LONDON (Reuters) - Atom Bank said on Wednesday it had been given the green light from regulators to launch its mobile app to iPhone and iPad users in the latest phase in its bid to become Britain's first digital-only lender.
The so-called challenger bank, which is partly backed by Spanish lender BBVA (MC:BBVA), received its full licence from the Bank of England in June and plans to provide fixed savings, current accounts, debit and credit cards by the end of the year.
Additionally, the branch-free bank will offer overdrafts and instant access savings and residential mortgages, all serviced via its mobile app, which will also be available to Android users.
Led by Chief Executive Mark Mullen, Atom will target small and mid-cap businesses by offering secured lending through a number of specialist business intermediaries.
"We believe we have built a bank in record time, and we're not planning to stop here," said Atom's founder and chairman Anthony Thomson.
Atom was launched in April 2014 and employs 160 permanent staff. In November it sold a 29.5 percent stake to BBVA for 45 million pounds.