MUSCAT : In line with its vision of delivering a fully digital customer experience, Bank Muscat, the leading financial services provider in the Sultanate of Oman, has announced the launch of its instant credit card issuance service through the Mobile Banking application for the first time in the Sultanate. This service enables customers to apply for a new credit card entirely through their smartphone, with no requirement to visit a branch or complete any physical documentation.

This launch marks a significant milestone in Bank Muscat’s ongoing journey towards a comprehensive digital banking experience for customers across Oman. Previously, customers applying through Digital Banking platforms were required to visit a branch in person to sign their documents; the new instant service delivers a fully end-to-end digital journey from eligibility verification through to card activation. It also complements the Bank’s recently introduced instant digital debit card service, with customers being able to apply for a Digital Credit Card, ensuring a seamless, digital only experience.

The service is designed for maximum simplicity. Customers log into the Bank Muscat Mobile Banking application, navigate to the credit card section and choose from the Bank’s full range of retail credit cards (subject to their eligibility). Upon approval, the digital credit card is issued instantly and customers can view their CVV and expiry date securely in-app for online purchases, while the card can also be tokenised and added to Apple Pay and Samsung Pay for immediate contactless payments.

Commenting on the launch, Abdullah Hamood Al Jufaili, Assistant General Manager – Digital Banking, Bank Muscat, said: “In continuation of our “instant” theme this year, we are proud to launch end-to-end digital credit card. Oman is generally a debit card market, but we have seen an increase in the usage of credit card in the past 2 years. Our intention is to simplify the onboarding journey by empowering the customers to complete the full process on their own and at ease”

The digital credit card carries the same fees and limits as a standard card, with the added flexibility of enabling or disabling international usage directly from the app at any time. Security is built into every layer of the experience through advanced authentication mechanisms and One-Time Passwords (OTP). In addition, if the customer would like to obtain the physical card, they can have it delivered to them with complimentary courier service.

Bank Muscat continues to provide a full suite of secure banking services to its customers across the Sultanate. These state-of-the-art services meet the requirements of the Bank’s tech-savvy customers and are further easing the delivery of various services. This approach towards digital transformation remains an ongoing process with new features and services being continuously added for the benefit of customers. The biggest advantage of digital banking is that it gives people more ways than ever to access the services they need for their daily banking needs.