On the day that Goldman Sachs announced that its digital banking solution Marcus would now feature a suite of PFM tools, FinovateFall Digital attendees were busy listening to the architect of this new feature – Adam Dell, Head of Product at Marcus – making the case for, among other things, the union of digital banking and PFM.

Successful digital financial services offerings in the post-COVID era will have three main features, Dell said. They will have a low cost means of delivery, they will represent a fair deal for the consumer, and they will provide what he called “delightful digital experiences.”

The new PFM solution, known as Marcus Insights, is currently available on iOS and will be made available on Android platforms and on the web soon. Marcus Insights aggregates the user’s financial information in a single dashboard, and offers tools and trackers to provide an easy-to-understand overview of their finances. After linking their checking, savings, loans, and/or investment accounts, users can analyze their spending in pre-set categories such as travel, shopping, and dining, as well as get instant insight into their spending and saving patterns, and their investment performance.

Interestingly, due to a restrictive data sharing agreement, users will not be able to link their Apple Cards to Marcus Insights. This is despite the fact that Apple is a Goldman partner. Also partnering with Goldman and Marcus on this initiative is Finovate alum Plaid, which was acquired by Visa for $5.3 billion at the beginning of the year.

Goldman launched Marcus, which was named after the investment bank’s founder Marcus Goldman, in 2016 and, just this year, unveiled a mobile app for the online bank. As of January, Marcus has $60 billion in customer deposits, and $5 billion in loans. CNBC reported that Marcus plans to add a digital checking account and an investing service in 2021.

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Challenger banks have been slowly making their way into the mainstream banking sector. By offering competitive rates, unique services, and digital-first user experiences, this new breed of banks has disrupted the traditional banking scene, causing some incumbents to rethink their approach.

This certainly seems to be the case with Credit Suisse, a 164-year-old bank. The Switzerland-based firm is steeling itself against challengers by launching its own digital bank, CSX. The new offering aims to be a hybrid approach between challengers and incumbents, and “combines the flexibility and cost effectiveness” of a digital bank with “the comprehensive range of services and expertise” of a traditional bank.

“CSX is intended for all private clients in Switzerland who want to complete their banking business swiftly and easily and who value digital, professional financial advice,” said Anke Bridge Haux, Head of Digital Banking at Credit Suisse. “Of course, we are still available to serve our clients in person. CSX clients can decide for themselves how they want to interact with us, depending on their individual needs.”

In order to serve clients from a range of demographics, Credit Suisse’s new digital bank will be divided into two offerings, CSX and CSX Young. Both take a mobile-first approach, from onboarding to a virtual debit card. Credit Suisse will launch the two accounts at the end of next month. After launching, the app will add services including investments, pensions, and mortgages.

In conjunction with today’s digital banking announcement, Credit Suisse also unveiled plans for a new concept branch that focuses on personalized advice. The bank is piloting the new concept at a new branch in Zurich and is building out the idea with a Digital Bar that offers interactive, personalized advice via video conferencing. Branch locations will also include co-working spaces, multimedia group rooms, and an event zone that can be booked by third parties.

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