BNP Paribas to Launch Direct Bank, Focus on Mobile

France's BNP Paribas has opened a direct bank in Belgium and Germany and will extend the new brand it's billing as a "native mobile bank" to people in France and Italy in the coming months.

BNP Paribas, which announced its new Hello bank! division Thursday, said it wants to count 1.4 million clients within five years.

According to the Financial Times, the bank will invest 80 million Euros in Hello bank! this year. The majority of the investment will relate to the cost of acquiring new clients, reports the news source.

BNP Paribas says people can open Hello bank! accounts in four steps through digital channels.

Screenshots on the iTunes store indicate that the bank's app will communicate with customers in a cheeky, and more human, tone. For example, a welcome screen reads: "First of all, let's get to know each other a little better. Don't worry, after that, we can dispense with the formalities."

Customers can use services from the BNP's branch network for specific requests, the bank said in a release. Meanwhile, agents will be available to Hello bank! customers six days a week. Customers can reach them through chat, email, tweet and phone.