Accelerating adoption of digital banking results in a further rightsizing of KBC branches estate in Belgium.

By the end of the year, 51 KBC branches will close in the Flanders region.

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In addition, 65 smaller KBC branches in Flanders will be converted into unmanned branches.

At the same time, KBC continues to invest in its full service branches, KBC Live and in its digital channels.

Following the closure of the KBC branches, the bank’s physical channel will comprise:

  • 350 manned branches (of which 132 are full-service branches),
  • 190 unmanned branches,
  • The KBC Brussels brand has 31 manned branches and 3 unmanned branches, and
  • The bank’s CBC brand has 86 manned branches in the Wallonia region.

KBC branches numbers cut as digital powers ahead

In the first quarter of 2019, 57% of KBC-customers are banking solely via a digital channel only. In 2018, an additional 130,000 KBC customers adopted digital banking.

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More than 1.35 million KBC customers are active digital banking customers, via smartphone, tablet or PC. Almost one-half of this number does so exclusively via mobile banking.

Other KBC digital banking highlights include:

  • In 2018, more than 60,000 remote advisory discussions took place, or an average of 5,000 per month;
  • In Q1 2019, the number of video chats increased to more than 2,000 per month;
  • Ordinary chat conversations increased to more than 9,000 per month;
  • Every month, around 2,000 Whatsapp conversations with KBC customers take place, and
  • KBC Live is responsible for 20% of the sale of non-life insurance and 16% of home loan

The number of transactions at cashless machines  including requests for account information, transfers) has decreased by 40% since 2014. At the same time, the number of available devices has remained stable.

The number of cash withdrawals is down by 16% in the same period, while the number of ATMs remained stable.