BIDV and the FPT– OpenWay joint venture complete core card system migration to the world-class Way4 platform

In November, BIDV and FPT–OpenWay joint venture successfully completed the migration of the bank’s card payment system (Core Card) to the Way4 platform—one of the world’s leading payment solutions, after only 18 months of implementation. Considered one of the most complex end-to-end technology upgrade programs in the banking sector, the project enhances BIDV’s transaction processing capacity, shortens time-to-market for card products and services, and reinforces its leadership in modern payments.

BIDV completes the migration to the modern Way4 Core Card system

As BIDV advances toward becoming a technology-driven retail bank and an innovation leader—under its Retail Banking Development Strategy 2021–2025 and Digital Transformation Strategy 2021–2025, with vision to 2030—the Core Card migration is viewed as a strategic priority, laying the foundation for a new era of card operations.

Before the project, BIDV’s Core Card platform – running on Cadencie had supported stable, accurate, and efficient processing for many years. However, rapidly evolving technologies and rising customer expectations highlighted limitations for the next stage of growth. Upgrading to a next-generation platform became essential for maintaining competitiveness and delivering a superior customer experience.

The new Way4 Core Card system is deployed under a centralized management model with open architecture and flexible configuration. This enables faster functional scaling and accelerated development of new services. Beyond the technology uplift, the migration provides BIDV with a solid foundation to expand modern payment offerings and elevate service quality. With Way4’s high flexibility and deep digital ecosystem integration, BIDV can design, test, and launch new products quickly, safely, and in line with market needs.

For customers, the transition to Way4 brings a fully upgraded card experience—online card issuance, seamless integration with Apple Pay and Google Pay, and instant readiness for spending. Customer journeys on channels like SmartBanking and BIDV Direct have also improved significantly, offering faster, more intuitive, and unified card management across BIDV’s digital ecosystem.

The Core Card project marks a significant milestone in BIDV’s digital transformation.

Officially launched on May 10, 2024, the project was completed in 18 months—an accelerated timeline for an initiative of this scale—across three phases:
• Phase 1: Migration of switching systems and integration with four international and domestic card organizations in 5 months
• Phase 2: Migration of the Card Management System and integration with BIDV’s legacy applications
• Phase 3: Migration of over 2,000 ATMs/CRMs connected to the new Core Card system in 3.5 months, and completion of the Prepaid Card system in 1.5 months

Recognized as one of the largest and most complex technology programs in Vietnam’s banking sector, the project serves millions of customers and integrates with a wide range of BIDV’s legacy applications, alongside an extensive partner ecosystem including NAPAS, international card schemes, e-wallets, and affiliated banks. The team migrated 27 million records across 12,000 data fields with accuracy and uninterrupted service continuity.

Since go-live, the new Core Card system has delivered faster transaction processing, streamlined operations, and enhanced card security. BIDV has also launched multiple new card products across both traditional and digital channels.

The project was executed in close collaboration between FPT, the implementation partner, and OpenWay, provider of the globally recognized Way4 platform known for performance, stability, and scalability. Way4 supports full card lifecycle management, switching and acceptance, e-wallets, digital banking, and multi-channel payments—enabling advanced digital payment innovation for BIDV.

Mr. Le Ngoc Lam, CEO of BIDV and Head of the Project Steering Committee, speaks at the closing ceremony.

During the closing event, Mr. Le Ngoc Lam, CEO of BIDV and Head of the Project Steering Committee, stated: “Core Card is a strategic milestone in BIDV’s digital transformation. BIDV highly values the delivery capabilities of FPT and OpenWay – a team that blends technological strength, deep knowledge of Vietnam’s banking operations, and hands-on experience with leading global payment platforms.”

Mr. Tran Dang Hoa, FPT shares FPT’s commitment to continued partnership with BIDV.

Representing FPT, Mr. Tran Dang Hoa – Chairman of FPT IS shared: “With more than 30 years of partnership with BIDV and extensive experience delivering large-scale financial projects, FPT is committed to building a resilient and optimized technology foundation for the bank. In the Core Card project, we ensured system accuracy, safety, and continuity, while standardizing processes and introducing innovative solutions tailored to Vietnam’s banking landscape. The project’s success reflects the strength of the strategic partnership among FPT, OpenWay, and BIDV. Alongside initiatives in green transformation, Core Banking, BIDV TradeFlat, and other mission-critical systems, FPT looks forward to creating long-term, sustainable value for BIDV and its customers.”

Mr. Rudy Gunawan, Member of the Board of Directors of OpenWay Group and CEO of OpenWay Asia, shares remarks at the event

Mr. Rudy Gunawan, Member of the Board of Directors of OpenWay Group and CEO of OpenWay Asia, said: “This is one of the largest and most complex projects, yet also one of the best-managed ones that OpenWay has ever carried out in Vietnam and the region. BIDV demonstrated outstanding governance capability, while FPT delivered highly effective execution, enabling the project to be completed in just 18 months instead of the usual 30. With the modern, flexible, and scalable Way4 card-core platform, we believe BIDV now possesses an advanced card ecosystem that will help the bank continue to lead in payment products, elevate customer experience, and drive its digital transformation strategy.”

The Core Card project is not only a technical success but also a key milestone in BIDV’s digital transformation journey, establishing a modern, flexible platform ready to meet evolving customer demands.