Engine by Starling enters New Zealand with SBS bank deal

By Vriti Gothi

SBS Bank has selected Engine by Starling, the banking Software-as-a-Service arm of the Starling Group, to upgrade its core banking infrastructure, marking the platform’s fourth international market entry.

Under the agreement, the New Zealand-owned mutual will migrate its core systems to Engine’s cloud-native platform to support enhanced digital capabilities, including streamlined onboarding, real-time card controls, spending insights, and strengthened fraud protection delivered through a mobile-first experience. The modernisation is also expected to provide a consolidated view of customer accounts and improved operational tools aimed at increasing resilience and scalability.

Mark McLean, Group Chief Executive at SBS Bank, said the partnership would combine the institution’s community-focused model with global digital banking capabilities. “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,” he said.

The deal represents Engine’s first mutual banking client and its launch partnership in New Zealand. It follows the platform’s deployment for AMP’s digital offering in Australia and earlier international expansions, including projects in Europe and North America.

Sam Everington, CEO of Engine by Starling, described the agreement as evidence of the platform’s flexibility across different banking models. He noted that the technology is designed to support large-scale transformations, digital-only launches, and community-focused institutions seeking to enhance customer experience.

Engine currently supports millions of retail customers globally and is used by banks including Starling in the UK, Salt Bank in Romania, AMP in Australia, and Canada’s Tangerine Bank.

The partnership reflects a broader industry shift among regional and mutual institutions toward cloud-native core banking platforms as they seek to compete with digital-first challengers and meet rising customer expectations for real-time, mobile-centric services. For smaller and community-based banks, SaaS-based cores offer a pathway to modernisation without the cost and complexity of building proprietary infrastructure, while enabling faster product development and improved operational resilience.