A Swiss Success! How KOBIL Secured 100m Banking Transactions for Migros Bank

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820,000

mobile banking customers protected

100,000,000+

secure banking transactions completed

60+

years of brand heritage safeguarded

Introducing Migros Bank

Since its formation in 1958, Migros Bank has grown into one of Switzerland’s leading banks.

Founder Gottlieb Duttweiler believed customer service was paramount above all other concerns, driving his business forward with a relentless focus on customer satisfaction and approval.

That philosophy survives to this day, steering Migros Bank to operate a “responsible, consistently cautious risk policy”. It was the first major Swiss bank to reject the idea of staff bonuses, instead focusing on easy-to-understand products, expert advice and stable business development.

Challenges

To meet the demands of modern, omnichannel banking, Migros Bank faced four major challenges – none of which could be solved without trusted digital identities.

  • Secure mobile and internet banking (based on app shielding, strong customer authentication and transaction authorization)
  • New device activation
  • Mobile payments at the point of sale
  • E-commerce payments

It also faced two other issues that were particularly prevalent among its Swiss customer base:

More than one in three Swiss consumers (35%) use mobile payments.¹ They are particularly popular with men (44%) and those under the age of 30 (52%), and look set to take an increasing share of transactions in the coming years.

¹ PwC

However, there are still significant concerns among the general population. Almost three-quarters (74%) fear their phone could be stolen and misused to make mobile payments, and 71% are apprehensive about possible identity theft.

Solution

Migros Bank was attracted by KOBIL's world-class security features, including our Smart Security Management Server, PKI-based authentication, end-to-end encryption through our Digitanium channel, and our virtual smart card technology.

Combined, these allowed us to protect Migros Bank’s customers and solve all four of its major challenges.

First, secure mobile and internet banking was delivered through a two-app approach.

For e-banking, two devices are needed – so users were given a high level of flexibility, with the option to use Mac or PC desktop or laptops, Android smartphones or tablets, and iPhones or iPads.

But with 74% of the Swiss population using the internet via smartphones and tablets, Migros Bank switched to a secure software-based solution that delivered seamless mobile banking, data integrity and eliminated the need for the outdated use of USB sticks.

Stephen Wick, a member of Migros Bank’s management, said: “No other provider could meet all four criteria: software-based, device-independent, secure and comfortable, and available at a reasonable cost.”

Next, KOBIL delivered a new way for Migros Bank to process the activation of new devices via chatbots and a connection to our Smart Security Management Server. Mobile payments at the point of sale (POS) were through the Migros app. After users deposited funds into their app, they were able to use their mobile phone to pay for items in all Migros supermarkets – without a Maestro card or cash. A loyalty points scheme – Cumulus – also encouraged further use, with Cumulus points redeemable at Migros, Migros Partners or the Cumulus Ticket Shop.

Finally, e-commerce payments were enabled through E-Pay, which allowed users to enter their E-Pay ID in online shops (for products and services) or at the E-Post Office (for paying utility bills) and confirm the transaction through their e-banking or mobile app.