Payment solution provider BPC has joined forces with CRDB Bank, the largest private universal bank in Tanzania, to help the bank migrate its acquiring and issuing systems to BPC’s SmartVista platform.
Migrating to SmartVista platform has enabled CRDB Bank to consolidate its multi-country ecosystem under one microservices architecture, boosting operational efficiency while aligning with the national regulations and the international scheme certifications.
CRDB Bank said it selected BPC as it sought a modern, scalable multi-institutional technological platform with the capacity for instant innovative card product launches, advanced integrational capabilities and affordable total cost of ownership.
Following the move, CRDB Bank plans to expand its operations across Tanzania, Burundi, and DR Congo.
“Migrating our switch and card management systems to BPC’s platform has significantly expanded our issuing and acquiring capabilities,” explained Abdulmajid Nsekela, group CEO for CRDB Bank. “This strategic partnership provided us with tools to keep up with our goal to offer modern, secure, and convenient banking services.”
BPC migrated the issuing and acquiring functionality of CRDB Bank, its subsidiaries in Burundi and DR Congo, and affiliates such as Amana, Vision Fund, and KCBL (now part of bank CBT). The revamped card issuing capabilities extend from the ability to issue any type of card, from corporate, virtual, proprietary, loyalty, specialised cards like fuel and hospital cards, to internationally branded cards, Visa, Mastercard, and UPI.
Modernising banking experiences
On the acquiring side, CRDB Bank now accepts global brands across all of its POS network, as well as offering cardless withdrawals, foreign exchange at ATMs and advanced services like utility payments and dynamic currency conversion.
Leveraging the advanced integration capabilities of the SmartVista platform, CRDB Bank has connected its core modules with its own mobile banking (Simbanking) and agency banking (Wakala), facilitating seamless, omnichannel experiences for its customers through its entire multi-institutional network.
Grant Truter, chief commercial officer, business development and SaaS operations – MEA at BPC, also commented: “It is an honour to have CRDB place its trust in BPC’s expertise for this critical legacy migration. We specialise in delivering scalable, future-proven solutions that empower our customers to expand their networks and bring payment innovations to their customers. Through our next-generation SmartVista platform, we support CRDB’s vision of providing modern banking experiences and help them drive financial inclusion and innovation.”
Through the adoption of BPC’s platform, CRDB Bank benefits from the new modular infrastructure that has ensured seamless integration of all applications and components and compliance with international schemes and PCI-DSS standards, has offered instant onboarding of affiliate institutions to the CRDB platform, and boosted flexibility for continuous innovations. Over 4.5 million cards have already been issued through the upgraded issuing platform, marking a significant milestone in CRDB Bank’s digital transformation journey.
