Over 70% of Gen Y would rather go to the dentist than listen to what their bank says. So Italian banking group Intesa San Paolo developed Superflash – a brand and store concept that looks more like a fashion store than a financial institution. But can banking ever really be cool?

As branches close and an increasing number of consumers use app-based finance services, high street banks are at a crossroads, with online alternatives set to further shake things up. Atom is a digital-only bank with a range of consumer and business accounts, but can it take digital banking nuclear?

In Brazil, applying for a credit card is a whole lot of hassle. But mobile-first service Nubank is harnessing the 90 million-strong smartphone circulation to replace all that poor service and paperwork with a streamlined, app-based offering. Is this the future of Brazilian banking?

In the US, 80% of consumer spending no longer involves physical dollars, while in Britain cash use has dropped 14% in the last five years. What is driving this shift towards a cashless society? And how will we spend and manage money in the future?