DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

19 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Bank clients do experience discrimination: finance min research

May 27, 2024
Photo: Depositphotos.com

Finance ministry research has found that youngsters and people with ethnic minority roots are more likely to experience discrimination at the hand of banks. In total, one in 10 people say they have experienced discrimination in their contact with financial institutions

In particular, the “exaggerated” number of questions bank customers are asked about certain payments are experienced as discrimination, the finance ministry said, with people questioning why their bank needs so much information.

“I was asked how long I had lived in the Netherlands and what neighbourhood I lived in,” one respondent said. “I was also asked about my ethnicity.” Another respondent said his Russian wife had been questioned about her “relationship” with a supermarket and if she could prove she had been buying groceries.

Finance minister Steven van Weyenburg described the examples in the new report as “very serious”. Banks, he said, should only be asking for information if it is really necessary, he said. “It is as important for banks and payment systems to prevent discrimination as it is for them to comply with the law,” he told broadcaster NOS.

The Dutch banking association said it is currently working on measures to stop discrimination following a number of recent talks with clients with roots outside the Netherlands.

Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb told the Guardian recently that he had been questioned about money laundering. “My uncle needed surgery for an angioplasty. I transferred €9,000 for it, and I was investigated down to my socks by the system I used to transfer the money,” he said.

“This has to stop and it has to stop now. Tens of thousands of migrants are victims, because the €200 they transfer to their aunt is being examined so strictly.”

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Banking Discrimination Society
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
The big election issues: climate change and the environment
Hundreds gather for Amsterdam's second "No Kings" protest
Election watch: VVD says no again; fewer women candidates
Dutch intelligence services now share less information with US
Podcast: The Ratterdam Night Watch Edition
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now