Public Entity Saba Welcomes ING Branch Opening

The Public Entity Saba welcomes the announcement by ING that it will officially open its doors on Saba on November 26, 2026. This marks an important milestone in improving access to banking services for residents and businesses on the island.

The Public Entity has advocated for improved access to essential banking services for several years. Throughout this period, the challenges experienced by residents and businesses have been raised with the Dutch Government, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and other stakeholders.

Commissioner of Finance Bruce Zagers met this news with the statement, “This is very welcome news for Saba. For many years, we have continued to advocate for better access to banking services, recognizing how important these services are to our residents, businesses and the local economy. It has taken considerable time, effort and cooperation to reach this point. We are grateful for the commitment and support of the Dutch Government and DNB throughout this process, and extremely pleased that ING has made the decision to establish a physical presence on our island.”

ING’s announcement comes ahead of the planned closure of RBC’s physical branch on Saba in January 2027.

“The circumstances surrounding RBC’s departure were unfortunate and created a great deal of uncertainty within our community. Throughout this period, our priority has remained ensuring that residents and businesses continue to have access to essential banking services. ING’s arrival provides some much-needed reassurance and represents an important step forward” stated Commissioner Zagers.

Continued Improvements and Challenges

While the opening of ING is a significant development, questions and concerns remain about access to cash, particularly the availability of change for local businesses and the ability for residents and businesses to make cash deposits. These matters are a priority in ongoing discussions with the relevant stakeholders.

As part of the banking initiative with DNB and Brink’s, two additional ATMs for cash withdrawals and B-boxes for business cash deposits will be available in the coming weeks. The two new ATMs will be installed in Windwardside and The Bottom, in addition to those currently installed at the harbor and airport.

Public Entity will continue to work closely with ING to support a smooth transition, particularly on the needs of pensioners and other residents who may require assistance with changing banks or using digital banking services.

“While we are very pleased with this announcement, we also recognize that there is still work to be done. Access to cash, the availability of change and the ability to make deposits are important issues that we continue to address. We also want to ensure that our pensioners and other residents who may need additional assistance are not left behind during this transition. We will continue working with ING, DNB and the Dutch Government to find practical solutions to these challenges.”

The Public Entity Saba expresses its appreciation to ING, the Dutch Government, DNB, and all stakeholders who have contributed to making this important development possible, and we look forward to continued dialogue with ING and other stakeholders on improving access to banking services for residents and businesses.

PES.