

Credit score: Elvis Vasquez 
Interview with: Wael Malkawi, Govt Director, ICS Monetary Programs
How have you ever seen the monetary sector evolve by way of digital transformation in recent times?
Probably the most vital adjustments has been the rise of digital and on-the-go banking, which has launched modern options like peer-to-peer funds, digital lending and cross-border transactions powered by blockchain know-how. We now have additionally seen the combination of synthetic intelligence (AI) and machine studying (ML) applied sciences, supported by cloud computing and large knowledge.
Open banking know-how and API connectivity have allowed third-party fintechs to construct and turn out to be a part of a globally interconnected monetary ecosystem. Tech giants like Apple and Google have influenced the monetary companies panorama with the emergence of embedded finance, which now comes constructed into each gadget and working system, blurring the strains between on a regular basis know-how and finance.
Are you able to describe a number of the main technological developments ICS Monetary Programs has launched to the monetary sector?
ICSFS has made substantial contributions to the monetary sector by way of its flagship resolution, ICS BANKS. Over the previous few a long time, ICSFS has led the worldwide motion in the direction of Islamic banking, being one of many first banking know-how suppliers to digitalise Sharia-compliant financing and ship Islamic neobanks. A notable milestone for ICS BANKS options is the embedding of blockchain know-how into its fee methods, enhancing knowledge trade and transaction administration with elevated safety and transparency. This was exemplified by the profitable implementation of the primary cross-border fee within the Center East primarily based on Oracle blockchain know-how, marking the start of a brand new period in international banking.
ICSFS has additionally modernised core banking methods by incorporating important companies reminiscent of real-time processing, automation, superior knowledge administration, and analytics; along with a protracted checklist of digital companies that allows monetary companies suppliers to tailor merchandise and attain extra clients, considerably enhancing monetary inclusion.
How do you envision the position of know-how evolving within the monetary sector over the subsequent few years? What upcoming improvements are you most enthusiastic about?
Know-how will reshape all the pieces from buyer experiences and customer support to back-end operations. A number of key tendencies and improvements will drive this alteration, with AI and ML on the forefront. These applied sciences will turn out to be extra refined, enabling hyper-personalised monetary companies, predictive analytics for buyer behaviour, and superior fraud detection. AI-powered digital assistants will doubtless handle most buyer interactions, providing prompt, tailor-made assist in addition to improved product attain. We anticipate AI-driven funding methods to democratise wealth administration by offering low-cost, algorithm-based monetary planning.
Whereas blockchain is already being utilized in cross-border funds, safe transactions, and knowledge trade, its position is predicted to develop, forming the spine of extra decentralised monetary ecosystems. Quantum computing, although in its infancy, may revolutionise monetary modelling, danger evaluation, and cryptography, providing the flexibility to course of huge quantities of knowledge at unprecedented speeds. In the meantime, with the rising give attention to sustainability, monetary establishments will leverage superior applied sciences to trace, measure, and improve the environmental and social impression of investments.
In what methods do your options assist banks and monetary establishments personalise their buyer interactions?
Utilizing machine studying, superior analytics, and clever reporting, ICS BANKS empowers banks to achieve useful insights into buyer behaviour, preferences, and monetary historical past. This data-driven method permits monetary service suppliers to supply bespoke monetary merchandise, companies, and proposals that cater to particular person buyer wants. As an example, banks can recommend tailor-made mortgage merchandise, funding alternatives, or financial savings plans that align with a buyer’s monetary objectives and spending habits. ICS BANKS additionally facilitates personalised communication by way of the client’s most popular channels, reminiscent of e-mail, SMS, or cell apps. This helps construct stronger relationships and ensures a extra related and fascinating banking expertise.
What are a number of the commonest challenges banks face when implementing new know-how options?
In the present day’s monetary ecosystem requires interconnectivity between totally different monetary service suppliers, fintechs, and regulatory our bodies, which dictates new and evolving integration necessities. Banks due to this fact continuously encounter a number of frequent challenges, reminiscent of integrating with legacy methods, making certain knowledge safety and regulatory compliance whereas managing prices on the identical time. Many banks nonetheless depend on outdated core methods, making it troublesome to include trendy applied sciences with out disrupting present operations. ICS BANKS addresses this challenge by providing modular, scalable options that supply seamless integration through its Open Banking Platform, enabling banks to improve particular parts with out overhauling their complete infrastructure.
To handle knowledge safety and privateness issues, our options incorporate superior safety features together with multi-layered authentication, encryption, and fraud detection, whereas offering instruments to make sure compliance with worldwide monetary laws reminiscent of AML and IFRS 9.
Our multi-award-winning and scalable options will be tailor-made to suit any organisation, no matter dimension and enterprise module. ICS BANKS features a full suite of software program options associated to traditional, Islamic, and digital banking, protecting important banking sectors reminiscent of funding banking, microfinance, retail, and company banking options, to call just a few.
Massive-scale know-how upgrades usually require appreciable monetary funding. ICS BANKS’ modular options and totally different deployment choices cut back upfront infrastructure prices and permit banks to scale companies primarily based on demand with out complexity. This versatile pricing mannequin permits establishments to undertake the know-how they want in an economical manner.
