The integrated Bir ecosystem, the first in the South Caucasus to combine banking services, payments and e-commerce, presented its experience in developing digital financial services in Azerbaijan at the international event Istanbul FintechWeek 2026.
On 7 October, during the Digital Banking Summit, Javid Mirzayev, head of fintech business at the Bir ecosystem and first deputy chairman of the Board of Kapital Bank, spoke about how a traditional bank was able to create and scale a digital ecosystem that today has more than 5 million users. "At Bir, we have combined banking services, payments and shopping into a single ecosystem to simplify people's daily lives. We are showing the international community that traditional banks do not necessarily have to cede ground to fintech companies. By taking real customer needs into account, they themselves can lead digital transformation."
During the panel discussion "The Digital Bank: Born or Built?", moderated by Mustafa Baltaci, co-founder of KOOP Ventures, Javid Mirzayev, together with Ludwig Mallia, head of innovation at Bank of Valletta, spoke about the structure and operating principles of the Bir ecosystem. He emphasised that it brings together Birbank – Kapital Bank's digital banking brand, the Birmarket online marketplace, the m10 digital wallet and Milliön payment terminals, providing customers with convenient and seamless interaction with various services.
Javid Mirzayev also spoke about the role of solutions such as Bir ID, Bir Bonus and Bir Pay, which ensure the integration of the ecosystem's platforms. These tools allow users to move easily between Bir services, receive bonuses, and pay for purchases online and at physical retail outlets. For example, when placing an order on Birmarket, customers can use financing through Birbank directly at the purchase stage.
In his speech, Javid Mirzayev also noted changes in customer behaviour and improvements in operational efficiency. Today, 90% of customers carry out everyday banking operations through the Birbank app. In addition, 60% of support requests are resolved without direct involvement of staff. This is almost double last year's figure, when the share of such requests was 31%.
Javid Mirzayev's participation in Istanbul Fintech Week continued the Bir ecosystem's work to promote Azerbaijan's digital transformation on the international stage. It is worth noting that since 2019, this event has brought together more than 17,000 participants from 62 countries and today is one of the leading international platforms in the field of financial technology.
