That is it was more financially effective to block an entire country, than analyzing attack patterns and blocking by ASNs or IP-ranges. Correct?

Startups don't have enough free time to analyze individual ASNs, because they don't have enough people for that.

That and financial businesses usually don't operate outside their host country anyway. Though you do want your customers to see their accounts when they're traveling.

Yes. Multiple countries.

In all fairness, this isn’t a good use of that technique. But most websites are of no interest outside a handful of countries.