BankThink

Geopolitical turmoil will boost multi-currency accounts

Brexit, Trump and the chaos in Catalonia are driving demand for multi-currency accounts, and within 10 years these accounts will be the norm.

We’re living in an increasingly uncertain world. Serious, far-reaching and ongoing geopolitical developments are driving internationally-minded people to concentrate on political risk and currency risk.

Issues such as the deadlocked Brexit talks and what the post-Brexit era will look like, the unpredictability of the Trump presidency, and the chaos in Catalonia as it potentially moves towards independence from Spain, among many other geopolitical factors, present huge and sobering questions marks.

Union Jack flag and Big Ben
A Union Flag, also known as Union Jack, flies in front of Elizabeth Tower, commonly referred to as Big Ben, in London, U.K., on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said she'll publish her plan for Brexit, giving in to demands from lawmakers seeking greater scrutiny in Parliament. Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg
Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg

This uncertainty is resulting in more and more people beginning to look at the possible impact such issues have on their wealth and how they can mitigate this risk. Understandably, this is spiking huge interest in and demand for accounts in which you can hold money in different currencies.

Ever since the major and sustained drop in the pound immediately after the Brexit referendum, people have become more focused that they could have currency risk.

It was a wake-up call to many across the world and it was a watershed moment.

Multi-currency accounts will be the norm within 10 years. Most people within a decade will have the ability to access, use and manage their money in different currencies, for three main reasons.

First, people have woken up to the fact that even "remote" political risks can be linked to currency risk.

Second, each year there are more and more expatriates and internationally-mobile people and businesses.

And third, holidaymakers are increasingly aware of and unwilling to accept the rip-off charges their traditional banks impose on them for using their own money overseas.

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