Banking on connectivity: How Equinix is revolutionizing BFSI infrastructure
By Digital News Asia November 21, 2024
- Powering sustainable financial infrastructure worldwide
- Revolutionizing banking through global digital connectivity
In today’s banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector, interconnectivity is not just a buzzword—it's the lifeblood of digital transformation, driving a seismic shift in how financial institutions operate and innovate. At the heart of this revolution stands Equinix, a digital infrastructure company that's weaving a global fabric of connectivity, redefining how financial services operate, innovate, and secure their digital assets.
Equinix's role in the BFSI industry is nothing short of transformative. Equinix has created a powerful, worldwide ecosystem that's driving innovation and collaboration. This global reach is reflected in the impressive scale and diversity of the Equinix financial services ecosystem. BFSI ecosystem participants continue to launch and expand their services in the digital economy leveraging Equinix’s connectivity options.
Beyond traditional financial institutions, this ecosystem also includes all major public cloud service providers, numerous fintech companies, data analytics firms, LLM and AI providers, and hardware providers. Such a comprehensive network allows for seamless collaboration and data exchange, fostering innovation and enabling new business models.
Enhancing digital infrastructure for modern banking
At the core of this ecosystem is Platform Equinix®, which is at the forefront of enabling cutting-edge digital banking services. By providing low-latency connections to a multitude of partners, including cloud providers, network operators, security and fintech companies, Equinix allows banks to create future-ready platforms that can leverage diverse technologies through API calls.
This infrastructure flexibility is crucial in today's multi-cloud environment. For instance, a bank can now run its front-end applications on AWS, use Google BigQuery for analytics, and tap into AI services from Microsoft or OpenAI, all while maintaining its core banking systems and customer data within Equinix's secure data centers.
This hybrid multi-cloud approach, facilitated by Equinix Fabric®, ensures that banks can offer the fastest and most innovative services to their customers without compromising on security or performance.
Tariq Shallwani, head of Segment Strategy South Asia, Equinix, shared, “Over 85% of enterprises are already using multiple clouds to gain agility. With new public cloud availability zones launching in Malaysia, this presents a transformative opportunity for BFSIs to leverage innovation from the cloud while avoiding vendor lock-in."
Strengthening cybersecurity in a connected world
As financial services become increasingly digital and interconnected, cybersecurity has become a paramount concern. Equinix addresses this challenge head-on by offering secure, private connectivity options that bypass the public internet, significantly reducing the risk of cyber threats.
Central to this security strategy is Equinix Fabric, which allows financial institutions to create private, software-defined connections to their partners and service providers. This not only enhances security but also improves performance by reducing latency.
Building on this foundation, Equinix's Network Edge service offers software-defined edge security solutions, including SD-WAN, firewalls, and routers as a service, extending the coverage to new markets and edge metros.
Navigating compliance in a global landscape
While enhancing security, financial institutions must also navigate a complex web of regulatory requirements. Compliance with data sovereignty and financial regulations is a significant challenge for global financial institutions. Equinix's global presence, with data centers in key financial hubs worldwide, allows banks to maintain data residency while still accessing global markets.
This global-local approach is particularly beneficial for banks expanding their reach. For example, a bank in Malaysia can leverage Equinix's facilities in Singapore or Hong Kong to tap into the region's robust financial ecosystem while ensuring compliance with local data regulations. This strategy allows banks to expand their services globally while maintaining the necessary regulatory compliance in each jurisdiction.
Enabling real-time financial services
The future of banking is not just global and secure—it's also real-time. Equinix is making this a reality by positioning data centers close to major financial hubs and providing low-latency connections. This infrastructure enables banks to process transactions and analyze data in near real-time, a capability that is crucial for services like high-frequency trading, real-time fraud detection, and instantaneous cross-border payments.
Moreover, Equinix's edge computing capabilities are supporting the integration of IoT and AI technologies in the financial sector. For instance, insurance companies can now process data from IoT devices in real-time, enabling more accurate risk assessments and faster claims processing. This convergence of real-time capabilities and advanced technologies is opening new frontiers in financial services.
In partnership with Equinix is Orange Business, which together, both parties have consolidated a strong collaboration to provide BFSI customers with appropriate solutions that fit their needs. These solutions range from new innovative service offerings and the re-architecture of IT infrastructure on data centers and cloud, to disaster recovery.
Christophe Ozer – head of Evolution Platform Orange Business APAC – Cloud, Connectivity, Cybersecurity, shared, “Through our partnership, Orange Business and Equinix are enabling financial institutions to unlock new levels of agility and security, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation while meeting the demands of a rapidly changing financial landscape.”
Sustainability in finance
Now, as the financial sector evolves technologically, it's also grappling with its environmental impact. Here too, Equinix is leading the charge towards sustainable digital infrastructure. In 2023 Equinix reduced its operational scope 1 & 2 emissions 24% from a 2019 baseline despite increasing its global data center footprint and is on track to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, with a commitment to reach 100% clean and renewable energy coverage across its global portfolio of data centers by 2030.
This initiative extends to all facilities, whether newly constructed or recently incorporated into the company’s portfolio. Equinix data centers in Malaysia are 100% covered by renewables and in 2023, Equinix achieved 96% renewable energy coverage across its global operation, exceeding 90% coverage for the 6th consecutive year.. .
This commitment to sustainability allows financial institutions to meet their own environmental goals while leveraging cutting-edge digital infrastructure. It's a win-win scenario where technological advancement aligns with environmental responsibility.
Future-proofing finance
Looking to the future, the role of interconnected ecosystems in finance will only grow more significant. Equinix is at the forefront of this trend, continuously expanding its global footprint and enhancing its services. The company's recent expansion into Southeast Asian markets like Malaysia underscores its commitment to supporting the sustainable growth of digital financial services in emerging markets.
For banks and financial institutions, partnering with Equinix offers a clear path to digital transformation. It provides access to a global ecosystem of partners, secure, sustainable and high-performance infrastructure, and the flexibility to innovate and scale rapidly. As the financial services landscape continues to evolve, Equinix's interconnected ecosystems will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of finance.
Ultimately, in this increasingly digital and interconnected world, Equinix is not just providing sustainable infrastructure – it's powering the future of finance. By enabling secure, compliant, and innovative financial services, Equinix is helping to create a more connected and efficient global financial system, benefiting institutions and consumers alike.
As we move forward, the synergy between financial services and digital infrastructure will continue to drive innovation, setting the stage for a more inclusive and dynamic financial ecosystem.
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