COONECTA has partnered with BPC to deploy the SmartVista platform across 90 affiliated credit unions and 75 member institutions.
Ecuador-based COONECTA, a transactional network serving cooperative financial institutions regulated by the Superintendencia de Economía Popular y Solidaria (SEPS), has partnered with BPC to modernise payment infrastructure across its network. The deployment of BPC's SmartVista platform consolidates operations across 90 affiliated credit unions and 75 member institutions, enabling digital services including international debit and credit cards, e-wallets, and mobile payments.
The partnership addresses fragmented legacy infrastructure within Ecuador's cooperative banking sector. COONECTA operates a nationwide bill payment network, digital wallet, and remittance services, and required technology capable of supporting scale and operational efficiency. BPC's SmartVista was selected for its microservices architecture and modular design.
The platform unifies issuing, acquiring, and digital channels on a single infrastructure. Technical capabilities include multi-product credit and debit card issuing and lifecycle management, an e-commerce gateway for online acceptance, and mobile banking functionality. BPC's SmartVista Fraud Management provides real-time protection across channels, whilst the cloud-ready architecture supports compliance requirements including eight-digit BIN migration, 3-D Secure, and tokenisation.
Expanding service capabilities
The deployment enables COONECTA to enter acquiring and merchant payments, supporting open-loop digital acceptance in rural locations where cash transactions dominate. Member institutions can now add credit card issuing to existing debit, prepaid, wallet, and digital channel offerings. For many cooperatives, this represents their first entry into comprehensive digital financial services.
The consolidated infrastructure removes the need for individual institutions to maintain separate systems, providing access to standardised tools whilst reducing cost-to-serve. COONECTA's network has a strong presence in regions where traditional banking infrastructure is limited. Many member cooperatives operate in small towns and rural communities where digital service deployment has historically faced challenges. The platform now provides these institutions with integrated access to card issuing, mobile banking, acquiring, and remittance processing from a unified system.
Ecuador's cooperative financial sector serves communities often underserved by traditional banking channels. By deploying shared infrastructure, COONECTA enables smaller institutions to offer services comparable to larger banks whilst maintaining control over product development and pricing. The network-driven model allows cooperative institutions to scale digital offerings without individual technology investments, supporting financial inclusion objectives in underserved markets.
