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Salt Bank

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Salt Bank
TypePrivate
IndustryFinance and Insurance
PredecessorRomanian International Bank SA
Idea Bank SA
Founded1998; 28 years ago (1998)
HeadquartersBucharest, Romania
Key peopleRobert Anghel (CEO)[1]
Sorin Dumitrescu (Deputy CEO, Risk)
Vikram Tikoo (Deputy CEO, Technology)
Sinan Kircali (Deputy CEO, Operations)
ProductsFinancial services
OwnerBanca Transilvania S.A. (99.5%)
B.T. Investments S.R.L. (0.5%)
ParentBanca Transilvania
Websitesalt.bank

Salt Bank (formerly Romanian International Bank and Idea Bank) is a Romanian digital bank headquartered in Bucharest. It was officially launched on 4 April 2024 as the first 100% digital bank "made in Romania", developed by Banca Transilvania through the transformation of the former Idea Bank.[2] The bank offers services through a mobile application available in Romania, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom for Romanian citizens.[3][4] Within a few years of operation, the bank reportedly reached the top 10 banks in Romania by number of customers and second place for customer satisfaction in the Romanian banking system, according to a Mercury Research study.[5]

The idea behind the bank is to offer a simplified and accessible banking experience, removing the need to visit a physical branch and allowing customers to manage their accounts remotely.[6]

History

[edit]

The bank was founded in 1998 as Romanian International Bank (RIB), majority owned by American capital; from May 2002 its main shareholder was the Daniel Roberts family, majority shareholder of the American bank Merchants Bank of California.[7][8] At the end of June 2006, the bank's assets stood at €69.7 million.[7]

On 4 December 2014, the Polish group Getin Holding acquired Romanian International Bank, in a transaction brokered by Crosspoint Investment Banking & Real Estate.[9][10] Following the rebranding, Romanian International Bank relaunched on 22 April 2015 under a new identity, as Idea Bank.[11][12]

In 2021, Banca Transilvania acquired Idea Bank through a share purchase.[13] In 2024, it was renamed Salt Bank.[14] Its subsidiary Idea::Broker de Asigurare became BT Broker de Asigurare, and Idea::Leasing IFN SA became Avant Leasing IFN SA.

In March 2026, following approval from the National Bank of Romania, Robert Anghel, formerly deputy CEO for Business, took over as chief executive officer (CEO) of Salt Bank from Gabriela Nistor, who had led the bank since launch and remained a member of the board of directors, continuing to contribute to its strategic direction.[1][15][16]

Products and features

[edit]

Salt Bank built a fully digital platform without legacy technology, which it has continuously expanded with new products and features, launching more than 400 app updates in its first year of operation alone.[5]

Payments and transfers. The bank integrated RoPay, Romania's national instant payment system, which lets customers send and receive money in real time using only a phone number, regardless of the recipient's bank, with no fees between RoPay users.[17] Its Pay Bill feature allows customers to pay electricity, television, internet or gas bills directly from the app, without needing to look up customer codes or invoices in email.[17] The bank also launched instant euro payments through the RO-TIPS system, with real-time transfers to more than 30 European countries,[18] as well as a "Low Cost Transfers" service, with a fixed fee (5 lei for individuals, 10 lei for companies) for international transfers to nine countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.[19] For customers who travel or spend in foreign currency, the bank offers a Multicurrency card covering up to 19 currencies at favourable exchange rates.[20]

Lending. In 2025, Salt Bank launched a fully digital personal loan, giving customers access to up to 200,000 lei directly from the app.[21] The bank set a speed record for granting a loan, approved entirely digitally in just 2 minutes and 50 seconds.[22]

Investments. Through Salt Investments, customers can invest in international stocks, ETFs and mutual funds starting from €1, directly from the app; Salt Bank was the first bank in Romania to offer simultaneous access to local and international markets within the same app.[23]

Entrepreneurs and business. Salt Business offers accounts and tools dedicated to freelancers, sole traders (PFAs) and small entrepreneurs, complemented by Salt Business Club, a benefits programme extending beyond traditional banking services.[24]

Subscriptions. In June 2026, the bank introduced two banking plans with extended benefits: Salt Everyday, which includes multiple digital cards, monthly cash withdrawals of up to 1,500 lei and free instant payments within the EU, and Salt Premium, with a multicurrency Platinum card (with an optional metal variant), airport lounge access, European travel insurance and roadside assistance.[25]

Insurance. Customers can purchase and manage compulsory motor third-party liability (RCA) insurance policies directly from the app, and in 2025 the bank entered bancassurance partnerships with NN and Asirom.[26]

Customer safety. Salt Bank launched the Call Monitor feature, which confirms in the app whether an incoming call really is from the bank, and Help Mama, which alerts customers when an elderly or vulnerable parent who holds an account attempts an unusually large payment, blocking the transaction until it is approved — two features described as unique on the Romanian market.[26] To encourage saving, the bank introduced the "Saving Challenge", a programme through which customers can automatically set aside between 10 and 100 lei per day for 100 days, with a bonus for consistency.[27]

