BNP Paribas acquired Compte Nickel in France
BNP Paribas acquired Compte Nickel in France for about 200 million euros.
With 540 000 clients that BNP Paribas was not really addressing (low-end), it is a cost per client a little bit lower than 400 euros. When BBVA bought Simple in 2014, the cost per client was close to $1,000, so it looks like a good deal even if the profitability per client is much lower for the Compte Nickel (low-end market segment, low transaction fees in Europe).
But more interestingly, with 2500 PoS, it is a new distribution network with a cost of 80,000 euros per point of sale, about 10 times less than the cost of setting up a new banking branch.
Plus of course a technology and process that disrupt account opening.
So Compte Nickel for BNP Paribas = new market + new distribution market + new process and tool = seems a pretty good deal?