MUFG Bank has selected the full cloud-based banking system developed and operated by Zerobank Design Factory (ZDF), a subsidiary of Fukuoka Financial Group and the builder of Minna Bank’s core system, to serve as the foundational core for its newly established digital bank. This marks the first external implementation of the system, which was developed in collaboration with Accenture and operates on Google Cloud.ZDF, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fukuoka Financial Group, previously announced in 2022 its intention to offer this system to other financial institutions and non-financial entities globally. The provision of the system to MUFG Bank represents the inaugural instance of this offering. ZDF aims to support companies entering the banking industry by providing this system, thereby contributing to the expansion and innovation of the digital banking market.Minna Bank, Japan’s first digital bank, commenced commercial operations in May 2021. It currently serves 1.3 million accounts nationwide and operates across three business segments: a B2C offering for individuals, a B2B2X model providing financial functions via API to partners, and a banking system provision service. The bank, which is also a wholly owned subsidiary of Fukuoka Financial Group, has continuously evolved its technology and expertise in digital banking systems since its launch.Masashi Nakano, Senior Managing Director, Lead, Financial Services, Asia Pacific and Japan at Accenture, noted that traditional Japanese banking systems often face challenges related to inefficiency and high costs, hindering management speed. He highlighted that cloud-based and microservice platform bank systems address these issues by incorporating advanced technologies such as multi-cloud architecture, microservices, and DevSecOps. According to Nakano, this modular system is designed to enhance new banking systems, accelerating service deployment, and improving operational efficiency, with versatile applications for various financial and non-financial entities globally. Accenture stated its continued commitment to collaborating with financial institutions to address management challenges.Toby Brown, Global Managing Director, Regulated Industries at Google Cloud, affirmed that cloud-based technology provides flexibility, speed, and reliability for core banking systems. He emphasized Minna Bank’s utilization of Google Cloud’s technologies, including Google Kubernetes Engine for scalability, Spanner for global data consistency, and Vertex AI for intelligent insights. Brown suggested this approach serves as a model for digital transformation across diverse industries, enabling the seamless integration of financial services.Kenichi Nagayoshi, President and CEO of both ZDF and Minna Bank, stated that the selection by MUFG Bank is a “valuable milestone” for their banking system provision business. He reiterated Minna Bank’s mission to “Deliver valuable connections to everyone” and expressed hope that the system’s external provision would contribute to the advancement of the digital banking market both domestically and internationally.