WASHINGTON - A New York City investment firm's proposed Internet-only, start-up has received a federal thrift charter, the Office of Thrift Supervision said Monday.
@Bank, which would be headquartered in Framingham, Mass., is owned by Marsh & McLennan Cos. and is the eighth Internet institution the OTS has chartered.
The bank is to open its "doors" to Marsh & McLennan employees this summer. Later, it would offer the services to customers of Seabury & Smith, a Marsh & McLennan unit that designs and administers insurance lines for associations, large businesses, and affinity groups.
"We will offer checking accounts, CDs, money market accounts, and access to loans just like any bank would," said Tony Nuzzo, the chairman, president, and chief executive officer of @Bank.
Though the OTS has chartered @Bank, it still must pass an independent test to prove that its Web site is secure.
The new thrift would not directly underwrite any loans or other products but provide access to consumer loans and mortgages via links on its Web site to third-party originators.
@Bank is not the first foray into Internet finance by Marsh & McLennan. It has also invested in CompuBank and LendingTree Inc.
