Belize Bank Limited (BBL) has agreed a six-year alliance with Backbase to introduce an AI-native banking operating system.
The project will cover both retail and business banking and is intended to reshape the bank’s digital operations in Belize.
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BBL accounts for roughly 43% of national banking assets and serves more than 100,000 retail and business customers, Backbase said.
The bank also has over $1bn in total assets and the largest branch network in the country.
BBL plans to use Backbase’s Banking OS to bring together services that are currently handled through separate processes.
The system is expected to support self-service functions, digital onboarding and cash-flow monitoring for business customers.
Belize Bank executive chairman Filippo Alario said: “Our strategic partnership with Backbase represents a transformative step toward delivering a new era of banking – one that is seamless, intelligent, personalised, and built around the evolving needs of our customers. By combining Backbase’s innovation with Belize Bank’s commitment to excellence and customer-first vision, we are laying the foundation for a future where digital banking goes beyond transactions – creating more meaningful connections, empowering our customers, and transforming the way Belizeans experience banking.”
Within the bank, the platform is also intended to link internal teams through a single customer view, with the goal of shortening service resolution time, noted the tech vendor.
The new system will operate on top of BBL’s current banking core rather than replacing it.
Backbase’s Connectivity Layer, called Grand Central, will be used to connect the platform with existing banking systems and support the customer lifecycle.
Additional Backbase marketplace partners will provide parts of the infrastructure, creating an integrated digital banking setup through a single system.
Backbase CEO Jouk Pleiter said: “Belize Bank is exactly the kind of institution Backbase was built for – a market leader that takes its responsibility to customers seriously and wants technology that matches that ambition. Embarking on this comprehensive modernisation across retail, SME, and digital lending is a true reflection of the strategic discipline of the team at Belize Bank. We are proud to partner with them to architect the financial backbone of Belize’s future economy.”
