Engine by Starling, Starling Group’s banking Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business, has announced a partnership with SBS Bank, a New Zealand‑owned mutual.

SBS Bank is the UK‑headquartered firm’s first mutual client in New Zealand and its fourth international deal.

Using Starling’s technology, SBS Bank will upgrade its core banking system to Engine’s secure cloud‑native banking platform, enabling members to access digital onboarding, advanced fraud protection and everyday banking features such as card controls and spending insights through a mobile banking app.

Behind the scenes, Engine said the platform will provide a simplified, consolidated view of accounts and modern support tools, strengthening resilience and the scalability of core systems to set SBS Bank up for long‑term growth.

Mark McLean, group chief executive at SBS Bank, said: “Engine was developed by the UK’s leading digital bank, Starling, and will bring world‑class capability to our members, and New Zealand. By partnering with Engine, we’ll combine the best of what SBS Bank offers today with globally acclaimed banking expertise, to create a more modern and secure experience for our members and enable our people to continue to deliver the outstanding service they provide today.”

SBS Bank is Engine’s launch partner in New Zealand and follows recent deployments with AMP in Australia and Salt Bank in Romania. Engine powers the daily banking of millions of customers globally, including Starling in the UK, Salt Bank and AMP.

In November last year, Engine by Starling announced plans to roll out its core banking platform for Canadian direct bank Tangerine as part of a 10‑year agreement.

With the move, Tangerine became Engine’s first North American customer after the British company opened offices in New York and Toronto, with the agreement described by the bank as its “largest to date”.

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