BNI speeds approvals as centralised trade platform takes hold

Processing is now completed in less than 24 hours.

PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk (BNI) has cut the time needed to add clients by 25% and increased the number of users by 10% after centralising its trade operations, according to results released this month.

Most approvals are now completed in less than 24 hours, the Indonesian lender said, cutting turnaround times and speeding transaction processing across its network.

“Real-time integration with our core banking system enables BNI to process documents more quickly and accurately,” I G W Anantayoga, general manager of wholesale product transaction and value chain division at BNI, told Asian Banking & Finance in an emailed reply to questions.

He added that most approvals are now completed within a day. Automation has reduced processing effort across client setup, document checks, and approval workflows, he said.

Selected transactions are handled under service level agreements of less than three hours.
BNI said the improvements were driven by the consolidation of operating processes, automated compliance checks, and wider use of straight-through processing.

The changes reduced manual handling and shortened approval timelines from client setup through settlement.

The improvements have supported growth in digital transactions across more than 160 branches, serving more than 2,645 clients nationwide, the lender said.

Anantayoga said real-time integration with the bank’s core banking system has changed daily processing. A single platform provides consolidated visibility across domestic and overseas activity, replacing multiple legacy systems.

The results follow BNI’s consolidation of domestic and international operations that began in 2025.

Under the programme, the bank is migrating nine overseas offices to a central processing instance in Jakarta, allowing group-level processing whilst meeting local regulatory requirements.

Banks across Asia are increasing investment in trade platforms as volumes rise and operational demands grow, industry executives said.

Andrew Bateman, executive vice-president for lending at London-based financial software firm Finastra, said centralised systems are becoming critical for managing compliance and processing efficiency.

“A centralised platform simplifies compliance, enhances straight-through processing, and positions banks to innovate more rapidly in product development across their operating regions,” he said in an email.