Bank Norwegian
A Norwegian digital bank offering consumer loans, credit cards, and savings accounts across several European markets.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Bank Norwegian is a Norwegian digital banking brand focused on consumer financial services rather than branch-based retail banking. Its principal offerings are unsecured consumer loans, refinancing loans, credit cards, and savings accounts. The business was created in 2007 after Norwegian Air Shuttle announced plans to enter banking, and it received a commercial bank operating licence from Norway's Ministry of Finance later that year. The bank's launch connected financial services with Norwegian Air Shuttle's broader customer and loyalty ecosystem, particularly through the Norwegian Reward programme. The brand's operating model has historically emphasized online customer acquisition, digital applications, automated servicing, and cross-border expansion. It began serving customers in Sweden in 2013 and expanded into Denmark and Finland in 2015. It later developed a presence in Germany and Spain, giving it a wider European consumer-finance footprint than its Norwegian origin might suggest. Products have generally been designed for consumers seeking straightforward digital access to credit, refinancing, payment cards, and interest-bearing deposits. A notable part of Bank Norwegian's early positioning was the combination of a credit card with travel-related rewards. In selected markets, the bank cooperated with Norwegian Air Shuttle on Norwegian Reward, allowing eligible customers to earn benefits connected with purchases and, in some cases, travel. This partnership helped differentiate the bank from conventional savings-and-loan providers while tying its proposition to a recognizable airline customer ecosystem. Bank Norwegian's corporate ownership changed substantially in 2019, when Norwegian Air Shuttle sold its entire shareholding in the bank's parent company to Cidron Xingu Limited. The parent, then known as Norwegian Finans Holding ASA, had been listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange since 2016. Nordax Bank AB completed the acquisition of Bank Norwegian in November 2021 following a competitive bidding process. The shares were delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange on 15 November 2021, and the merger of the two banks was completed on 30 November 2021. Following the transaction, Bank Norwegian became part of the Nordax banking group while continuing to operate as a consumer-facing digital brand. The brand therefore represents both an independent Norwegian banking venture founded during the growth of digital financial services and a later-integrated European consumer-finance platform. The available reference material identifies Jacob Lundblad as chief executive after the Nordax transaction. In 2021, the bank was reported to have more than 1.7 million customers. Its present proposition remains centered on digital consumer banking, with local-market websites and products adapted for customers in the countries in which it operates.
History
Bank Norwegian emerged from Norwegian Air Shuttle's plan to enter consumer banking. In May 2007, the airline announced that it intended to establish a bank, appointing Erik Jensen to lead the new business. Jensen brought prior experience from yA Bank og Forsikring. The venture received a commercial bank operating licence from the Norwegian Ministry of Finance in September 2007 and was founded in November of the same year. From the outset, the bank was conceived as an online provider rather than a traditional branch network. Its initial proposition combined consumer credit with a loyalty relationship to Norwegian Air Shuttle. In October 2007, Norwegian announced plans for a combined credit and bonus-card programme under the Norwegian Reward name. The proposition offered rewards for qualifying international flights and benefits related to card spending, creating a link between everyday payments, travel, and the airline's customer base. Bank Norwegian subsequently expanded beyond Norway through a sequence of Nordic market entries. It began providing services in Sweden in May 2013. In December 2015, it entered Denmark and Finland. The bank later served customers in Germany and Spain as well, establishing a multi-country European footprint. Its products remained concentrated in consumer finance: unsecured lending, refinancing, credit cards, and savings accounts. The digital distribution model allowed the bank to enter markets without building the extensive branch infrastructure associated with older retail banks. The company's ownership and capital-market status changed during the following decade. The parent company, initially known as Norwegian Finans Holding ASA, was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange from 17 June 2016. On 19 August 2019, the parent announced that Norwegian Air Shuttle had sold its complete holding in the company to Cidron Xingu Limited. This ended the airline's direct ownership connection while the Bank Norwegian brand continued to cooperate with Norwegian Reward in selected markets. A further change came in 2021, when Nordax Bank AB acquired Bank Norwegian after a bidding process. The acquisition was completed in November. Bank Norwegian was delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange on 15 November 2021, and the merger between the two banks was completed on 30 November. The transaction moved Bank Norwegian from a separately listed banking company into the Nordax group while retaining the brand's consumer-facing role. The reference material identifies Jacob Lundblad as the current chief executive after the Nordax transaction. By 2021, Bank Norwegian had more than 1.7 million customers. Its history reflects the development of digital consumer banking in the Nordic region: an airline-adjacent financial-services venture became a cross-border online bank and was later consolidated into a larger specialized banking group.
