Google's Citi tie-up for current accounts: Deeper push for financial data?

Google has spent years building out its payments capabilities, offering consumers the ability to send money to friends

Google is taking its deepest dive yet into the financial lives of its users with plans to roll out a checking-account service.

Citigroup Inc. and a California credit union are the tech giant’s initial partners for the venture, which will let users access their bank accounts through the Google Pay app beginning next year, according to people familiar with the matter. Other banks could join up later, the people said, asking not to be identified because the plans haven’t been announced.
 

“We’re exploring how we can partner with banks and credit unions in the U.S. to offer smart checking accounts through