UniCredit Bulbank is the Best Consumer Digital Bank in Bulgaria, according to Global Finance international magazine.

“Banks have continued to transform their corporate and retail offerings into multichannel, digital solutions,” says Joseph D. Giarraputo, publisher and editorial director of Global Finance. “As new innovations continue to proliferate, the winners of this year’s awards are those that take advantage of the vast array of new solutions out there in order to provide the best customer experience to clients.” The winners will be announced in Global Finance’s October edition. The awards will be given during a special ceremony in London.

Winning banks were selected based on technology in online and mobile banking in favor of customers, as well as communications through digital channels and social networks.

According to UniCredit Bulbank analysis the customers who have started performing daily banking operations via their mobile phones have increased five times in two years. The growth in the use of online banking is 85% on an annual basis.

UniCredit Bulbank developed and integrated a lot of internationally recognized and innovations in their branch network in regards of direct distribution channels.

“What we used to call alternative banking channels are now becoming the primary source of interaction with for our clients’ daily operations. We are significantly investing in this area, which means comfort, speed and safety for our clients. About 70% of UniCredit Bulbank’s bank transactions are carried outside our physical branches. If this trend keeps up the requirements for colleagues with the positions of professional financial expert and consultants with high added value are increasing,” says UniCredit Bulbank CEO Levon Hampartzoumian.

According to UniCredit Bulbank analyses, 10% of all banking products and services sales, 20% of all card orders and 15% of consumer loan applications carried out digitally.

The new version of the mobile banking, based also on gesture commands, has led to increase of the customers and transactions by over 100%. For greater convenience, a customer can now use online banking to make a Third Party Liability insurance, to define their own individual savings plan, even to purchase a car through the bank. Thus the online applications for banking products and services increase by nearly 40% annually; At the same time 70% of the daily operations are performed by the customers entirely via the alternative banking channels – online or at the self-service zones.

Besides, the mobile banking of UniCredit Bulbank is now available for tablets as well. Like the version for smartphones, the application features a unique design and easier navigation. The functionalities in the free zone are available for everybody – currency calculator, the nearest branch or ATM, contact with the bank. Upon activation, directly from the device, the customer can track current balances and movements on bank accounts, information regarding debit and credit cards and loans.

This year UniCredit Bulbank became the first bank in Bulgaria to build private IT infrastructure cloud. The migration to innovative cloud services provides more flexibility when launching new products, boots disaster recovery capabilities are optimizes resource utilization.

UniCredit Bulbank constantly wins awards for its achievements in the field of innovations and development of new technologies. The service Cash M transfer was distinguished as the most innovative banking product for 2013. Through it, the bank's customers can send money to their family, friends or relatives by using their bank card at an ATM.

The online tool Your Financial Advisor of UniCredit Bulbank ranked second in a prestigious competition for innovations, organized by the European Financial Marketing Association (Efma). Your Financial Advisor was also the only Bulgarian nomination in the world contest for the most innovative projects and initiatives for financial services. Your Financial Advisor is an online application for personalization of the banking services. It has been created with intuitive and user friendly design so as to provide maximum convenience to the customers. They can get oriented in the rich portfolio of services offered by UniCredit Bulbank in just a few steps. The offered services are divided into 9 categories: For Home, Savings, Payments, Investments, Auto, Travel, Health, Education, Hobby. The services of the financial tool go along with deposit, credit and savings calculator.

Global Finance is a globally-recognised magazine with focus on international finance. Its readers include multinational companies and financial institutions in 180 countries.

Since the beginning of 2015, UniCredit Bulbank won the Best Bank in Bulgaria for 2015 Award by Global Finance and EMEA Finance. The largest bank in Bulgaria won the Best trade finance bank award by Global Finance and Euromoney. The international finance magazine Global Finance gave two other awards to UniCredit for the whole CEE region – Best Bank for Private Banking in 2015 and Best Bank for Cash Management in 2015 and another award for UniCredit Bulbank – Best Subcustodian Bank 2015 for Bulgaria.

UniCredit Bulbank FOR the innovations

UniCredit Bulbank follows a consistent policy on the development and deployment of innovations in favour of its customers.

The most significant internationally recognized project of the bank in the field of new technologies is the opening of the first Branch of the Future in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. Recently, the International Center of UniCredit was opened, combining an innovative approach, a digital environment and a vast range of services with a high added value for existing and prospective clients of the biggest bank in the country in terms of assets.

Further information for clients:

UniCredit Bulbank, Call Centre

Phone number: 0700 1 84 84

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch