Upload and Share validated ID documents on Blockchain

CBA is quickly building TymeDigital into a full service digital bank, delivering services through self-service kiosks that allow users to authenticate themselves, verify their details and transfer money.

CEO Ian Narev revealed its South African digital bank – TymeDigital by Commonwealth Bank South Africa – had run an experiment with distributed ledger technology which would now be scaled up.

“One of the aspects of this result we really do want to call out is that through this period and for the remainder of this year you are really seeing the benefits of our businesses offshore not just building business models in those markets but being an RD hub for the Commonwealth Bank to bring back into our developed markets,” Narev said in a presentation to investors.

The blockchain solution being readied for scale up in South Africa utilises the R3 Corda Distributed Ledger, the bank told CIO Australia.

It’s functionality will added to TymeCoach, a financial wellbeing platform for customers in a South Africa, and be made available this year.

“It builds on the learnings of Blockchain experiments we have conducted both locally and globally on identity,” a spokesperson told CIO Australia. “The product will build features over time utilising the power of distributed ledger technology.”

Narev added that the blockchain solution could soon make its way to Australian shores.

“So beyond what we’re doing within those markets we’re seeing the signs of building capability in those markets for application back in our home markets and starting to disrupt ourselves,” he explained.

TymeDigital by CBSA sits within CBA’s International Financial division. CBA bought the South African fintech Tyme (Take your money everywhere) in 2015.

“So there have been interesting examples, like the first commercialised blockchain solution in South Africa, which is an experiment we’ve run and can now scale up enabling us to actually give the customers their own digital identity for use on the blockchain, where they’re in control of it.” Ian Narev , CEO , CBA

• CBA’s first blockchain solution that went into production.
• This solution provided a platform for users to upload and share validated identification documents.
• The vision of this platform was to provide validated identity across organisation and provide a trusted way to share documents for other financial transactions e.g. getting a home loan through to getting a job

Very simple Process:

• Create documents
• Validate through a trusted authority
• Share digitally to support financial transactions

CUSTOMER ON-BOARDING: FAST AND AUTOMATED

The bank’s infrastructure for customer on-boarding and servicing leverages its retail partnerships, the national payments system, and a capable technology stack. Eighty-five percent of new clients are on-boarded through proprietary automated kiosks developed, designed, and manufactured by the bank. Each kiosk comprises a touch screen, fingerprint reader, camera, and card printer. Store customers can use these kiosks to sign up for an account and receive a personalized debit card in less than 5 minutes. Customers can conduct basic transactions and receive replacement cards on the spot. The bank has 800 kiosks at PnP, Boxer, and PostNet stores.

TymeBank offers three tiers of accounts, each with a limit that depends on the level of identification available: (i) “Just Met” for web-based on-boarding that requires a follow-up kioskbased verification, (ii) “Getting to Know You” for customers whose identity could be only partly verified using the kiosk, and (iii) “Good Friends” for fully identified customers.

An ambassador is assigned to each kiosk. The ambassador promotes TymeBank and helps customers use the kiosk or conduct other in-store transactions. Edge Field Marketing employs and manages the ambassadors on behalf of the bank; it also cooperates with not-for-profit social enterprise that helps unemployed youth find jobs.

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