In the second half of the 1980s, deregulation gained momentum. Capital imports were liberalised. Bank lending increased sharply and the indebtedness of citizens and businesses grew. Then the bubble burst and was followed by a banking crisis. Among other things, it forced the bloated banking sector to increase its productivity rapidly.
Utilising the ICT investments made under the protection of regulation, operations were rationalised, the branch network was pruned and productivity was increased. Shortly after the banking crisis came the breakthrough of the internet. Customers began to access online banking services from home. Banks provided services in branches, via ATMs, by telephone and with online banking.