i-exceed Powers Canara Bank’s First Fully Digital Branch 'CANDI' in Bengaluru

Canara Bank has launched CANDI in Bengaluru, its first fully digital branch powered by i-exceed’s Appzillon platform. This development matters to fintech professionals as it represents a significant shift toward automated, kiosk-led customer onboarding in the public sector, reducing friction and operational overhead while leveraging India's national digital identity infrastructure.

What was announced

Canara Bank has introduced CANDI, its first fully digital banking branch located in Bengaluru. The facility is designed to eliminate traditional queues and manual paperwork by utilizing automated kiosks for the entire customer onboarding journey. The technology behind these touchpoints is Appzillon, a low-code omni-channel application development platform created by i-exceed. Through these kiosks, customers can open a new bank account in minutes. The process leverages India’s Aadhaar infrastructure, allowing for identity verification via biometric authentication, iris scans, or One-Time Passwords (OTP). Upon completion, mobile and internet banking services are activated almost immediately. Furthermore, the system allows customers to receive a physical debit card—supporting Mastercard, Visa, or Rupay networks—customized with an image of their choice at the end of the session. The goal is to provide a hassle-free experience where users no longer need to engage with bank staff for routine account opening or service requests. By deploying these kiosks, the bank aims to respond faster to changing business environments and improve operational efficiency through a rapid delivery approach for its customer touchpoints.

"As digital technologies transform the banking space, it is increasingly important for banks to redefine the concept of branch banking. Digital solutions designed using Appzillon offers customers the best-in-class digital banking experience while ensuring a hassle-free, fast, and engaging experience. We are delighted in our association with Canara Bank in creating this first-of-its-kind experience for the bank and their customers. We look forward to being a trusted technology partner to support Canara Bank’s vision of cashless and paperless banking"

Mr. Joseph John, Managing Director at i-exceed

The companies involved

Canara Bank is a major Indian financial institution headquartered in Bengaluru. As a significant player in the public sector banking space, it maintains a vast network of branches across India and international offices. The bank has increasingly focused on digitisation to meet the evolving expectations of a tech-savvy domestic market and to align with national initiatives like Digital India. I-EXCEED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS (i-exceed) is a digital transformation specialist that provides software products and services to the global financial services industry. Its flagship product, Appzillon, is a low-code platform designed to help banks rapidly build and deploy cross-platform applications. By using a low-code approach, the company enables financial institutions to reduce time-to-market for new digital services. i-exceed operates as a technology partner for various leading financial institutions, focusing on enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency through automated development processes and omni-channel delivery across various geographies.

What FF News has reported before

i-exceed has been active in expanding its global footprint and technical capabilities. FF News recently covered the company's strategic move into the Western Hemisphere, where i-exceed Targets 50% Growth with Strategic Entry into Latin American Banking Market. In the Middle East, the firm facilitated a major digital overhaul for United Arab Bank Launches End-to-End Digital Corporate Banking Suite with i-exceed. Security and industry leadership have also been central to the company’s recent activity. We reported on their collaboration to bolster app safety in Protectt.ai and i-exceed Partner to Secure Low-Code Digital Banking Apps. Additionally, the firm took a prominent role in shaping the regional dialogue on innovation when i-exceed Joins IFIF 2026 as Principal Partner to Drive India’s AI-Native Banking Future.

What this means

The launch of CANDI highlights a critical pivot for traditional brick-and-mortar banking. While many institutions have focused on mobile apps, the "digital branch" concept addresses the persistent need for physical presence while stripping away the inefficiency of human-led administration. This puts pressure on traditional retail banking models that rely on large, staff-heavy footprints. The use of low-code platforms like Appzillon suggests that the speed of deployment is now as important as the technology itself. The industry must now consider whether these automated hubs will eventually replace the traditional branch entirely or remain high-tech outliers in urban centers.