The launch of Openbank in the United States marks a significant milestone in Santander’s transformation, allowing it to tap into new markets and reach more customers. Central to this effort are two cutting-edge technologies–Gravity and ODS–which will elevate the bank’s service offerings to new heights.

Technology is crucial. Every bank relies on two fundamental components to carry out its operations: the back-end and the front-end. The back-end, often referred to as the “core,” is the engine that coordinates all the data, processes, and real-time transactions across the bank. The front-end, on the other hand, is the interface that enhances the user experience and responds to all customer needs. This is the infrastructure that supports mobile apps, websites, in-branch service platforms, and contact centers.

In recent years, Santander has made significant investments in developing its own front- and back-end technology. The back-end technology, known as Gravity, is designed to operate in the cloud, offering greater speed, security, and efficiency in processes like data access, analysis, and the rollout of new features, products, and services. Gravity is progressively replacing older systems, improving Santander’s data processing capabilities across all its markets. Read more here.

At the same time, ODS, the front-end, enables the bank to rapidly deploy its products and services through a unified environment with consistent standards across all its markets. This allows customers to interact with Santander and Openbank through the same platform—whether via app, contact center, or branch—no matter where they are located.

The combination of these two technology platforms—Gravity and ODS—will support Openbank’s operations across the United States and power services for the bank’s 168 million customers globally. This has several key benefits:

1.  It will elevate the user experience with more intuitive, faster, and flexible platforms that allow Santander to expand and customize its offerings, providing each customer with exactly what they need, when they need it.
2. The new tech infrastructure will give employees real-time data insights, enabling them to meet customer needs more efficiently. With interconnected customer data, branch and contact center staff will have an instant overview of a customer’s activity, allowing them to deliver faster, more personalized service. This not only improves the customer experience but also enhances efficiency in branches and contact centers.
3. Lastly, shareholders will benefit from the deployment of a common technology platform across the group. By replacing multiple separate systems, Santander will achieve what is often said but rarely accomplished—simplifying products and enhancing customer experience while simultaneously reducing costs and minimizing reliance on third-party providers.

The benefits of this technology are already evident, having been successfully tested in Europe over the past several years. Seven years ago, Openbank was relaunched on this new banking and technology platform and has since consistently ranked among the banks with the highest customer satisfaction (it held the top NPS score in Spain in both 2021 and 2023). Today, Openbank is Europe’s largest fully digital bank by deposits, managing $20 billion (€18 billion) in assets and serving over two million customers across the continent. In the U.S., Openbank will offer some of the most competitive savings rates in the market, along with a streamlined customer onboarding process.

From a technological standpoint, the ODS front-end and Gravity back-end are each setting new standards for the financial services industry. Combining them in the U.S.—and eventually in other markets—will be transformative for Santander and the customers it serves.

You can learn more by listening to this podcast.