Bridging Loan-to-Deposit Ratio Imbalances with Digital Channels

Part 1 of our “Top 5 reasons financial institutions contact Plinqit” series: Loan growth exceeds deposit growth in your current footprint.

Loan growth is good, but only if deposits keep up. You’re a master of the balance sheet, so this is not new news to you. As loans rise, deposit growth must keep pace. And when loan growth exceeds deposit growth in your current footprint, as many of our clients have experienced, you will need to look to new sources for deposits.
 
But here’s the rub. Consumers are unpredictable and fickle. As much of a pain it is for a person to move their money from one financial institution or tool to another, just watch how fast they move their deposits if the incentive outweighs the pain of change.

Tap into new sources of deposits.

Loan growth isn’t valuable if deposits lag behind. High-yield savings accounts can pull funds from beyond your geographic footprint. In our experience, 75% of digital deposits come from outside an institution’s market, with a majority originating from customers of the top ten banks. That means you’re not chasing locals, you’re expanding your audience nationally.

1. Create a dedicated digital brand or affinity offering. Data shows 43% of new depositors via such brands are under 40 – an audience ripe for building long-term relationships.
2. Frame your message around growth and value, such as attractive rates, easy-to-open accounts, and financial wellness tools.
3. Target messaging channels like social media, niche forums, or affinity groups to build awareness and drive quality leads.

Tap into low operational impact.

Your core system isn’t built for rapid innovation. Even minor updates can cost time and money. According to industry leaders, deploying a digital affinity brand through a virtual ledger or sidecar core cuts costs by 80–90% compared to a full digital bank rollout.
 

1. Partner with a fintech that offers a fully white-label, digital savings solution. Plinqit’s “Digital Brand Playbook” guides institutions through this process.
2. Avoid deep integrations. Launch with just a High Yield Savings product. No checking, lending, or complex cross-sell required.
3. Use cloud-based, API-driven platforms to connect deposits directly to your general ledger or core. No major system overhaul. No IT backlog.

Tap into speed to market.

Time is money. When deposits lag loans, the window closes fast. Turning around a digital savings product in 10–12 weeks isn’t hopeful…it’s essential. You could use a structured launch roadmap, which includes the following steps at a minimum.

• Define goals (target deposit volume, geographic reach, new market segments, etc.).
• Develop brand identity (logo, tone, messaging).
• Configure product (rate tiers, account rules, user flows).
• Test and refine UX.
• Launch campaign and onboarding.

 OR… you could partner with a trusted fintech that supports all of those efforts AND provides U.S.-based support for end users, compliant processes, and a real-time dashboard

Bridge your LTD gap with High Yield Savings by Plinqit.