Belfius: one app for banking and insurance

Business context

Belfius is one of the largest banks in Belgium, aiming to maintain its competitive edge through the rapid deployment of digital solutions. In response to rising customer expectations, it became essential to combine banking and insurance services within a single, intuitive mobile channel.

The strategic objective was to improve service quality, increase security, and reduce the time required to deliver new features. The bank also wanted to lay the foundation for future channels, including wearables, and stand out through value-added services going beyond traditional banking.

Challenge

The task was to create a secure, high-performance and versatile mobile app covering the full spectrum of services: everyday banking, insurance, investments and loans. The solution had to meet the scale requirements of a large institution as well as stringent regulatory and security standards.

At the same time, the goal was to significantly reduce the cost and time of releasing subsequent versions while maintaining quality and stability. Another challenge was the unification of the security layer and integration with external services such as De Lijn tickets and parking payments.

The app had to operate consistently across the main mobile platforms, provide a smooth user experience, and serve as a foundation for new devices and interaction channels.

Solution

Xamarin was used to build the Belfius Mobile Banking cross-platform app with a unified codebase, accelerating development and the release of versions for different systems. The architecture was designed in a modular way to make it easy to extend functionality and support future channels, including wearable devices.

A unified security layer was implemented, covering strong authentication mechanisms, encryption and secure data storage, in line with financial industry requirements. Standardising security measures ensured a consistent experience and peace of mind for users during transactions.

The app enables comprehensive management of finances, insurance policies, investments and loans. Value-added services were also introduced: purchasing De Lijn tickets, paying for parking, and supporting property-related processes. Integrations with the bank’s systems and external providers were combined with telemetry and automated CI/CD, resulting in fast and predictable releases.