ORANJESTAD, STATIA--ING Bank will officially open its branch on St. Eustatius (Statia) on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, marking a significant development in the island's longstanding efforts to improve access to banking services for residents and businesses.
The Government of Statia welcomed confirmation of the opening, which follows more than a decade of efforts by successive Island and Executive Councils to attract additional banking services to the island.
The initiative gained renewed attention in 2021 when the Island Council unanimously called for improved banking access. Efforts continued in subsequent years, including a meeting between the Executive Council and ING Netherlands Chief Executive Officer Peter Jacobs in Amsterdam in June 2025. Regular discussions between the island government and ING continued throughout 2026 as preparations for the opening progressed.
Island Commissioners Rechelline Leerdam, responsible for Economic Affairs, and Reuben Merkman, responsible for Finance, welcomed the development in a joint statement, acknowledging the challenges encountered in bringing the project to fruition.
"Reaching this milestone has not been easy. For a little over a decade, efforts have been made to attract banks to provide services to our islands, without success until now. This has been a collective effort, with the call for improved banking services consistently raised by both the Island Council and Executive Council over the years.
"We sincerely thank ING for taking on this challenge, for their transparency throughout the process, and for their determination to see it through despite the many challenges and bottlenecks encountered along the way. We recognise that this has not been an easy journey for ING either, and we appreciate their commitment to making banking services more accessible to the people of Statia," the Commissioners stated.
The new ING branch will initially provide personal and business bank accounts, debit cards and digital banking services. Residents and businesses will also be able to visit the local branch for assistance with their banking needs.
Cash withdrawals will be facilitated through automated teller machines (ATMs) installed by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), providing an additional component of the island's banking infrastructure.
The development is also part of a broader expansion of banking access across the Caribbean Netherlands, with ING scheduled to open a branch on neighboring Saba on Thursday, November 26, just two days after the Statia opening.
For residents and businesses on Statia, the arrival of ING represents an important step toward improving access to financial services, particularly as the island continues its efforts to strengthen economic development and provide more accessible banking options.
The Statia Government views the opening as an important milestone in its continuing efforts to ensure that residents and businesses can access banking services comparable to those available in the European Netherlands.
The November 24 opening will therefore mark not only the arrival of another financial institution but also the result of years of discussions, advocacy and cooperation aimed at addressing one of the island's longstanding service challenges.