How can monetary establishments enhance their know-how infrastructure to boost buyer expertise?
Adopting cloud-based options is a pivotal technique for monetary establishments, offering scalability, quicker service deployment, and the capability to course of real-time transactions, all whereas considerably decreasing operational prices.
We anticipate AI-driven funding methods to democratise wealth administration
Cloud computing not solely permits round the clock service availability but additionally gives safe knowledge storage, enhancing each effectivity and buyer satisfaction. Sturdy cybersecurity measures, reminiscent of encryption and multi-factor authentication, are important, particularly when adopting cloud-based or AI-driven instruments. Moreover, thorough employees coaching and proactive change administration are essential for making certain workers can totally leverage these new applied sciences, leading to a smoother transition and improved customer support.
How do your options assist banks and monetary establishments handle and leverage buyer knowledge whereas making certain privateness and safety?
To make sure knowledge privateness and safety, ICS BANKS integrates multi-layered safety mechanisms, together with encryption, multi-factor authentication, and role-based entry controls. These measures assist shield delicate buyer knowledge from unauthorised entry and potential cyber threats.
Moreover, the platform’s compliance with worldwide requirements and laws, reminiscent of GDPR and IFRS, ensures that knowledge administration practices are aligned with international privateness and safety necessities. ICS BANKS additionally gives real-time monitoring and fraud detection capabilities by way of superior algorithms, which constantly analyse transactions to determine suspicious actions and mitigate dangers.
How do you see the competitors from fintech firms and tech start-ups influencing the demand in your know-how options?
As a complete banking options supplier, we view fintechs and tech start-ups not as rivals however as companions in making a dependable, modern, safe, and numerous monetary ecosystem that enhances monetary inclusion and buyer engagement.
The rise of fintech has undoubtedly reworked the banking know-how sector, driving innovation and disruptive progress whereas reshaping buyer expectations and consumer expertise. To take care of our edge on this quickly evolving market, ICSFS prioritises innovation, flexibility, and customer-centricity. Our options facilitate incremental adoption of recent applied sciences with out overhauling present methods or disrupting operations.
Crucially, we construct sturdy partnerships with our shoppers, offering tailor-made options that deal with particular enterprise challenges whereas making certain regulatory compliance and sturdy safety. Due to this fact, we take a look at the rise of fintechs as a progress alternative for our enterprise in addition to for our present and new shoppers. That is because of the excessive scalability and modularity of our banking options, which permits us to dynamically add new enterprise tendencies at inexpensive prices.
How essential is collaboration with banks and monetary establishments in creating new know-how options? Are you able to present an instance of a profitable collaboration?
Collaboration with banks and monetary establishments is essential in creating new know-how options and improvements, because it permits for a deeper understanding of real-world challenges and operational wants. By working carefully with monetary establishments, know-how suppliers like ICSFS can create tailor-made options that not solely deal with the precise necessities of every establishment but additionally push the boundaries of innovation within the monetary sector.
Adopting cloud-based options is a pivotal technique for monetary establishments
A first-rate instance of a profitable collaboration is ICSFS’s growth of a digital Islamic lending platform in partnership with varied monetary establishments. This platform revolutionised the mortgage utility course of by integrating superior algorithms, real-time knowledge evaluation, and automatic danger evaluation fashions. By working carefully with monetary establishments and credit score bureaus, ICSFS was in a position to streamline your complete mortgage lifecycle – from utility to disbursement – permitting for quicker approvals, decreased processing instances, and enhanced safety.
What recommendation would you give to banks and monetary establishments that want to enhance their know-how infrastructure and digital capabilities?
We might recommend adopting a customer-centric, security-focused method coupled with superior and versatile know-how options. One of many first steps is to embrace cloud-based and scalable platforms that present the pliability and cost-efficiency essential to handle rising transaction volumes, swiftly deploy new companies, and alleviate the burden of sustaining bodily knowledge centres.
Establishments ought to prioritise an omnichannel expertise that enables clients to entry companies anytime, wherever, and on any gadget. This seamless expertise will be enabled by superior applied sciences reminiscent of open API structure. AI-driven applied sciences also needs to be on the core of this transformation, supporting instruments like chatbots, digital assistants, and personalised monetary suggestions. Scalable system architectures and Open Banking platforms enable for such additions shortly and hassle-free. As digital capabilities develop, so do the dangers of cyber threats and knowledge breaches.
For that reason, sturdy cybersecurity measures like encryption, multi-factor authentication, and AI-powered fraud detection are important.
What are your organization’s long-term objectives for its position within the monetary sector’s digital transformation and the way will you measure success?
We goal to cleared the path in serving to banks and monetary establishments undertake next-generation applied sciences to drive operational effectivity, improve buyer experiences, and promote sustainable progress. We are going to proceed to boost our flagship banking resolution, ICS BANKS, by incorporating rising applied sciences as they’re launched. We are going to measure success by way of key efficiency indicators together with improved operational effectivity, buyer satisfaction, and market growth. By specializing in steady innovation, scalability, and buyer success, we goal to solidify our place as a number one companion in shaping the way forward for the monetary sector’s digital transformation.