Statista’s data reveals that the Digital Banks market is set to achieve a Net Interest Income of US$2.19 trillion in 2024. This highlights the urgency for financial institutions to adopt digitalization and meet the changing demands of their customers.
An effective digital banking platform has the potential to enhance customer loyalty, drive revenue growth, and minimize service costs for your company. Now, let’s examine the essential steps for successfully developing such a platform. Before initiating any development process, it’s crucial to ensure the legality of your operations by obtaining specific licenses such as payment or e-money licenses, fintech licenses, MSB licenses, or by becoming an agent of a BaaS-provider.
A closer look at digital banking platforms
A digital banking platform serves as a virtual hub enabling customers to perform various financial transactions via a website or mobile application. These transactions often encompass online account management, money transfers, bill payments, mobile banking, and more.
The objective of digital banking platforms is to offer customers a smooth and intuitive experience, enabling them to conduct banking operations conveniently from their computers or mobile gadgets.
Key features of digital banking platform
In recent years, the fintech industry has been significantly impacted by digital trends, making it one of the most dynamic sectors. Here are the key features to prioritize when crafting a banking platform:
- Account management
- Fund transfers
- Bill payments
- Mobile banking
- Card management
- Advanced security features
- Integration options
- Customer support
Reflecting on the indispensable features of a digital banking solution highlights the primary focus on meeting customer needs. Hence, adopting a customer-centric development approach is crucial for distinguishing your banking solution.
In the ensuing sections, we’ll elucidate the necessary steps for constructing a digital banking platform that serves the requirements of both users and businesses. Alternatively, you may opt for incorporating a ready-made digital core banking system like Macrobank by Advapay.
Step 1. Establish distinct goals and requirements
Setting precise objectives and requirements hinges on thorough market and consumer analysis, which unveils the needs, preferences, behaviours, and motivations of your target audience. This pivotal step enables you to optimize your future solution’s revenue potential and streamline development efforts by grasping specific product requisites and user value. Additionally, you can forecast timelines and budgetary outlines for the project based on documented requirements.
Step 2. Choose the right technology stack
The demands of a digital banking product can heavily influence the technology stack chosen for its development.
Digital banking platform involves handling of sensitive financial data in digital banking platforms, stringent security measures are imperative, prompting the incorporation of robust encryption protocols, secure APIs, and multi-factor authentication, all of which greatly influence technology selection. Choosing a technology stack for digital banking software depends on project requirements, scalability, security, and adherence to regulatory standards.
Step 3. Differentiate with a customer-oriented approach
A robust customer-centric approach goes beyond the superficial appearance of the platform, prioritizing usability, accessibility, and intuitive design. The outcome is software that enhances customer satisfaction and fosters loyalty. Key principles of customer-centric software development include:
- Flexibility: the digital banking platform adjusts to evolving customer behaviors and requirements.
- Scalability: the system offers ongoing updates and gradual enhancements.
- Engagement: banking software integrates the insights of the customer community across various levels.
Step 4. Ensure security
Security holds utmost importance in the development of FinTech products, particularly concerning sensitive financial information. It’s crucial to incorporate advanced encryption protocols like SSL/TLS to establish secure communication between users and the banking platform. Additionally, regularly updating and monitoring the APIs utilized for integration is essential to mitigate potential vulnerabilities. Conducting routine security audits and penetration tests aids in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities. These regular assessments are key to staying ahead of potential threats and maintaining continuous security.
Step 5. Regulatory compliance
While digital banks prioritize innovation, they must also comply with the regulatory requirements imposed on traditional banks. Regulatory adherence is essential for strengthening the industry’s resilience against potential threats and vulnerabilities. Financial institutions face three main risks: Data privacy, Money laundering activities, and Cyberattacks.
Financial companies must adhere to the following regulations to protect users against potential attacks and data breaches:
- PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) establishes security standards for entities handling credit card data.
- PSD2 (Second Payment Services Directive) is an EU regulation governing electronic payment services.
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) regulates the collection, utilization, and retention of personal data by companies operating within the European Union.
- AML (Anti-Money Laundering) regulations aim to prevent and combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
- KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures, a component of AML regulations, mandate institutions to verify the identities of their customers.
Compliance with local laws is imperative for the successful launch of digital banking platforms, as regulatory landscapes vary significantly across different regions.
Step 6. Develop the platform
The development of software stands as the cornerstone in establishing a digital bank, forming the bedrock upon which the entire digital banking ecosystem is built. This entails frontend, backend development, and seamless data integration. During this stage, the concrete architecture of your product takes shape. Hence, it’s crucial to entrust the development process to professionals with expertise in the fintech sector. You may choose to utilize an internal development team or engage a software development team equipped with comprehensive technical knowledge of the financial sector.
Step 7. Test and launch
Thorough testing is essential not only for identifying and resolving issues but also for ensuring a seamless user experience and instilling confidence in your digital banking solution. Various testing methods, including functional, security, and user acceptance tests, evaluate the platform’s performance across different scenarios. While deployment marks the final phase of the development process, it does not signify the conclusion of your efforts. Continuously monitoring performance, usage patterns, and feedback using tools like analytics, surveys, and reviews is crucial. It’s equally important to promptly address any issues, complaints, or inquiries and provide ongoing support and guidance to your customers and users.
Step 8. Improve the application
The software launch initiates an ongoing journey towards improving your financial platform. Prioritize continuous enhancement for long-term success with these steps:
- Establish a user feedback mechanism
- Regularly update the system
- Optimize performance