Can Google Play store no longer be disabled?

Like many of you, my bank requires me to install a phone app to access my account. I must do this thru the google play store (other libre app stores are not supported).

My workaround is to disable google play store after the banking app is installed.

Today this stopped working. My banking app locks me out unless google play store is actively running. I've had to reinstall the app and go thru security checks twice today to get my banking app to work.

I am now resigned to having google play store running constantly on my phone, monitoring my apps and providing helpful advice.

After all, we can't live without our bank accounts.... wait, maybe I could sign up to google pay instead...

Have others noticed this change in the Android security API which means the monitoring app _must_ be running at all times?