ABA Bank

Transforming card issuance with instant self-service kiosks

Executive summary

ABA Bank, Cambodia’s largest financial institution, transformed its physical card issuance process by deploying an instant issuance solution within its self-service kiosks.

Powered by Compass Plus Technologies’ TranzAxis platform, the solution enables customers to receive debit cards within minutes. By integrating instant issuance with the ABA Mobile App and the bank’s kiosk channel, ABA Bank created a secure and convenient journey that allows customers to request, authenticate and receive cards on demand.

The project helped the bank reduce reliance on counter-based issuance, ease pressure on branch operations and improve the overall customer experience. It also complemented ABA Bank’s existing card delivery options, giving customers greater flexibility in how they receive their cards.

Rolled out across the bank’s network, the solution supported the issuance of more than 950,000 cards through instant issuance between 2022 and 2025. ABA Bank also observed a 20% increase in card activations, alongside a reduction in declined transactions.

At a glance

  • 950,000+ cards issued
    More than 950,000 cards were issued through instant issuance between 2022 and 2025

  • Cards in minutes
    Customers can receive debit cards via ABA Bank’s self-service kiosks

  • 20% increase in card activations
    Immediate card availability helped drive higher activation rates

  • Mobile app-led journey
    Customers start the process through the ABA Mobile App and complete issuance at the kiosk

  • Reduced branch pressure
    Instant issuance reduced queues and dependency on staffed counters

  • Lower manual workload
    Card preparation, packaging and distribution processes were significantly reduced

  • Nationwide rollout
    The solution was deployed across ABA Bank’s branch network and in selected ABA 24/7 self-service spots

Customer profile

ABA Bank is Cambodia’s largest financial institution, recognised for its strong focus on digital innovation and customer-centric services. It has an extensive customer base of 6.5 million, supported by 106 branches and 43 ABA 24/7 self-service kiosks, with around 2 million active cards in circulation.

The bank has invested heavily in its industry-leading mobile banking platform, the ABA Mobile App, enabling customers to access a wide range of services quickly and conveniently. However, despite strong digital adoption, demand for physical debit cards remained high, with customers continuing to rely on them for everyday transactions.

The traditional issuance process created friction. Customers often had to visit a branch twice: once to request a card and again to collect it days later. As card request volumes grew across its branch network, this also increased pressure on service counters and operational teams.

ABA Bank set out to modernise its card issuance model by enabling customers to receive cards instantly through its self-service kiosks, while streamlining internal processes across its branch network.

The challenge

For ABA Bank, the challenge was not simply to make card issuance faster. It needed to improve a process that touched both the customer experience and the bank’s day-to-day branch operations.

Traditional card issuance was creating operational pressure. Preparing, handling, and distributing cards in-branch required staff involvement and contributed to queues at service counters. As demand increased, ABA Bank needed a model that could scale across multiple branches without adding unnecessary manual workload.

Security and consistency were also critical. The bank needed a solution that could support secure customer authentication, automate card data processing, integrate with existing systems and perform reliably across different locations.

As customers were already comfortable using the ABA Mobile App, the bank wanted to build on that behaviour rather than introduce a completely separate journey. The aim was to let customers start the card request in a familiar digital channel, then complete the process securely through the bank’s kiosk network.

Why Compass Plus Technologies

TranzAxis gave ABA Bank the technological backbone to connect mobile app initiation, secure kiosk authentication, and card processing within a single integrated environment. Compass Plus Technologies also supported the bank with consulting, system configuration, integration support and training from initial setup through to production launch.

Impact

For customers, the solution created a faster and more convenient way to receive physical payment cards. They can now obtain and use debit cards within minutes, rather than waiting days for collection or making multiple branch visits.

For ABA Bank, instant issuance reduced pressure on branches, lowered the manual workload associated with card handling and distribution, and improved service efficiency across the network. The project also supported the bank’s strategy to continue innovating in digital banking while improving the customer experience.

Key outcomes:

  • 950,000+ cards issued through instant issuance between 2022 and 2025, demonstrating strong customer adoption across ABA Bank's network
  • Debit cards delivered within minutes, eliminating the need for multiple branch visits
  • 20% increase in card activations observed, supported by immediate card availability and usage
  • Reduction in declined transactions, improving the post-issuance customer experience
  • Branch queues reduced, easing pressure on staffed counters and improving service efficiency
  • Manual workload reduced, streamlining card preparation, packaging and distribution
  • Network-wide rollout completed, supporting consistent instant issuance across ABA Bank’s branch network

For ABA Bank, instant card issuance was not only about speeding up card delivery. It was about creating a more convenient self-service experience for customers while improving operational efficiency across the branch network.

“Instant card issuance has transformed the way we deliver physical cards to our customers. By combining self-service kiosks with our mobile banking platform, we’ve created a fast, convenient, and seamless experience that improves both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.”

Sanzhar Abdullayev - EVP, Chief of Card and E-Payments Officer at ABA Bank