Revolut and many other apps allow creation of accounts from the app per local regulations. It may require SSN in the US to complete sign-up, but it's all done through the app and is immediate.

The account falls under all the regular retention and reporting requirements, although these companies mitigate some classes of issues with stricter limits, not paying any interest (even though that'd be miniscule), etc.

Any bank in America for the last 20 years. I opened my very first account at the branch cause I though they need to see me. Dozens of accounts at multiple financial institutions after that I never had to go to the branch. Most of my accounts held at places that don't have any branches within hundreds of miles.

In fact Wells Fargo is famous for opening account for you without you even thinking about it.

Meanwhile, my experience with 6 bank accounts is exactly the opposite.

I remember pre 2008 financial collapse when you could call a banker and they’d open an account for you sight unseen.

Now it’s only internet banks that do this. They still require lots of KYC documents to open an account.

I signed up for Schwab (and numerous other financial institutions that were not "banks" per se) without having to go to a branch in person. You usually just submit photos of documents and, in some cases, have your picture taken at your computer.

Congrats, now those docs are stored in a database. Good luck getting them deleted.

Yes, banks store your information in databases. Not sure what you’re driving at.

They certainly don't scan and save images of your identifying documents when you go into the branch. They may store your DL and SSN number. This is a lot less than you volunteering up your identifying documents to a public webserver.

Ah, yeah, that was the issue; I didn't have documents. I now remember that I could've signed up entirely online, had I had them.

Monzo.

Digital-only, but a "real" bank in every sense of the word.

I think most major brick and mortar banks allow you to open account fully online.

Try going to random bank websites and click on "open account".

The guidelines apply to creation of accounts within the app, not just anywhere online.

ANZ Bank, in Australia - and I'm assuming the others of the Big 4 do as well (CBA, NAB and Westpac, that is). It's been added to the App for some account types over the past year or so.

All major banks let you create an account without going in to a branch now.

I know at least two swiss banks.