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The Challenge

Rabobank had been relying on a complex web of legacy COBOL-based core banking systems to support retail operations across the Netherlands and Europe. Although stable, these systems were:

  • Difficult to scale

  • Costly to maintain

  • Not compatible with modern customer experience expectations or open banking APIs (PSD2 compliance)

To stay competitive with agile fintechs and digital-first banks, Rabobank aimed to:

  • Modernize its backend systems to microservices architecture

  • Improve its mobile and web platforms to support seamless, real-time customer interactions

  • Ensure PSD2 compliance and enhance API security

  • Integrate with cloud platforms (AWS and Azure) while maintaining on-prem data residency

Solution: Strategic Outsourcing Partnership with ICS

Rabobank engaged ICS (Innovative Coders Solutions), a seasoned outsourcing firm with fintech transformation expertise, to augment its internal teams and accelerate the modernization process.

  • Hybrid development teams based in Ukraine and Portugal, integrated into Rabobank’s Agile Release Trains

  • Experts in Java Spring Boot, Kubernetes, Azure DevOps, and Kafka

  • Senior architects to help design a scalable, event-driven microservices architecture

  • UX/UI designers to revamp the mobile and desktop banking portals

Deliverables & Key Results

  • Core Banking Modernization:
    Replaced COBOL modules with Java-based microservices, migrated data to PostgreSQL clusters in Azure, and introduced Kafka-based event-driven architecture.

  • Digital Channels Revamp:
    Rebuilt mobile app with Flutter and upgraded the web portal with React + GraphQL. Added biometric login and AI chatbot.

  • Security & Compliance:
    Integrated OAuth2/OpenID Connect, delivered PSD2-compliant APIs, conducted penetration testing and full code audit.

Impact

  • 1. 30% improvement in time-to-market for new features
  • 2. 40% reduction in maintenance costs within 18 months
  • 3. App Store rating improved from 3.6 to 4.8
  • 4. Achieved PSD2 and GDPR compliance ahead of schedule
  • 5. Enabled 24/7 real-time banking services across Europe
“ICS was instrumental in helping us decouple from our legacy systems without disrupting service. Their speed, security expertise, and cultural alignment with our teams made them more than a vendor—they were a true partner.”

— Director of IT Transformation, Rabobank

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