Recognition. Salt Bank has received more than 50 national and international awards, including "Best Digital Bank" at the FinTech Breakthrough Awards 2025 and "Best Use of Tech in Retail Banking" at the Banking Tech Awards 2024.[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Schimbare la conducerea Salt Bank: Robert Anghel, director general adjunct, a preluat conducerea executivă a băncii de la Gabriela Nistor" [Change at the helm of Salt Bank: Robert Anghel, deputy CEO, takes over executive leadership of the bank from Gabriela Nistor] (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Salt Bank, prima bancă (neobank) 100% românească, a fost lansată pe piața digitală" [Salt Bank, the first 100% Romanian (neobank), launched on the digital market] (in Romanian). Forbes România. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Bursă: Salt Bank... de la lansarea din 4 aprilie și până la 30 iunie a avut 230.000 de clienți noi" [Stock exchange: Salt Bank... had 230,000 new customers from its 4 April launch through 30 June] (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "A fost lansată oficial în România Salt Bank, bancă 100% digitală" [Salt Bank, a 100% digital bank, officially launched in Romania] (in Romanian). News.ro. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Primul an cu Salt Bank: După un Big Bang în banking, urmează „a Bigger Bang"" [Salt Bank's first year: after a Big Bang in banking, "a Bigger Bang" follows] (in Romanian). HotNews.ro. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Salt Bank, prima bancă 100% digitală made in România, a fost lansată oficial" [Salt Bank, the first 100% digital "made in Romania" bank, officially launched] (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 "RIB deschide o noua sucursala in provincie" (in Romanian), 20 October 2006, wall-street.ro, retrieved 20 August 2010
  8. ↑ "Romanian International Bank intra pe segmentul cardurilor cu chip" (in Romanian), 7 May 2009, wall-street.ro, retrieved 20 August 2010
  9. ↑ "Getin Holding a finalizat preluarea Romanian International Bank (RIB)" (in Romanian), retrieved 30 July 2015
  10. ↑ "Romanian International Bank (RIB) a fost achiziționată de către grupul Getin Holding din Polonia" (in Romanian), bursa.ro
  11. ↑ "Idea Bank s-a lansat in Romania: UN FRESH BANKING FROM POLAND" (in Romanian), wall-street.ro, 22 April 2015, retrieved 30 July 2015
  12. ↑ "RIB își schimbă denumirea în Idea Bank și se mută în Hermes Business Campus" (in Romanian), mediafax.ro, 8 July 2014, retrieved 30 July 2015
  13. ↑ "BT preia în iunie Idea Bank, după Volksbank și Bancpost" [BT to take over Idea Bank in June, following Volksbank and Bancpost] (in Romanian). ZF.ro. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "Banca Transilvania pregătește lansarea Salt Bank" (in Romanian), profit.ro, 7 March 2024
  15. ↑ "Salt Bank: Robert Anghel este noul CEO, iar Gabriela Nistor rămâne membru al Consiliului de Administrație" [Salt Bank: Robert Anghel is the new CEO, while Gabriela Nistor remains a member of the board of directors] (in Romanian). Bursa.ro. 4 March 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Salt Bank îl numește pe Robert Anghel în funcția de CEO" [Salt Bank appoints Robert Anghel as CEO] (in Romanian). Forbes România. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Salt Bank introduce RoPay în aplicație: cum funcționează schema de plăți făcută de români" [Salt Bank introduces RoPay in its app: how the payment scheme made by Romanians works] (in Romanian). Wall-Street.ro. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Salt Bank... lansează plățile instant în euro direct din aplicație, pentru transferuri în timp real către peste 30 de țări europene" [Salt Bank... launches instant euro payments directly from the app, for real-time transfers to more than 30 European countries] (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Salt Bank introduce comisioane fixe la transferurile internaționale în nouă țări" [Salt Bank introduces fixed fees for international transfers to nine countries] (in Romanian). Bursa.ro. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Salt Bank vine cu o campanie, până pe 31 august, pentru clienții care pleacă în vacanță în Grecia sau Bulgaria" [Salt Bank launches a campaign, until 31 August, for customers going on holiday to Greece or Bulgaria] (in Romanian). Ziarul Financiar. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Creditul de nevoi personale de la Salt - fără comisioane sau asigurări, cu una dintre cele mai mici DAE din piață" [Salt's personal loan – no fees or insurance, with one of the lowest APRs on the market] (in Romanian). Profit.ro. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Elena Roibu, Salt Bank: Am bătut un record, am acordat un credit în 2 min. și 50 sec" [Elena Roibu, Salt Bank: We broke a record, we granted a loan in 2 min. and 50 sec.] (in Romanian). FutureBanking.ro. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Salt Bank democratizează investițiile: clienții pot începe să investească de la doar 1 euro, direct din aplicație" [Salt Bank democratises investing: customers can start investing from just €1, directly from the app] (in Romanian). Forbes România. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Salt Bank lansează Salt Business Club, un program care oferă mai mult decât banking" [Salt Bank launches Salt Business Club, a programme offering more than banking] (in Romanian). Forbes România. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "Salt Bank lansează abonamentele Salt Everyday și Salt Premium" [Salt Bank launches the Salt Everyday and Salt Premium subscriptions] (in Romanian). Bursa.ro. 19 June 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  26. 1 2 "Salt Bank - inovațiile care schimbă bankingul digital" [Salt Bank – the innovations changing digital banking] (in Romanian). Bursa.ro. 11 December 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  27. ↑ "Salt Bank a lansat un program care încurajează economisirea zilnică prin sume mici" [Salt Bank launches a programme encouraging daily saving in small amounts] (in Romanian). Agerpres. 6 April 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
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