In a big change for US banking customers, Santander Bank has announced it will shut down 18 of its branches across the country by the end of August 2025. The closures are part of the bank’s ongoing plan to focus more on digital services, as more people now prefer to do their banking online.
Which Branches Are Closing?
Santander, a global bank based in Spain, has around 400 branches in the US. The 18 locations being closed represent about 4.5% of its total branches. Most of the affected branches are in the Northeast region of the United States.
States with closures include:
Massachusetts – 6 branches
New Jersey – 4 branches
Pennsylvania – 4 branches
New York – 2 branches
New Hampshire – 1 branch
Rhode Island – 1 branch
These locations will begin closing from July 31 and will complete the process by August 21, 2025.
Why Is Santander Closing Branches?
The bank says that it’s making these changes because customer habits are changing. More people are using digital banking instead of visiting physical branches. Santander wants to keep up with this trend by offering better digital services and improving customer experience online.
A Santander spokesperson said the bank is adjusting its presence by investing in digital banking and new branch formats that fit current customer needs.
Growth of Santander’s Digital Bank
Santander launched its digital-only bank called Openbank in the US in October 2024. This new service allows customers from all over the country to use Santander’s banking features without needing to visit a physical location.
By February 2025, Openbank had already attracted $2 billion in deposits. The bank says this fast growth shows that customers are excited about the convenience and speed of digital banking.
Swati Bhatia, head of retail banking, said the goal is to combine the tech-savvy features of a fintech company with the strong, secure services of a global bank.
More Banks Are Closing Branches Too
Santander is not the only bank closing locations. Many other major US banks are also reducing their number of physical branches.
In early 2025, a total of 148 bank branches were closed across the country by big names like:
US Bank – 50 closures
Wells Fargo – 23 closures
Citizens Financial – 21 closures
Bank of America, PNC, Huntington – 18 each
These closures are happening because of factors like high interest rates, inflation, and the growing popularity of online banking. The shift started during the pandemic and is continuing as people prefer the ease of banking from home.
The way people bank is changing fast. As more customers go digital, banks like Santander are reducing their number of branches and investing in online platforms like Openbank. This allows them to serve customers more efficiently while keeping up with the latest trends in banking. While it might be sad to see your local branch go, these changes are aimed at making banking easier and more convenient in the long run.
