This client set out to launch a branded money app with multi-currency accounts, local & cross-border transfers, and prepaid cards — without rebuilding core banking. Finhost delivered the app and back-office on our white-label stack, integrated an issuing partner for virtual and physical prepaid cards from day one, and aligned ledgers and settlement so operations stay clean.
Objectives
- Launch a branded consumer/business app quickly.
- Offer multi-currency balances (USD, CAD, AED, GBP, EUR).
- Enable local & global payments (SWIFT, SEPA, Canada local, UAE local).
- Ship prepaid cards (virtual & physical) early to drive daily spend.
What We Built (Scope)
- Web & mobile apps: unified branded UX for iOS, Android, and web; sensitive card data shown on-demand, never stored client-side.
- Accounts: hold in 5 supported currencies; convert in-app with clear quotes before confirming.
- Payments: domestic and cross-border transfers with status tracking and notifications via 6 payment rails.
- Prepaid cards: virtual and physical Visa available from day one; in-app activation for physical, freeze/unfreeze, spend limits.
- Onboarding & compliance: streamlined KYC/KYB with risk-based contract tiers (high-risk and low-risk corporate).
- Back-office: card status changes, limits, fee setup, settlement views, and basic reconciliation tools.
Customer Journey
The client came to Finhost with a FINTRAC MSB license and a clear ambition: build a global neobank serving individuals and businesses across Canada, the UAE, and Europe. They had the license and the customers — but no technology stack.
We started with a 2-week discovery sprint — mapping their product vision to Finhost modules, designing the branded UX in Figma, and scoping out provider integrations. The client wanted 5 currencies from launch, which meant coordinating multiple payment rails simultaneously.
The biggest early decision was card issuance from day one. Most fintechs delay cards, but this client saw physical Visa cards as a key differentiator. We integrated an issuing partner in parallel with the core banking setup, so cards were ready at go-live.
Within 6 weeks, we had the web client, admin back-office, and mobile apps in staging. The client tested with real users on sandbox, iterated on the fee structure (implementing separate high-risk and low-risk corporate contracts), and we launched to production.
Challenges We Faced
- Multi-provider coordination: With 6 different payment rails (SWIFT, SEPA, Canada local, UAE local, internal, card top-up), each through different providers, we had to build a unified reconciliation layer. Some providers used shared account numbers with mandatory references, others offered dedicated IBANs — the back-office needed to handle both seamlessly.
- Card program complexity: Integrating the card issuer required handling sensitive card data (PAN, CVV) in-app without storing it client-side. We built an on-demand reveal flow with MFA verification, and coordinated physical card activation with the issuer’s logistics.
- Tiered contract system: The client needed different fee structures for individuals, high-risk corporates, and low-risk corporates — with the ability to switch contracts after KYB review. We extended the contract engine to support multiple variants per user type with manual override capability.
- Rapid mobile release cycles: After launch, the client requested frequent updates — new currencies, new providers, bug fixes. We shipped 13+ mobile releases across iOS and Android in under 8 months, maintaining backward compatibility and coordinating app store approvals.
Architecture Snapshot
- Finhost white-label core as the application backbone.
- Issuing partner integration for prepaid Visa cards (virtual & physical).
- Payments connectors for SWIFT, SEPA, Canada local, UAE local, and internal rails.
- FX engine for quotes, conversion, and postings across 5 currencies.
- Back-office console for operations, compliance, and support.
Implementation Timeline
- Discovery & design: ~1–2 weeks (flows, branding, scope).
- Build & integrations: ~4–6 weeks (apps, issuer, payments, FX).
- Go-live: cards and payments staged; full platform live in ~8 weeks with 13+ app releases shipped to date.
Successful Launch
The platform went live in 8 weeks from project kickoff. Within the first 6 months, the client onboarded users across Canada, UAE, and Europe, processing transactions in 5 currencies across 6 payment rails. The mobile apps reached both the App Store and Google Play, with 13+ releases shipped to continuously expand the product. Physical Visa cards are actively in circulation. The client now operates a fully independent branded neobank — with Finhost powering the core infrastructure.
Launch a Similar App with Finhost
Finhost is a white-label core banking platform. We deliver the apps, the back-office, and the integrations you need to ship multi-currency accounts, payments, and prepaid cards quickly — without reinventing the core.
Talk to Finhost about building your own branded money app on a fast timeline.