Expert predictions for banking 2020: RBA cuts to neobank home loans
From the fall of credit cards to the rise of neobanks, 2020 promises a year of exciting new developments in the banking world.
According to Mozo experts, many Australians are changing the way they interact with money - moving away from ATMs and the physical wallet, towards smartphones and open banking to manage their finances.
So to kick off 2020, we’ve peeked into the crystal ball and predicted some of the top financial trends of the new year worth keeping an eye on:
Bye bye branches and ATMs
With big bank profits plummeting in the wake of the Royal Banking Commission last year, banks have been finding new ways to cut back on costs. From physical branches closing down, to more and more ATMs disappearing off the streets, it seems that many banks have pulled back on their efforts to meet the needs of customers who use cash, particularly as a shrinking number of Australians rely on this payment method.
According to APRA’s ‘Points of Presence’ report, the number of bank branches in major Australian cities has dropped by about 9% in just two years. In 2019 alone, the Commonwealth Bank shut down nearly 100 branches, while Westpac removed 375 ATMs from convenient locations. These trends are expected to continue across the board this year, with options for cash withdrawal and face-to-face customer service set to become even more limited.
Cashless and cardless the new way to pay
But it’s not only cash that we are bidding farewell to - fewer Australians will carry a piece of plastic in their wallets as the paltry return on credit card rewards and low consumer confidence leaves many focused more on ditching debt than on spending. The wide acceptance of debit cards and an explosion of new digital payment platforms like Buy Now Pay Later will also cause credit cards to lose some of their sheen.
Meanwhile, with the growing popularity of tap-and-go and cardless payment options (including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay), smartphones could be a major contender for the most popular way to pay in 2020.
Crackdown on Buy Now Pay Later
Speaking of Buy Now Pay Later, as many as 30% of Australian adults now have one or two BNPL accounts - that’s roughly 5.8 million users nationally. But the payment platform still isn’t subject to any regulations, like the National Credit Act and Code, that require BNPL providers to meet responsible lending obligations.
This may change in 2020, with our experts predicting that ASIC may step in and tighten the rules around Buy Now Pay Later - whether that’s regulating fees or ordering providers to perform more extensive credit checks before approving users. This could mean a tougher application process and stricter spending limits for consumers.
Hello neobanks
Besides Buy Now Pay Later, neobanks also left a big imprint on the financial world last year - and they’ll continue to do so in 2020, ruffling the feathers of the big four banks. In fact, recent Mozo research revealed 1 in 4 Australians, or around 4.9 million customers, have switched or seriously considered switching from one of the big four to a neobank.
In 2019, 86 400 became the first neobank to offer home loans to Australian customers, boasting application approval speeds that are six times faster than securing a mortgage with the big four. More and more neobanks may follow in 86 400’s footsteps and launch a whole suite of products for consumers, from savings accounts to home loans.
A one-stop shop for all your finances
Thanks to the introduction of open banking in Australia, consumers could soon have more complete access to their data and the right to share that data with other banks, institutions and fintechs. For instance, an ANZ customer who has a savings account with HSBC and a home loan with NAB could elect to have all of their information in one place - say, on their ANZ banking app - providing them with a clearer big-picture view of all their banking activities.
Open banking promises to put control into the hands of customers. More specifically, it would reduce the pain and hassle of switching to a better deal, which would in turn boost competition in the banking sector.
RBA to keep cutting, cutting, cutting
Taking a more sweeping look at the economy, the Reserve Bank will continue to be busy in 2020, with two potential cash rate cuts in the pipeline - one in February and the other mid-year.
These predicted cuts will be part of the RBA’s efforts to keep the economy afloat as higher costs of living, slowing wage growth and rising unemployment figures continue to put a strain on consumer confidence and spending.
Fairer home loan rates for all
With three 0.25% RBA cuts last year causing lenders to drop their home loan interest rates left, right and centre, it’s become even more apparent that existing mortgage customers aren’t always offered the same great rates as new borrowers - so they end up paying a lot more for their home loan. In 2020, an inquiry from the ACCC could help to get rid of this inequality.
And if you want to weigh up your home loan offer against the rates snatched up by other customers in the same area with similar loan amounts, 2020 could also be the year when you’ll have access to rate benchmarking through a government comparison site.
Interested in switching to a better deal today? Check out these refinance home loans below, or head over to our home loans comparison table to compare even more options
Compare refinance home loans - last updated 19 March 2024
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Featured Product
Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Low Cost Home Loan - 2024
Unloan Variable
Owner Occupier, Refinance Only, LVR <80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a. variable5.90% p.a.For refinancers only. Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply in as little as 10 minutes.
CompareCompareUnloan Variable
For refinancers only. Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply in as little as 10 minutes.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 5.90% p.a.
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $10,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $10,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Unloan Variable
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Offset Home Loan
Package, Owner Occupier, LVR<60%, Principal & Interest
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.15% p.a. variable6.40% p.a.Ability to open up to 10 offset accounts per loan account. Fast online application. Linked Debit Mastercard® with fee-free access at ATMs across Australia. Package a credit card with your home loan and the annual card fee will be waived (T&Cs apply). 40% deposit required.
CompareCompareOffset Home Loan
Ability to open up to 10 offset accounts per loan account. Fast online application. Linked Debit Mastercard® with fee-free access at ATMs across Australia. Package a credit card with your home loan and the annual card fee will be waived (T&Cs apply). 40% deposit required.
- interest rate
- 6.15% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.40% p.a.
- Ongoing fees
- $248.00 yearly
- Discharge Fee
- $400.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- yes
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 60.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $150,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $10,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Offset Home Loan
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Neat Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <60%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.14% p.a. variable6.16% p.a.Competitively-priced variable rate loan. Ideal for owner occupiers and investors. No service fees to pay. Make free extra repayments and redraws. Flexible repayment schedule available.
CompareCompareNeat Home Loan
Competitively-priced variable rate loan. Ideal for owner occupiers and investors. No service fees to pay. Make free extra repayments and redraws. Flexible repayment schedule available.
- interest rate
- 6.14% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.16% p.a.
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $300.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 60.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $80,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $5,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Neat Home Loan
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Straight Up
Obliterate, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, <50% LVR
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.24% p.a. variable6.24% p.a.Get a low variable rate depending on your deposit with Athena’s Straight Up Variable Home Loan. AcceleRATES feature helps you to reduce your home loan even faster (T&Cs apply). Zero fees to pay. Free redraw facility. Handy mobile app to manage your home loan.
CompareCompareStraight Up
Get a low variable rate depending on your deposit with Athena’s Straight Up Variable Home Loan. AcceleRATES feature helps you to reduce your home loan even faster (T&Cs apply). Zero fees to pay. Free redraw facility. Handy mobile app to manage your home loan.
- interest rate
- 6.24% p.a. variable
- comparison rate
- 6.24% p.a.
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $0.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 50.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $100,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $2,500,000
- type of mortgage
- Variable
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Straight Up
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Flex Home Loan
Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR <60%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years6.37% p.a.Competitive Fixed rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 40% deposit required.
CompareCompareFlex Home Loan
Competitive Fixed rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 40% deposit required.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.37% p.a.
- Ongoing fees
- $250.00 yearly
- Discharge Fee
- $300.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- yes
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 60.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- -
- maximum borrowing amount
- -
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Flex Home Loan
Your selected interest rates
Your selected interest rates
Your selected interest rates
Your selected interest rates
Your selected interest rates
* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.
** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Home Loan Awards
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