Moving to a website address that replaced .com with .bank was a radical change and left customers wondering why do it? fTLD (the body that oversees website addresses) did a success story on CSB’s switch to .bank; the full story can be found here – https://www.register.bank/docs/Success-Story-Chelsea-State-Bank.pdf but the part we would like to highlight here is why it was done –

Banking staff were first alerted to the forthcoming launch of the .BANK web extension in 2014, but it was a January 2015 email from their trade association, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), that set the project in motion. The bank’s Steering Committee had been focused on acquiring tools that would ensure better protections for both the bank and its customers – .BANK appeared to be a timely solution… Since (there was work) on a complete redesign of the website, the bank decided to tie the switch to the new .BANK domain…In addition (to a new website), we’ve gained assurances that we’re using top level security standards in accordance with fTLD requirements; compatibility with other services such as meeting the new iOS app requirement that any URL should direct to a secure site; bank reputation enhancement as an early adopter; and, recognition as embracing new tech.

We realize that having a website that ends with .bank in place of .com is still unusual and not commonplace, and that some may prefer our address remained csbonline.com; as such we wanted to shed some light on the decision behind such a big change.