THE BOTTOM, Saba – RBC Royal Bank will permanently close its branch and ATM on Saba on January 27, 2027, according to a notification sent to customers.
Until the closure, the branch will remain open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The ATM will continue to be available for withdrawals and deposits.
RBC said the decision was “not made lightly” and acknowledged that the closure may require customers to adjust their day-to-day banking activities. The bank said it is committed to making the transition as seamless as possible for its Saba clients.
The Saba Business Association (SBA) reacted critically to the news. In a social media post, the association described it as “bad news from an already bad bank” and said not all customers had received the notification. According to SBA, customers have also not yet received instructions about what will happen with their funds.
The RBC closure comes as ING prepares to establish a physical presence on Saba. Representatives of the Dutch bank recently confirmed during a live radio interview that the Saba branch is expected to open in late November. ING has previously confirmed publicly that it plans to establish physical branches on both Saba and St. Eustatius and provide banking services in U.S. dollars.
It remains unclear, however, exactly which services will be available at the Saba branch from the start, including whether it will have a cash counter and whether regular banking products such as personal loans and mortgages will immediately be available.
