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Success Story:

The Challenge

When one of the world’s largest banks set its sights on entering the Australian acquiring space, it knew it was stepping into one of the most tightly regulated and technically sophisticated payments markets globally. The task was not just to go live but to deliver a complete, compliant, and fast-moving solution that worked across both in-store and online payment environments.

Australia’s payment infrastructure is overseen by the Australian Payments Network (APN), with distinct requirements such as EFTPOS support, daily settlement cut-offs, and strict reporting formats. The bank needed a delivery partner who could navigate this landscape with agility and precision, and hit the ground running.

Business Objective

To succeed in the Australian market, the bank needed a solution that was robust, compliant, and tailored to local conditions. This meant:

• Deliver a solution that fully meets Australian regulatory and operational standards
• Launch end-to-end acquiring capabilities, including integration with EFTPOS — Australia’s domestic debit card scheme for retail payments and cash-out
• Support both in-store (card-present) and online (card-not-present) transactions
• Enable merchant onboarding with pre-configured POS terminals
• Manage daily settlements and payouts by 6:00 PM Sydney time
• Ensure complete audit and regulatory compliance under APN
• Deliver a fully integrated, single-platform solution, avoiding fragmentation or reliance on multiple vendors

ISG’s End-to-End Delivery

The bank partnered with ISG to roll out its acquiring operations in Australia. With a well-established platform already live across several international markets, ISG adapted its core product to suit local compliance and functional requirements — delivering a robust, multi-channel solution tailored to the Australian context.

Key to ISG’s success was its ability to localise quickly, integrate effectively, and maintain performance and compliance throughout.

Why ISG Delivered Differently

Customisation for Local Requirements

• Conducted a deep-dive analysis of business requirements and mapped them to local payment standards
• Enhanced the existing platform to support Australian schemes, including EFTPOS
• Built in custom flows to align with daily 6 PM settlements, APN audit formatting, and regulatory reporting
• Ensured all compliance obligations were met from day one, with on-time audit submissions

Speed without compromising compliance — a rare balance in high-regulation markets like Australia

Merchant Onboarding Made Seamless

• Streamlined the entire merchant onboarding process
  • Captured merchant data
  • Routed details to the request team
  • Triggered terminal dispatch and configuration via Quest, a third-party POS provider
• Used QT850 terminals, pre-configured for card-present EFTPOS transactions and maintained by Quest

One smooth workflow from signup to transaction-ready — reducing turnaround times for the bank and merchants

Online Payment Acceptance (CNP)

• Enabled merchants to accept online payments through:
  • Visa
  • MasterCard
  • American Express

Integrated these flows into the same backend used for POS terminals, ensuring unified reconciliation and settlement

In-store or online — a consistent and reliable experience for merchants

Reliable Settlements and Reconciliation

• Real-time transaction processing throughout the day
• Automated daily reconciliation based on a 6:00 PM Sydney cutoff
• The system generated:
  • Settlement files
  • Interchange fee calculations
  • Payout instructions

Merchants got paid on time, every time — with clear reconciliation across the board

Comprehensive Network Connectivity

ISG’s platform connected the client to a range of global and domestic schemes:

• Visa, MasterCard, Amex — global reach
• EFTPOS — for local debit payments
• UnionPay — enabling international coverage for businesses with Chinese customers

Broader scheme support means more acceptance options for Australian merchants

Scalable and Resilient Architecture

• Built for high transaction volumes and dynamic merchant configurations
• Handled real-time data processing for both physical and online payments
• Designed with a focus on uptime, redundancy, and long-term scalability

The Outcome

• A fully functional acquiring system customised for Australia
• Quick and easy onboarding for merchants across physical and digital channels
• Daily settlements and accurate payouts, including EFTPOS and international schemes
• 100% compliance with APN regulations and audit expectations
• Scalable architecture, ready for additional market rollouts

What Set ISG Apart

In a space where most providers offer only parts of the solution, ISG delivered the full package — end-to-end, integrated, and future-ready.

• Product readiness with built-in local adaptability
• Fast rollout paired with deep regulatory understanding
• Seamless processing across in-store and online channels
• Trusted network integrations, including EFTPOS and UnionPay
• A single, unified platform that eliminated the need for vendor sprawl

Market Reach & Continued Growth

ISG’s payment system is now live in India, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Australia, helping financial institutions meet the unique demands of each local market. In Australia, ISG continues to deliver timely regulatory reports, maintain APN compliance, and support one of the world's leading banks with reliable, efficient, and secure acquiring services.

Thinking of launching in a regulated market like Australia?

Partner with ISG — where compliance meets capability.