- 2021
Acquisition and delisting
[1]Nordax Bank completed its acquisition; Bank Norwegian was delisted on 15 November and the merger was completed on 30 November.
- 2019
Norwegian Air Shuttle exits ownership
[1]Norwegian Air Shuttle sold its entire shareholding in the parent company to Cidron Xingu Limited.
- 2016
Oslo Stock Exchange listing
[1]Bank Norwegian's parent company was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange from 17 June.
- 2015
Danish and Finnish expansion
[1]The bank launched services in Denmark and Finland.
- 2013
Swedish market entry
[1]Bank Norwegian began offering services in Sweden.
- 2007
Norwegian announces entry into banking
[1]Norwegian Air Shuttle announced plans to establish a bank and appointed Erik Jensen as CEO of the new venture.
- 2007
Banking licence granted
[1]The Norwegian Ministry of Finance granted Bank Norwegian a commercial bank operating licence.
- 2007
Bank Norwegian founded
[1]Bank Norwegian was established in November as an online consumer bank.
Products and positioning
A digital-first consumer bank combining online lending, payment cards, savings products, and selected travel-loyalty benefits across European markets.
Lending
Consumer loans
Bank Norwegian's core lending business provides unsecured consumer credit through digital channels. Customers can apply online, with the bank focusing on remote acquisition and servicing rather than a traditional branch network.
Lending
Refinancing loans
Refinancing is a major offering associated with the brand. These loans are aimed at consumers seeking to consolidate or replace existing unsecured borrowing through an online application and repayment arrangement.
Payment cards · 2007
Bank Norwegian credit cards
The bank issues consumer credit cards that form part of its broader payments and lending proposition. In selected markets, card activity has been connected with Norwegian Reward and travel-related benefits.
Deposits
Savings accounts
Savings accounts give customers access to deposit products through the bank's digital platform. They complement the lending and card businesses and extend the brand beyond consumer borrowing.
Loyalty-linked financial services · 2007
Norwegian Reward-linked benefits
In selected markets, Bank Norwegian has cooperated with Norwegian Air Shuttle on a credit-card and loyalty proposition associated with Norwegian Reward. The arrangement connected qualifying card purchases and travel activity with airline-related rewards.
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Norwegian Reward credit and bonus-card programme
Norway · Selected markets
Bank Norwegian and Norwegian Air Shuttle introduced plans for a combined credit-card and loyalty proposition. The programme was intended to offer benefits for international flights and qualifying card purchases, positioning the bank around travel-linked rewards.
Outcome. The cooperation became an identifiable part of Bank Norwegian's early market positioning and continued in selected markets.
Brand decisions
2021
Nordax acquisition and mergerM&ABackground
Bank Norwegian became the subject of a competitive acquisition process as the business continued operating as a cross-border consumer bank.
Action taken
Nordax Bank AB completed the acquisition in November. Bank Norwegian was delisted on 15 November, and the merger was completed on 30 November.
Aftermath
Bank Norwegian became part of the Nordax group while continuing as a consumer-facing digital banking brand.
2019
Change in parent-company ownershipM&ABackground
Norwegian Air Shuttle held the entire shareholding in Bank Norwegian's parent company before the transaction.
Action taken
The parent company announced that Norwegian Air Shuttle had sold its entire stake to Cidron Xingu Limited.
Aftermath
The bank continued to operate and cooperate with Norwegian Reward in selected markets, but Norwegian Air Shuttle no longer directly owned the parent company.
2015
Enter Denmark and FinlandStrategyBackground
The bank continued its regional expansion by applying its digital consumer-finance model to additional Nordic markets.
Action taken
Bank Norwegian began providing services in Denmark and Finland in December 2015.
Aftermath
The expansion broadened the brand's Nordic operating footprint.
2013
Expand digital banking into SwedenStrategyBackground
After establishing its Norwegian operation, Bank Norwegian pursued cross-border growth through its online banking model.
Action taken
The bank began providing services in Sweden in May 2013.
Aftermath
Sweden became the first documented foreign market in the bank's Nordic expansion.
Sources2 sources
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