NatWest and Capco, the global management and technology consultancy, partnered to enhance Bankline Direct, replacing underlying current technology with a new strategic architecture: Bankline Direct Digital. 

Bankline Direct, NatWest’s host-to-host payments and reconciliation solution, offers payment services to over 500 corporate and institutional clients and their four million retail customers. With consumers today expecting 24/7 seamless multichannel experiences and regulators rightly demanding harmonisation and greater interoperability through the adoption of the global ISO 20022 messaging standard, payment services need to be more modular and flexible by design. 

Bankline Direct Digital: seamless, secure, smart

To meet these changing demands, NatWest embarked on a digital transformation programme for Bankline Direct in collaboration with Capco. Cross-functional and multi-disciplinary teams came together to design and develop Bankline Direct Digital’s advanced platform. This is characterised by its seamless, secure, and smart features, which are achieved through the integration of several key components:

• Intelligent Router: a  system that efficiently directs data traffic to ensure optimal performance and reliability. This delivers faster and more efficient transaction processing.
  

• Payments Orchestration Layer: this manages the various payment processes, ensuring that they work together smoothly and effectively. It simplifies the user experience by handling complex payment operations in the background, resulting in quicker and more reliable payment completions.
  

• Data Sync Layer: which ensures that all data across the platform is consistently updated and synchronised. End users benefit from real-time updates and accurate information, reducing the risk of errors and improving overall service quality.
  

• API Switch: is a tool that allows different software applications to communicate with each other effortlessly. This translates to greater flexibility and integration with other systems, enhancing the overall functionality and user experience.
  

Built on the cloud, Bankline Direct Digital has been engineered to provide customers with a scalable, resilient platform, capable of supporting complex payment and reporting requirements. Product teams closely collaborated with customers through the development lifecycle to ensure that supporting these complexities are the bedrock of the platform. 

Operating in a complex regulatory environment NatWest and Capco were mindful of customers ever-increasing compliance obligations, building a platform grounded in the key principles of integration simplicity and strong security. 

Leveraging Capco’s industry expertise and significant experience in large-scale technology delivery, NatWest and Capco delivered a robust platform, preparing customers for the future of payments transformation.

With Bankline Direct Digital, NatWest is now offering corporate and institutional customers an ISO 20022-compliant cloud-based cash management solution which automates payment processing and data reconciliation while providing connectivity to UK and European payment schemes.

Bankline Direct Digital meets our clients’ needs for:

• seamless near real-time connectivity and a multichannel experience that enables clients to view and transact with multiple banks 
  

• a secure platform capable of gaining a deep understanding of client behaviour to detect and prevent fraud 
  

• a smart proposition that ensures long-term alignment to global standards, including ISO 20022.

Jonathan Hall, NatWest’s Head of Digital, Commercial & Institutions: “The ongoing evolution of the digital landscape is changing the way our customers want to bank with us. With Bankline Direct Digital we meet those demands for a more connected, intuitive customer experience with enhanced technology and compliance capabilities. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Capco to now ensure a smooth transition for our customers.”

Ritu Sehgal, NatWest’s Head of Transaction Services & Trade: “We’re supporting our clients drive operational efficiencies in their financial payments and reporting processes, through a seamless, secure, and smart proposition.”

What to know more about Bankline Direct Digital?

If you want to find out how Bankline Direct Digital could support your business, please get in touch through your usual bank contact.