Australia’s People First Bank Launches Backbase Digital Platform to Accelerate Fintech-Led Banking Transformation
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People First Bank has launched a new digital banking platform powered by Backbase, marking a major step in the Australian customer-owned bank’s broader technology and fintech transformation strategy. The platform supports the bank’s new mobile application, online banking services and digital onboarding capabilities.
The rollout follows the 2023 merger of Heritage Bank and People’s Choice Credit Union, which created People First Bank. The institution serves around 750,000 customers and has more than A$25 billion in assets.
Backbase Platform Unifies Digital Banking Experience
The Backbase-powered platform is designed to provide a unified digital experience while helping People First Bank move away from separate legacy technology environments inherited from its predecessor organisations.
The new system supports redesigned iOS and Android applications, online banking and digital account opening. It is also intended to improve customer onboarding, security, reliability and ease of navigation.
The bank has adopted a staged migration strategy, with former People’s Choice customers moving to the new digital environment while Heritage customers remain on existing services until a later migration phase. This approach is designed to reduce operational disruption during the transition.
Fintech and Digital Transformation Drive Future Growth
The digital banking launch is part of a wider technology modernisation programme at People First Bank. The bank has previously said it is working with technology providers including Backbase, Salesforce, Simpology and Fiserv to build a cloud-based technology ecosystem focused on digital experiences, security and future innovation such as artificial intelligence.
Backbase said the project represents a significant digital launch for Australia’s customer-owned banking sector. The partnership also reflects a broader trend among banks to modernise customer-facing technology without undertaking an immediate replacement of their core banking systems.
For People First Bank, the new platform provides a foundation for further digital banking, payments and core technology initiatives. The move highlights how Australian banks are increasingly using fintech and cloud-based platforms to simplify legacy environments, strengthen customer journeys and build more flexible digital banking capabilities.