Mortgage Now, CaixaBank's online mortgage application service, recognised for its innovation in Celent's Model Bank Awards 2021

New recognition of the bank's commitment to digitalisation and innovation

• For the past 14 years, the Model Bank Awards have recognised best practices in the use of technology in the global banking industry. This year, over 160 submissions from around 90 financial institutions were analysed.
• Since the launch of Mortgage Now in February 2020 and up until 31 December 2020, 30% of mortgage applications received from non-residents in Spain have been managed online.
• 32% of applications received via Mortgage Now originate from the United Kingdom, followed by France, Germany and Sweden in terms of the number of applications received. This year, there are plans to extend the service to people living in non-European countries, such as the USA and Canada.

CaixaBank, Spain’s leading retail bank led by Gonzalo Gortázar, has been recognised as the “Model Bank of the Year in the Mortgage Lending category” at the Model Bank Awards run by Celent, a global research and advisory firm for the financial services industry.

Celent's annual Model Bank Awards have recognised best practices in the use of technology in the global banking industry for the past 14 years. The “Model Banks” are chosen from among those who have presented initiatives that demonstrate clear business benefits, innovation and technology or implementation excellence. This time, the organisation received over 160 nominations from around 90 financial institutions.

The judges recognised the commitment to digitalisation and the innovation of Mortgage Now, the online mortgage application service for non-residents in Spain offered by HolaBank, CaixaBank's programme aimed at the international community. The consultants also emphasised that the bank has been able to implement this technology in the mortgage field during the COVID-19 pandemic, overcoming geographical barriers as a result.

Mortgage Now, a pioneering service in Spain

With the launch of Mortgage Now by HolaBank in February 2020, CaixaBank became the first Spanish bank to offer non-residents in Spain and international property brokers a service (available to both customers and non-customers) to apply for mortgages from their country of origin, through a fully digital and safe system, that offers a feasibility response within 48 hours.

The Mortgage Now platform includes lists of documentation customised by country and type of occupation in the customer's language, and enables registration of the documentation required to carry out the mortgage study, with no need to translate it into Spanish.  In addition, there is a private space for property brokers who can manage all their applications with the guarantee of a fast feasibility response.

After receiving the feasibility response, any applicant who is not yet a customer can open an HolaBank account via the bank's digital onboarding and by using video authentication. In this way, the solution reduces the need to travel to Spain to just one trip to sign the mortgage application in the presence of a notary.

The service, which guarantees a secure omnichannel process, has been well received during lockdown and amidst the restrictions on mobility as a result of COVID-19. Since the launch of Mortgage Now in February 2020 and up until 31 December 2020, 30% of mortgage applications received from non-residents in Spain have been managed online.

To use the service you do not need to be a CaixaBank customer, but rather it is aimed at people living in Europe who have an interest in buying a property in Spain. It is available for people living in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Finland, France, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

On the basis of the origin of applications received by HolaBank via Mortgage Now, the United Kingdom stands out with 32% of the total received. France (19%), Germany (13%) and Sweden (10%) then follow. This year, this service is planned to be extended to people living in non-European countries, such as the USA and Canada.

CaixaBank, leader in innovation

Technology and digitalisation are key to the business model of the company, which has the largest digital customer base in Spain (7 million). In addition, CaixaBank has developed landmark technology projects in the sector, such as the creation of the first ATMs that allow users to withdraw cash through facial recognition and without having to enter their PIN, a project chosen as one of the Technological Projects of the Year in the Tech Project Awards 2019 by The Banker magazine (Financial Times Group).

Thanks to its digital transformation strategy, CaixaBank has become one of the highest rated banks in the world for the quality of its digital products and services, with accolades such as the “Best Digital Bank in Personal Banking in Spain 2020” by the US magazine Global Finance and, in the field of private banking, recognised as the “Best Private Bank in Europe for its digital culture and vision 2020” by the magazines The Banker and PWM (Financial Times Group).

HolaBank, the CaixaBank programme for international customers

HolaBank is CaixaBank's specialised programme intended for international customers who spend long periods in or who want to move to Spain.

HolaBank accompanies international customers, offering them a comprehensive financial service, with a customised service model and consultancy to meet the needs of people who do not live in Spain. To do so, the bank has 171 branches deployed throughout 70 municipalities of the Spanish coast and islands, and upwards of 500 multilingual advisers who are experts in international banking and high-value financial advice. In its online service, HolaBank offers a 24-hour service in more than 20 languages.

HolaBank also offers a portfolio of financial and non-financial products and services, especially designed to meet the specific needs of CaixaBank's 500,000 international customers. This is the case with HolaBank Club, offering services in various languages, such as telephone healthcare assistance, concierge service, online translators and interpreters, a personal assistant and a domestic emergency service, among others.

In this way, CaixaBank strengthens its strategy of offering a banking model specialised per different sectors, fully tailored to suit the needs of each customer profile, with the goal of always offering the best customer experience.