ING says it will open an office on Sint-Eustatius on 24 November and an affiliated office on Saba two days later. Residents and businesses on the two islands will initially be able to open a payment account, apply for a payment card and use digital banking. Customer service will be provided through ING’s regular online and telephone channels, while cash will be available from new ATMs installed by De Nederlandsche Bank.

The openings would give residents of the Caribbean Netherlands access to a Dutch bank for the first time in years. ING says it has met the legal and regulatory requirements for resuming services on the islands, which use the US dollar and are outside the European Economic Area. The bank described the two offices as a first step in expanding its services and said they would contribute to the islands’ economic development.