In-World Banks in Second Life The banks primarily use their Second Life virtual branches for marketing. These virtual branches are also used to organize seminars, trainings, to offer information and create a platform where potential customers of the bank can meet each other. They are sometimes used even for recruitment. One can make a free account in Second Life at www.secondlife.com and visit these banks in Second Life. From January 22th, 2008 onwards, Linden Lab decided to remove any virtual ATMs or other objects that facilitate the operation or facilitation of in-world “banking,� i.e., the offering of interest or a rate of return on L$ invested or deposited. Linden Lab will not apply this policy to companies who submit a registration statement, charter, or other applicable license from a governing regulatory authority, or who are merely conducting marketing or education, but not accepting payments. Some of the banks which have a presence on Second Life are mentioned below.
ABN AMRO
(Press Release: http://www.group.abnamro.com/pressroom/pressreleasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=278504 ) ABN AMRO is a prominent international bank, its history going back to 1824. ABN AMRO ranks eighth in Europe and 13th in the world based on total assets, with more than 4,500 branches in 53 countries, a staff of over 110,000 full-time equivalents and total assets of EUR 999 billion (as at 2006). It has its presence in Second Life on a 4096 Sq. M land.
Second Life URL to visit ABN AMRO: http://slurl.com/secondlife/ABN%20AMRO/205/124/80 The Second Life ABN AMRO Bank has Meeting Point, Financial Center, Trade Globe, and Recruitment Center besides some others.
Meeting Point:
Financial Center:
Trade Globe:
Mizuho Bank Mizuho Bank, Ltd. is the core retail banking unit of Mizuho Financial Group, which is the secondlargest financial services company in Japan and one of the three so-called Japanese "megabanks" (along with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group). Its headquarters are located in the Uchisaiwaicho district of Chiyoda, Tokyo. Mizuho Bank has 515 branches and over 11,000 ATMs, and is the only bank to have branches in every prefecture in Japan. It serves over 26 million Japanese households and 90,000 SME customers. Mizuho Bank has its presence in Second Life.
Second Life URL to visit Mizuho Bank: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tokyo12/223/204/24
DnB NOR DnB NOR is a national Norwegian bank, and this is their Second Life presence. DnB NOR is Norway's largest financial services group.
Second Life URL to visit DnB NOR Bank: http://slurl.com/secondlife/DnB%20NOR/27/256/131
Keytrade Bank Keytrade Bank, the Belgian’s first online investment site, is a financial services company based in Belgium with a subsidiary in Luxembourg. It has a presence in Second Life.
Dresdner Bank Dresdner Bank AG is one of Germany's largest banking corporations and is based in Frankfurt. It has a presence on Second Life.
Second Life URL to visit Dresdner Bank: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Apfelland%20Airport%204/219/25/25
BNP Paribas BNP Paribas is one of the main banks in Europe. It was created on 23 May 2000 through the merger of Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) and Paribas. Together with Société Générale and Crédit Lyonnais (now known as LCL), it is one of the "three old" banks of France. It has a presence on Second Life.
Second Life URL to visit BNP Paribas: http://slurl.com/secondlife/BNP%20PARIBAS%20GROUP/128/128/0
BCV (Swiss Bank) (Press Release: http://www.bcv.ch/en/la_bcv/actualites_et_medias/communiques_de_presse/2007/bcv_premiere_ banque_suisse_presente_dans_second_life)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/BCV%20Island/175/77/32