UniCredit, the pan-European business financial institution, has accomplished its acquisition of Belgium-based digital financial institution Aion Financial institution and Vodeno, the cloud-native core banking system.
Having initially introduced the transfer in July 2024, UniCredit has now closed the transaction, wherein it acquires all the share capital of Aion Financial institution and Vodeno for €376million. The transfer aligns with the acceleration section of the UniCredit ‘Unlocked’ technique, which allows the financial institution to speed up its progress, getting into new markets, companies and shopper segments.
The transaction marks an acceleration of the financial institution’s exercise within the digital banking house, standing as one of many first strikes by a financial institution to accumulate full possession of a brand new know-how (with none dependencies from third-party suppliers), making certain sturdy differentiation from pure know-how suppliers, neobanks and incumbents present process digital transformation.
Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit, mentioned: “Our dedication to continually delivering finest in school returns and distributions sustainable over time is completely balanced with our dedication to investing in our future.
“Inside this context Aion Financial institution and Vodeno is an funding each in enhancing our personal technological functionality – by way of the acquisition of a confirmed staff that has developed some of the fashionable and versatile core banking methods round – and in our enterprise, enabling us to develop considerably by way of getting into new markets, companies and shopper segments.”
By means of the mixed capabilities of Aion Financial institution and Vodeno, UniCredit now has entry to a scalable and versatile cloud-based platform, based mostly on API connectivity and with sensible contract know-how in-built – all of which may be built-in with the processes and procedures of a fully-fledged financial institution.
Eyeing up European enlargement
Following this acquisition, UniCredit may even profit from Vodeno’s know-how and abilities. It says these will allow it to develop a spread of recent merchandise and combine exterior options, whereas bettering time-to-market in creating and testing new options to additional penetrate focused shoppers’ segments and to enter in new nations.
Past leveraging Aion Financial institution’s ECB banking licence and established mobile-first providing for retail and SME shoppers, UniCredit will look to broaden Aion Financial institution and Vodeno’s current Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) providing throughout key European markets, together with Germany and Poland. This is able to see the financial institution embed its providers – starting from account entry and deposits to lending, funds and loyalty packages – instantly into non-banking digital platforms, facilitating seamless buyer experiences.
UniCredit additionally plans to progressively make investments as much as €200million, with an goal of including 2.5 million shoppers, attaining a ROAC above 25 per cent and a value earnings ratio of 34 per cent inside three years.
