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CASE STUDY
Building DIB Pakistan's Digital Onboarding
In 2021, the State Bank of Pakistan issued a directive for banks to digitize customer access without requiring branch visits. Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) Pakistan responded by partnering with Codebase Technologies to launch the country’s first Digital Roshan remote onboarding solution for non-resident Pakistanis. Following that success, the Bank expanded its capabilities in 2022, bringing Domestic and Roshan Digital account onboarding into a single, unified app built on the Digibanc platform.
Project Overview
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Pakistan’s banking landscape shifted significantly in 2021 when the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) mandated that banks digitize their customer access to reduce branch dependency. Recognizing that 96.2% of the population is Muslim and that banking is deeply faith-sensitive, the SBP issued compliance licenses to both conventional and Islamic banks, laying the groundwork for a new era of digital banking.
Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) Pakistan was among the first institutions to act. In 2021, the Bank partnered with Codebase Technologies to launch the country’s first Digital Roshan remote onboarding solution for non-resident Pakistanis. The solution reduced physical branch traffic, lowered operating costs, minimized redundancy, and cut the risks associated with manual processes, all while maintaining strict KYC and security requirements.
The following year, DIB Pakistan expanded its ambitions. Building on the existing Digibanc platform, the Bank combined digital onboarding for Domestic and Roshan Digital accounts into a single, unified app, extending the same remote, seamless experience to resident customers.
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Client's Mission & Expectations
DIB Pakistan wanted to build on the momentum of its Roshan Digital launch and create a single, unified onboarding experience for both resident and non-resident customers. The Bank needed a solution that could plug into its existing core banking system, accommodate future innovation, and replicate the rigor of an in-branch verification process without requiring customers to visit a branch. Above all, it needed a partner who understood both its vision and the technical demands of Islamic banking.
“Our technology partner, Codebase Technologies, truly understood our vision and used their software development and industry expertise to spearhead the process. Today, we have a comprehensive and flexible digital onboarding solution built using a platform that helps us innovate at scale and speed.”
Junaid Ahmed,
CEO, DIB Pakistan
How Codebase Technologies and Digibanc Made It Possible
Codebase worked closely with DIB Pakistan to architect a solution tailored to both customer and business needs. Our teams worked hand in hand from conceptualization through implementation to launch. Leveraging the strength and capabilities of the existing Digibanc platform, the teams were able to create seamless, hyper-personalized journeys for resident and non-resident customers within DIB’s digital bank.
What Digibanc Delivered for DIB Pakistan
Digibanc provided a flexible, modular foundation that allowed DIB Pakistan to extend its digital capabilities without rebuilding its existing systems. Its API-first architecture and pre-built components made it possible to launch a unified onboarding proposition in record time, while keeping the platform open for future innovation.
Unified Onboarding for Resident and Non-Resident Customers
Domestic and Roshan Digital account onboarding were combined into a single digital bank. The solution created seamless journeys for resident and non-resident customers, removing the need to manage separate processes or platforms.
Software Development Kit (SDK) Integration
Codebase created and integrated an SDK directly into the platform, allowing the Bank to plug the solution into its existing core banking system. This ensured scalability and future-proofed the Bank’s innovation capabilities.
Self-Identification with NADRA
A cutting-edge self-identification feature was introduced, allowing customers to use their rear mobile camera for fingerprint verification with the National Database and Verification Authority (NADRA), providing an advanced layer of security and identity assurance.
Enterprise-Grade eKYC
The onboarding journey integrated enterprise-grade security and
eKYC measures, replicating the rigorous identification and verification processes of a physical branch. This guaranteed peace of mind for both the Bank and its customers while ensuring regulatory compliance.
ID-Scanning and Video Liveness Checks
To further enhance security and risk management, Codebase implemented ID-scanning capabilities and video calls for liveliness checks. These features effectively tackled fraud and identity theft risks, protecting both the institution and the people it serves.
“As the world evolves, one of our key goals is to respond to market change quickly and effectively to provide customers the services they long for. When SBP rolled out the new promising directive, we supported it by complying within the shortest time possible. We were fortunate to partner with Codebase Technologies as speed, efficiency, and scalability were essential to the project, and the team delivered.”
Syed Zaka ur Rehman,
Group Head Digital Banking, DIB Pakistan
Outcomes
The collaboration between Codebase Technologies and DIB Pakistan delivered a digital onboarding experience that reshaped how the Bank acquires and serves customers. It strengthened DIB Pakistan’s market position, improved customer accessibility, and contributed to the ongoing advancement of Islamic digital banking in Pakistan.
Business Impact on DIB Pakistan
The platform gave DIB Pakistan greater control over customer acquisition while lowering operating costs and reducing manual-process risk. Already live on Digibanc, the Bank launched its unified Domestic and Roshan onboarding in record time, reinforcing its position as a market leader capable of adapting quickly to regulatory and market shifts.
Impact on Customers
Resident and non-resident customers can now open accounts remotely, with the same security and verification rigor as a branch visit. Self-identification through NADRA, video liveness checks, and eKYC measures deliver a seamless, safe experience that removes the need for travel or paperwork.
For Pakistan
The initiative advances the State Bank of Pakistan’s digitization mandate and drives financial inclusion across the country. It makes Islamic banking more accessible to resident and non-resident customers alike, helping build a more inclusive and digitally enabled financial ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What digital onboarding solution did Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan build with Codebase Technologies?
DIB Pakistan built a unified digital onboarding solution on the Digibanc™ platform that combines Domestic and Roshan Digital account opening into the DIB Digital mobile app, allowing both resident and non-resident Pakistanis open an account remotely.
What platform powers DIB Pakistan's digital onboarding?
It runs on Digibanc, Codebase Technologies’ fintech and digital banking platform, which DIB Pakistan was already using. Codebase Technologies also built a custom Software Development Kit (SDK) on Digibanc so the onboarding solution could plug into the Bank’s existing core banking system while staying flexible for future development.
How does DIB Pakistan verify customer identity during onboarding?
The onboarding journey includes a self-identification feature that allows customers use their phone’s rear camera for fingerprint verification against NADRA’s database, alongside ID scanning and video calls for liveliness checks – enterprise-grade security and eKYC measures designed to mirror the verification customers would undergo in a branch.
What's the difference between DIB Pakistan's Domestic and Roshan Digital accounts?
Domestic Digital Accounts are for Pakistani residents opening an account from within Pakistan, while Roshan Digital Accounts are for non-resident Pakistanis opening an account from abroad. Both can now be opened through the same DIB Digital mobile app.
Why did Codebase Technologies build a custom SDK for this project?
DIB Pakistan wanted a solution it could plug directly into its existing core banking system while staying flexible enough to accommodate future developments. Codebase Technologies used Digibanc to create and integrate a Software Development Kit (SDK) that ensured scalability and future-proofed the Bank’s innovation capabilities.
What prompted DIB Pakistan's digital onboarding push?
A 2021 directive from the State Bank of Pakistan instructed all banks to digitize services so customers could access them without visiting a branch, with compliance licenses issued to both conventional and Islamic banks given how faith-sensitive banking is in a country that’s 96.2% Muslim. DIB Pakistan was among the first to respond, partnering with Codebase Technologies that same year.
