ABSTRACT
Banking is facing a strange future internationally. The euro’s recent success has put a new focus on currency unions and on consolidating monetary policy where possible. In the United States, credit unions do not face the same regulations as commercial banks but operate much like commercial banks and other depository institutions otherwise. The internet has changed the way banking does business and the way financial transactions are made worldwide. Many companies worldwide now have financial arms, including retail firms, where a bank supports but is not the sales force behind those products.
