> Here's the thing: retail banking margin is actually quite low and customer support is expensive.
Is this because banks don't need retail money any more, since instead of acting as intermediaries between savers and borrowers, they now act as intermediaries between the Federal Reserve and borrowers, and only take savings because they're required to by law?
Banking has shifted from low-volume high-profit (read: A bunch of rich people) to high-volume low-profit (read: normal folk and some poor people).
The reason why margin is low... is because you are the customer. I know many people feel "poor people are unbanked" and the industry is going in the direction to support them, but it also means banks have to find ways to get money from poor people and reduce costs everywhere possible.
Is this because banks don't need retail money any more, since instead of acting as intermediaries between savers and borrowers, they now act as intermediaries between the Federal Reserve and borrowers, and only take savings because they're required to by law?