rewrite this title Jet Bank and Backbase to Launch Albania’s First Digital-Only Bank – Finovate

A strategic partnership between Jet Bank and banking platform Backbase will power the launch of Albania’s first digital-only bank. A greenfield digital bank able to leverage modern, enabling technologies, Jet Bank chose Backbase to serve as its digital engagement layer, orchestrating customer interactions across channels while integrating with core banking, card processing, and third-party services.

“Our ambition is to set a new standard for digital banking in Albania by building a bank that feels intuitive, reliable, and relevant in everyday use,” Jet Bank CEO Fatbardha Rino said. “This partnership with Backbase gives us the digital foundation to launch quickly while maintaining the trust and discipline expected from a licensed bank. We’re not just launching an app—we’re building a platform that can continuously evolve with our customers.”

So far, the collaboration between Backbase and Jet Bank has enabled the institution to transition from setup to User Acceptance Testing in three months, and gain full operational capability as a licensed digital bank within six months. The platform also supports monthly product releases, enabling Jet Bank to launch new products and services based on actual customer demand while ensuring uninterrupted customer journeys.

The solution provides end-to-end banking capabilities ranging from customer onboarding and lending to wealth management and intelligent assistance—all orchestrated via a single unified experience. Additionally, Jet Bank noted that Backbase’s marketplace-driven approach was a major reason why the institution sought out the collaboration. Specifically, the bank pointed to the ability to quickly launch new products and third-party services within a consistent digital experience, a critical capability for a digital bank.

“Jet Bank represents the future of digital banking—fast to market, built for continuous innovation, and designed around customer needs from day one,” Backbase Regional Vice President Robert Mihaljek said. “Their strategic choice to partner with a single, unified platform rather than assembling disconnected channels demonstrates the discipline required to build a truly scalable digital bank. We’re proud to support their vision and help them bring world-class digital banking to Albania.”

A Finovate alum since 2009, Backbase is a four-time Finovate Best of Show award winner, most recently securing top honors at FinovateEurope 2018. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Backbase offers an AI-powered banking platform that unifies all servicing and sales journeys into an integrated suite. Backbase’s technology enables banks to modernize operations across retail, SME, commercial, and private banking, as well as wealth management. More than 150 financial institutions around the world use Backbase’s solutions and services.

This week’s collaboration is not the first between Backbase and an Albanian bank. Last spring, Backbase announced that Albania’s Tirana Bank would deploy Backbase’s Engagement Banking Platform to power its digital transformation. The five-year strategic partnership will enhance Tirana Bank’s suite of solutions including new capabilities for web and mobile banking, digital lending, and other services.

Founded in 1996 as the first bank in Albania launched entirely with private capital, Tirana Bank surpassed total assets of €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2024. The institution is located in Tirana, Albania’s capital city with an estimated 542,730 residents—more than 800,000 in the greater metropolitan area.

Photo by Mario Beqollari on Unsplash

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