Backbase


Backbase is a Dutch financial technology company that provides an AI-powered banking platform. The company's software serves as an orchestration and intelligence layer for financial institutions, designed to unify data and manage customer interactions on top of legacy core banking systems. The platform is used by retail banks, commercial banks, credit unions, and neobanks.

History

Backbase was founded in 2003 in Amsterdam by Jouk Pleiter and Gerbert Kaandorp. The company originally produced an AJAX framework, based on HTML, JavaScript and CSS. This eventually took the form of the Backbase Customer Experience Portal. Backbase originally sold to a wide range of internet-facing businesses, including financial services, but in 2013, Pleiter pivoted the company to focus solely on financial services. In 2017, Pleiter's work at Backbase was recognized with the LOEY Award, the prize for the best online entrepreneur in the Netherlands.
The business expanded globally in the following years, opening offices in Atlanta, Singapore, and other major hubs.
In 2021, Backbase announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft, which sees the Backbase platform serving in the engagement layer within Microsoft Cloud for Financial Services.
In June 2022, Backbase received investment of €120 million from US-based private equity firm Motive Partners, giving Backbase a valuation of €2.5 billion.
In 2025, the company shifted its strategic positioning from "Engagement Banking" to "AI-Powered Banking," emphasizing the use of autonomous AI agents and data orchestration to automate banking operations.
In 2026, Backbase updated its strategic positioning to fully focus on artificial intelligence in banking, launching what it marketed as an 'AI-native banking operating system.' This shift aimed to transition the company's product and service offering from traditional engagement banking to a platform centered on 'Agentic AI' and unified banking operations.

Platform and architecture

Backbase provides a software platform designed to enable "progressive modernization." The system functions as an overlay that sits on top of existing core banking systems, allowing institutions to update their digital channels without immediately replacing their underlying system of record.
The platform architecture is composed of three primary layers:
  • Digital Banking Fabric: This layer handles the user interfaces for web and mobile applications. It manages the customer-facing experience for retail and business banking, as well as employee-facing interfaces for customer support and relationship management.
  • Data & AI Fabric: A data orchestration layer designed to harmonize data from disparate silos. This layer powers the platform's artificial intelligence capabilities, specifically "Agentic AI" and predictive models.
  • Integration Fabric: A managed integration service that provides pre-built connectors to third-party fintechs and major core banking systems.

    Industry recognition

Backbase has been recognized as a "Leader" in the digital and AI banking software market by several technology research firms.
  • **Omdia:** Ranked as a leader in the Omdia Universe: Digital Banking Platforms, 2023 report, which evaluates vendors on solution capability and customer experience.
  • **IDC:** Named a leader in the IDC MarketScape: North America Digital Banking Customer Experience Platforms 2022.
  • **Forrester:** Recognized as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Digital Banking Engagement Platforms, Q3 2021.
  • **Celent:** The company has also received multiple "XCelent" awards for technology and functionality in the Modern Digital Banking Channels report series.