A year after the bank run that led to the exit of Federico Sturzenegger from the Central Bank, the Argentineans returned to the frantic purchase of dollars in a week in which the US currency appreciated 8% in just three days.Since early April, the acquisition by small savers has been showing a frantic route in banks and exchange houses, product of political and economic instability. From the City coincide in pointing out that it is a defensive reaction taken by those who were passive witnesses of the last jumps of the greenback.In this context, a chain reaction occurs that further motorizes the price of the currency. And, contrary to the law of supply and demand, the rebound of the price induces more people to treasure green notes.This is explained by the director of one of the leading banks in the Argentine market: "People already burned last year, most lost with the devaluation, nobody thought it would go up 100%, and now, barely moving, those who can they buy".This situation responds to a series of behaviors: there are those who buy because the fixed term has expired, those who convert all the pesos they have in their possession, and of course, the large companies and investment funds that dismantle portfolios and leave the Argentine risk.From the main banks of the City indicate that these turbulences will persist at least until August 11, the date of the STEP. And they see it very difficult for the market to calm down, unless the government announces profound changes that go far beyond the addresses of Nicolás Dujovne.In this framework, every peso that goes to the dollar. "We have noticed in recent days a greater demand", coincide in pointing from branch managers to the directors of the main entities.In this framework of strong dollarization, the electronic channel gains prominence, in line with the advances implemented in online platforms so that purchase operations are completed in a matter of seconds, from the PC or the cell phone.This, of course, increases the "herd effect". Unlike other moments in which many Argentines looked like a postcard looking at the bank's slate, decisions are now made at a distance and at a speed similar to that which the US dollar takes to "hit the growth spurt".The banking sources consulted by iProUP coincide in a key fact: transactions by cellular and home banking already concentrate between 80% and 90% of transactions in foreign currency."The strongest days are those of the beginning of the month, when people collect their salary, but on days like this week, when you see a dollar out of control, you also notice a peak demand again," they point from one of the main national private banks.From an entity of Spanish capitals assure that the so-called "ant purchases", tripled in these hours. And that the amounts transacted in each operation range from 200 to 800 dollars.The bankers' estimate is that the purchases of the retail public climbed to almost $ 100 million just this Thursday, when the currency reached a record high of $ 47.50.The numbers speak for themselves. "Last month, $ 800 million was bought, on Wednesday, $ 1 million, on Thursday, between $ 70 and $ 100 million," a well-known City analyst tells iProup. That is, in a single day, operations grew up to 10,000%.Although individual acquisitions vary according to the location of the branches, the average operation is around 500 dollars. In higher income areas, it is between 1,000 and 1,500 dollars. The vast majority, from the PC or smartphones.This dollarizing thirst also reached 100% digital banks. From Brubank they assure that the demand increased this week at a rate of 5% daily, with average purchases of 450 dollars.Thus, the entity founded by Juan Bruchou, former president of Citi, scored another bean with respect to Wilobank, the other digital bank endorsed by the BCRA, which does not offer operations with foreign currency.Likewise, the acquisitions by the window became a desolate wasteland. A source from Banco Nación indicates that this route was very limited to an older age group that has already come to see the branch.Regarding the behavior of customers, market sources say that "the reaction is instantaneous, when the dollar rises early, the biggest purchases of small savers are already noticed from noon."Benefits for home bankingThe online segment is today the big bet of the bank. Releasing physical branches and bringing more and more operations to the web is a mantra that reverberates in all the city's managements."We are strongly discouraging the sale of dollars per window," they repeat from the country's main banks. To do this, each bets on one of the following strategies:- Offer a better quote for the online purchase compared to the "blackboard" value- Facilitate an extended schedule, even to undo a fixed term and convert it into foreign currencyIn the first group are the Credicoop, the Supervielle, French and Piano, and the publics Nation, City, which sell green tickets up to 30 cents cheaper than in branches.This better price for digital channels is reflected in the BCRA inflow, as can be verified in the following table:"In exchange rates, we use chalkboard values, but we are developing systems at the level of segmentation by market, by time and by channel," said Guillermo Jejcic, marketing director of Itaú.For its part, the HSBC allows the sale outside bank hours by electronic means, which can be operated between 8 and 18."Although it does not have a difference in the price, the improvement is on the side of the provision", highlights Carlos Cánova, manager of digital channels at HSBC.However, users have other advantages. In the first place, when operating from a PC or a cell phone, they can buy in real time, deciding the "right" moment in which to carry out the transaction.But, mainly, by having all the services of the bank available, users can transfer funds from their fixed term in pesos to their savings account in dollars. Or a company can take advantage of a customer's recent payment to turn it into green notes. And everything in a matter of seconds.A separate case is that of Brubank: it allows to operate with foreign currency during 24 hours, including weekends. "We offer the best quote in the market," they promise from the firm.The consolidation of the online segmentTempted with concrete benefits, in the last months the number of clients that adopted the digital channels has grown significantly, to the point that today more than 50% of the fixed deadlines are made by these means, with peaks of up to 80% in some entities ."The growth has been exponential", reveal in the Banco Provincia, which today has 1.72 million users in its home banking against the 862,000 in December 2015. "The number of users doubled", they say to iProUP from the Buenos Aires entity.According to Gustavo Grigera, in charge of ICBC's home banking, payments and transfers area, "digital penetration is growing steadily and the client's commercial relationship is higher". In high-income segments, he adds, the percentage is close to 80%.In the same line, Milagro Medrano, manager of Institutional Relations of the Macro, highlights that "in 2018 digital users increased 30% and particularly those who use the app grew 150%". In addition, monetary operations through these channels increased 40%.In the case of those operating by Francés Móvil, of BBVA, the advance was 30% in those twelve months. Today, in the retail banking segment, six out of 10 users make transactions through the web and 36%, from their cell phone.It is clear that this phenomenon is part of the natural evolution of the business and generates benefits from both sides of the counter. Entities reduce costs and achieve greater expansion of their portfolio without increasing their physical presence, while customers gain time, avoid travel and receive benefits.In short, in a country where the short term is king and immediacy prevails, having the bank "in your pocket", just a click away, became an important ally when it comes to taking one head away to the quotes that mark the slates.