Backbase & Atos team up on AI-led banking modernisation

Backbase and Atos have formed a partnership to help banks pursue AI-led modernisation in regulated markets across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

They will work together on opportunity development, delivery, training and sales for financial institutions seeking to update banking platforms while retaining control of data, compliance and operations.

The partnership combines Backbase's banking software with Atos' capabilities in systems integration, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and large-scale delivery. It targets banks in markets where data sovereignty and regulatory oversight heavily influence technology decisions.

It is aimed at lenders looking to replace fragmented frontline systems with a single operating model spanning customer channels, front-office functions and operations. Atos will provide implementation and services across the delivery cycle, from solution design to training.

The companies pointed to a common challenge across these regions: pressure to roll out AI tools quickly while maintaining operational resilience and meeting local rules on data handling and compliance. Their joint approach is designed to address that tension in countries where oversight of critical systems is particularly strict.

Regional focus

The geographic scope includes Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Portugal, Spain, Southeast Europe, Switzerland and Turkey. This suggests a focus on markets where cross-border banking groups often face differing national requirements for cloud hosting, cyber controls and data location.

For Atos, the deal adds banking software to a regional services network spanning 54 countries and about 56,000 employees. The company reported annual revenue of about EUR 7.2 billion at its go-forward perimeter.

Amsterdam-based Backbase said more than 120 banks use its platform across retail, SME, commercial and private banking, as well as wealth management. It presents the platform as a way to unify customer-facing and operational processes that are often spread across legacy technology estates.

Banking pressure

The deal comes as lenders face growing pressure to show tangible returns from AI projects without weakening governance standards. Banks have been testing AI in customer service, internal productivity and process automation, but many large institutions still run these projects alongside legacy systems that are difficult to integrate and supervise.

That has created an opening for vendors and services firms promising a more unified operating model. In regulated sectors such as banking, however, adoption is often constrained by rules on explainability, data residency, outsourcing and cyber resilience, especially when cloud-based systems and third-party providers are involved.

Ricardo Ribelles, Global VP Partnerships and Alliances at Backbase, said: "Atos brings the sovereign cloud infrastructure, integration depth and regional reach that banks in these markets need. Together, we close the gap between a bank's AI ambitions and the reality of running those capabilities at scale, inside a governed, compliant architecture that meets local data sovereignty requirements."

Atos said financial institutions in its international markets are trying to balance innovation with regulatory control. The group has been strengthening its position in cybersecurity, cloud and digital transformation services as customers in sensitive industries seek suppliers with experience in heavily regulated environments.

Daniele Principato, Head of International Markets at Atos, said: "Across our markets, from Asia Pacific to the Middle East, Europe and Africa, financial institutions are under real pressure to innovate with AI without losing control over their data or regulatory standing. This partnership gives them a clear path: AI-native banking modernization that is secure and built for the compliance realities of their specific markets."