Identifying and assisting vulnerable customers
In France, BNP Paribas has developed tools to identify and support vulnerable customers, including Centres Specialized in Budget Solutions (CSSB), as well as a free specific service account. Meanwhile, the AXELLE platform, features offers and services from committed partner companies, as well as advice on managing a budget or finding a job.
With the acquisition of Nickel in 2017, BNP Paribas has expanded its offering to meet new payment habits. Nickel aims to democratise current accounts by making them accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of their income. Opening and managing an account in real time (without an overdraft facility) is possible in five minutes, whether online, at a tobacconist in France, or in a partner neighbourhood store in Europe. By the end of 2025 Nickel had nearly 5 million accounts opened and a network of 13,300 points of sale across five countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Potugal). Nickel is now the largest current account distribution in Europe.
In 2023, BNP Paribas Cardif, the Group’s insurance subsidiary, launched a Social Action Fund to provide exceptional assistance to its customers in personal, financial, social or health-related difficulties.