Tonga Development Bank upgrades to SmartVista

Tonga Development Bank will use BPC’s SmartVista platform to issue Visa Debit cards as a step in the overall modernisation of its payments infrastructure

Tonga Development Bank (TDB) is accelerating digital transformation in the Polynesian banking sector through a partnership with BPC. 

TDB will use BPC’s SmartVista platform to issue Visa Debit cards as a step in the overall modernisation of its payments infrastructure, as well as payment and card management, fraud prevention, 3D Secure and interfaces to Visa. 

Commenting on the partnership, ‘Emeline ‘Uheina Katoa Tuita of Pangai and chief executive officer of TDB, said: “As an important part of Tonga’s economic ecosystem, we are proud to be welcoming in new generation technology and leading the way when it comes to digital adoption.  

“With BPC, we are partnering with a force that will help catalyse our digital transformation and bring about a banking experience that customers have not seen before.” 

It is hoped this partnership will accelerate digital transformation in the Polynesian banking sector, advancing Tonga’s economic and social advancement. 

The remote archipelago has half of its citizens currently residing abroad. Remittances sent home as income are about the same as the total GDP. 

Angelo Bertini, senior vice president of BPC, said: “We are proud to partner with Tonga Development Bank to accelerate the Pacific’s economic, social and environmental development, especially as the region recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“We aim to help them lead the way in seamless and flexible banking in this part of the world, creating a high-quality banking experience for their customers.” 

Image: Tonga Development Bank 

Josh Poyser Josh Poyser is an editor at FinTech Intel. He has written about fintech for several years and appeared at FinTech Connect 2023 on the 'Unlocking Success: The Art of Fintech PR' panel.