Absa has launched a new, revamped website and banking app to bring its online banking into an always-on digital age.

According to the bank, the revamp, called Absa Online, is an entirely new banking platform that is focusing on always-on banking.

The revamp has been worked on for the past six months, and was developed using “Silicon Valley techniques”, launching on Amazon Cloud, according to head of digital products at Barclays Africa, Brett StClair.

The digital platforms will “instantly transform your computer into a 24/7/365 personal financial centre,” the bank said.

“It goes far beyond a purely transactional online service to a comprehensive suite of transactional, non-transactional and personal financial management tools.”

Customers can pay accounts, transfer funds, open accounts, apply for personal loans, invest in unit trusts, buy prepaid airtime and send money – all through the digital platforms.

While the always-on banking concept is not new – a digital-first approach has been championed by FNB for a number of years, Absa has been trying its hand at more digitally-focused strategies in recent months.

Included in this was the introduction of bots – again being pushed in the ad campaigns launched along with the new site – as well as social media banking, where clients can perform basic transaction through Twitter.