleted.

If it is at the DIY bankers, the whole system is on the run. Unlike the existing credit institutions, including the idealist Triodos, interest is taboo with the Joy B. That is not found to be sustainable and the root of much harm. It must also become a "reserve bank" - it will never lend money more than it is in cash. Even in a new currency is provided: the URA.

The actual goal goes further, Bernard says enthusiastically. He aims for a true 'change of consciousness'. "Over 5,000 people in four countries are already connected to our initiative," he says. Now bringing together the required starting capital of 1.2 to 1.5 million euros. Bernard does not doubt whether or not to succeed. "With a bit of amazement," he expects to be able to request the highly sought after banking license this year.

Cooperative bank
 Ronald Bernard van de Blije B. 'Bank' has been deleted after intervention by DNB
Ronald Bernard van de Blije B. 'Bank' has been deleted after intervention by DNB © Marlena Waldthausen
By far the largest citizen initiative in the low countries is NewB. The idea for the Belgian cooperative bank soon came after the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008. That hit Belgium even harder than the Netherlands. All four of the big banks wandered. The money entrusted to them - more than 80 percent of all deposits - was at risk.

Time to cheer up, found the NewBaners. The amount of support they have collected since then is impressive: more than 50 thousand members, plus 145 NGOs, in turn, a backbone of 5 million Belgians. Together with three major investors, all these sympathizers have currently raised a total of 15 million euros. That's a lot of money, but still not enough, stresses board member Dirk Coeckelbergh. "We think we need 30 to 35 million euros to start." Coeckelbergh is confident that this will be successful, but it is difficult. Certainly for an ideal initiative. "One of us applies, one voice, one voice. Whether you bring 20 or 1000 euros. That's what big capitalist investors do not like, of course. "

And money is not the only problem, he explains. 'After the crisis, as in all European countries, the regulation has also sharply tightened up in Belgium. For example, we must hand in a dossier of thousands of pages for a bank license at the central bank. Including who's in the board, risk management, and so forth. "

We are deemed to protect the interests of account holders. The slat must therefore be high

DNB
That even a broadly supported organization like NewB has difficulty taking the supervisor's hordes is significant. In the Netherlands, Bunq Bank is currently the only newcomer to succeed in obtaining a banking license in recent years. But behind that fintech startup is a capital-based entrepreneur. It then had to invest 5 years and 17 million euros of own capital before the company could run anyway.

How unfair that sounds, DNB can not say otherwise. "It sounds faint, but we just perform the law," spokesman Tobias Oudejans said. "We are supposed to protect the interests of account holders. As a customer, you do not want your payroll to be paid to hear the next day the bank director cheerfully join the Bahamas. Therefore, the slate must be high. "

Deposit bank
 Richard van der Linde (s) of the Deposit Bank, with colleague Dave Dirks
Richard van der Linde (s) of the Deposit Bank, with colleague Dave Dirks © Marlena Waldthausen
It explains why most well-intentioned initiatives already stumble even before they started well. The Financial Co-operation, founded in 2013, has now resumed. For another financial contender, it also looks somber: the Deposit Bank.

The idea is simple. Whoever wants to run no risk with his money - whether by speculating or just giving a credit - brings it to the Deposit Bank. This will then be placed on an account with the European Central Bank. The intended result: the safest, most stable bank in the Netherlands. One hundred percent crisis-proof.

That sounds like something nobody can resist. Yet a year ago DNB's letter came to light: it is not possible. "We want to attract money but do not provide loans," initiator Richard van der Linde explains. "It did not turn out to be possible within the current framework."

He has now established his hope for politics. This debates later this month about the excessive barriers for newcomers in the banking world. The supervisor can not really cheat Van der Linde. 'DNB is in an impossible position. On the one hand, it must check whether there are no new risks in the financial system. On the other hand, the central bank has to accommodate innovation. Those two do not go together. "

Paradoxically
With the paradoxical, unpopular result that the incumbent banks need to worry about new competitors

It is not a cumbersome conclusion for world enhancers. In order to prevent a recurrence of the crisis, politics has introduced tough regulation. With the paradoxical, unpopular result that the incumbent banks need to worry about new competitors.

At The Blessing B, however, optimism prevails. Not because they have a lot of confidence in the supervisors. They throw themselves, Ronald Bernard suspects, as "patrons for the monopolistic market". The candidate bank looks over the border for a license. Among other things, Malta, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom. "The differences between countries are high in Europe. Especially if you're going for a simple bank with a simple banking license. "

Devious? Bernard does not like it. And if it's going to take a bit longer, it's true. 'Look at how long an oak tree is about to grow up. Then we are still well. "