1LINK (Pvt) Limited has partnered with TouchPoint to advance interoperable self-service banking infrastructure in Pakistan, introducing an OPEX-based Cash Deposit Machine (CDM) and services model for banks. The partnership was announced following a ceremony attended by senior representatives from both organizations, including TouchPoint Director and CEO Tabish Sabah, 1LINK CEO Najeeb Agrawalla, TouchPoint Executive Director Haider Wahab, 1LINK Chief Merchants, Schemes & Alliances Bashir Khan, and Chief Digital & Tech Solutions Azimullah Khan. The collaboration is aimed at expanding access to self-service banking infrastructure while enabling banks to make use of interoperable services through the 1LINK ecosystem.
Under the partnership, banks will be able to access CDMs and other self-service banking services through an operating expenditure-based model. This approach is designed to reduce the level of upfront investment required from banks when deploying self-service infrastructure. Instead of bearing the full capital cost associated with establishing and maintaining such facilities, participating banks can access the infrastructure and services through an OPEX arrangement. The model provides banks with another option for expanding their self-service capabilities while managing the associated infrastructure expenditure.
The partnership also focuses on interoperability, allowing self-service banking infrastructure to connect with the wider 1LINK ecosystem. Interoperability can enable financial institutions to access shared banking services and infrastructure rather than relying entirely on institution-specific networks. The companies said the collaboration will expand self-service banking infrastructure and provide access to interoperable services through 1LINK. The initiative comes as banks continue to develop digital and self-service channels alongside traditional branch-based services, with technologies such as CDMs providing customers with additional ways to carry out selected banking transactions.
For 1LINK, the collaboration adds another component to its broader payments and banking infrastructure ecosystem, while TouchPoint brings its self-service banking capabilities into a model designed for wider access by financial institutions. The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the partnership or the number of banks expected to adopt the model. The initiative nevertheless represents a collaboration focused on combining shared banking infrastructure with an OPEX-based deployment model, potentially allowing participating institutions to expand self-service facilities without the same level of upfront infrastructure investment.
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