Mexico’s banking sector is undergoing rapid digital modernisation as financial institutions invest in new payment infrastructure to reach underserved consumers. BanCoppel’s partnership with BPC to deploy the SmartVista platform highlights how retail banks are leveraging modern card-processing technology to accelerate credit card issuance and expand financial inclusion. By replacing legacy payment systems with a more flexible digital platform, the bank aims to deliver faster, more accessible credit products to millions of underbanked customers across the country.
BanCoppel, a leading retail bank and subsidiary of Grupo Coppel, has officially selected BPC’s SmartVista platform to power the next phase of its national digital transformation. This strategic move is designed to modernise the bank’s card and payment operations, transitioning from legacy systems to a flexible, cloud-ready architecture. BanCoppel has long been a pioneer in financial inclusion in Mexico, specifically targeting customers without prior credit histories. By adopting SmartVista, the bank aims to solidify its position as the preferred financial provider for the unbanked and underbanked populations, offering simple, affordable credit solutions through its extensive nationwide retail and banking network.
The implementation of SmartVista provides BanCoppel with a unified payments foundation that supports both domestic and international card schemes, including eGlobal for local offerings and Visa for international use. One of the most significant technical shifts is the adoption of a low-code/no-code approach. This empowers internal teams to configure new credit card programs and fine-tune parameters rapidly without requiring extensive custom software development. Consequently, the bank can accelerate its time-to-market for innovative products, ensuring it remains competitive in Mexico’s rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Mexican cardholders will gain access to a suite of modern digital-first capabilities. Key features enabled by the BPC partnership include instant card issuance, allowing customers to receive and use their cards immediately upon approval. Furthermore, the platform introduces advanced security and management tools, such as the ability to freeze and unfreeze cards instantly via a mobile app, immediate PIN management, and real-time spend tracking. These tools are designed to improve the everyday financial experience, providing users with greater visibility into their balances and faster resolution for disputes and chargebacks.
Sergio del Valle, Head of Products at BanCoppel, stated that the modernisation represents a significant step toward expanding financial adoption across the country. The bank’s strategic growth plan aims to bring millions of currently unbanked customers into the formal financial system over the next five years. Daniel Hernández, Country Manager for Mexico at BPC, noted that SmartVista’s modular design provides the scalability BanCoppel needs to reach new customers across both its retail and banking business lines. This milestone confirms that the convergence of retail-scale distribution and agile payment technology is the primary driver for financial inclusion in emerging markets.
What this means for the industry
- Banks in emerging markets are increasingly replacing legacy card systems with modern, cloud-ready payment platforms to support rapid product innovation.
- Instant card issuance and digital card management tools are becoming core expectations for modern banking customers, even in traditionally underbanked markets.
- Low-code and no-code payment infrastructure allows banks to launch new financial products faster without complex development cycles.
- Retail banks with large physical distribution networks are combining digital payments technology with retail ecosystems to expand financial inclusion.
- Mexico is emerging as a key market where payments modernisation and financial inclusion strategies are converging through digital-first banking infrastructure.
Photo by Avery Evans on Unsplash
