Press

AMP Bank successfully launches on Engine by Starling platform

LONDON: 10 February 2025

  • Bank built in 12 months using Engine by Starling’s core banking platform
  • Designed for Australia’s under-served small and micro businesses, solopreneurs, side hustlers, and everyday banking customers
  • Includes Australia’s first numberless-facing debit cards and other market leading security features

Engine by Starling has enabled AMP Bank to launch its new mobile-first proposition targeting small businesses and everyday banking customers in Australia.

Approximately 2.4 million Australian businesses are either self-employed or employ 1-4 people, while the majority of businesses in Australia have turnover of less than $200k annually. To date, these businesses have lacked access to mobile-first banking services and have had to manage financial admin with poorly designed tools.

AMP saw the opportunity to mirror the success seen by Starling Bank in the UK, which has attracted more than 4.5 million small business and retail customer accounts in the UK since launching in 2017. By partnering with Engine, AMP was able to make use of Starling’s technology and expertise to build the bank on time and on budget. The new bank was built in 12 months: work commenced in October 2023 and went live to AMP employees and friends and family in October 2024. This included standing up an entirely new cloud-native system with all the capabilities and integrations needed to run the bank, as well as develop a rich customer proposition and mobile app. At launch, AMP offers transaction accounts with fully digital onboarding for personal and business customers, and a host of smart, self-serve, money management features. These include spending insights, card controls, Apple and Google Pay in-app provisioning, as well as:

  • The latest in fraud and identify theft protection, including Australia’s first numberless-facing debit cards for small business, and selfie-style video identity verification by two customer service representatives for added security
  • Customers can hide and reveal their on-screen account balance at the touch of a button, providing instant privacy while on the go
  • Market-leading use of ‘Spaces’ in Australia, allowing for the creation of virtual ‘sub-accounts’ and making it easier to manage tax payments, payroll, and other financial obligations
  • Seamless connectivity – yet clear distinction – between personal and business banking, making it a one-stop-shop to manage both through a single banking app

Sean O’Malley, CEO of AMP Bank, said: “We searched the world to source the very best in banking technology to create what we’re confident will be Australia’s premier mobile digital banking experience. We’ve loaded the new app with the very latest tech and innovations to provide business owners with the latest in cyber, fraud and scam protection, and the capability to integrate leading small business software solutions. Our ambition is to help small business owners – sole traders, side hustlers and other small businesses – seamlessly run and administer their business from the convenience of their mobile phone.”

Like Starling Bank, AMP has chosen to retain human touchpoints for customer service. By using Engine’s contact centre capability and single customer view, the bank is providing 24/7 support to customers via phone and in-app live chat.

Sam Everington, CEO of Engine by Starling, adds: “We had the benefit of a clear shared goal; help AMP get a better, digital offering into customers’ hands as quickly as possible, and do this using the technology and know-how we’d developed at Starling Bank. On launch, AMP has an incredibly strong customer value proposition, especially for small business owners, and we are very proud to have delivered on time, building the bank in just 12 months.”

Engine announced its partnership with AMP in November 2023, along with Salt Bank in Romania which launched as the country’s first digital bank in April 2024. Salt Bank is now serving over 400,000 customers with ambitions to reach 700,000 in 2025.


Notes to Editors

About AMP

AMP Limited provides banking, super and retirement solutions in Australia and New Zealand, supporting over one million customers and employing approximately 3,000 people.

Read AMP’s full release on the launch here.

Contact: Adrian Howard

Email: adrian_howard@amp.com.au

Contact: Karen Devine

Email: karen_devine@amp.com.au

About Engine by Starling

Engine by Starling is a SaaS technology provider with the goal of bringing its modern banking platform to banks around the world. The Engine platform, built to power Starling Bank in the UK, is modular, API-based, cloud-native and a proven technology at scale.

Contact: Jessica Blakey

Email: media@enginebystarling.com