Bir opens digital support branch in Azerbaijan's Ganja

Birbank has opened a redesigned branch in Ganja that includes a digital support area for customers. The branch adds in-person help to the Bir ecosystem's digital services network in Azerbaijan.

The new format combines standard banking services with guided access to digital tools, including the Birbank mobile app and the m10 wallet for cashless payments and transfers. Staff will help customers use those services in person, particularly those who want to learn at their own pace.

Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city, giving the project a presence outside the capital as digital payments become more common across the country. Central bank figures cited by Bir showed the value of cashless card payments in Azerbaijan rose 26% in 2025.

That growth has not been uniform. Only 20% of transactions on bank cards issued for pensions and other government benefits were cashless, suggesting lower uptake among some customer groups.

Digital support

The branch's digital corner is designed to address that gap by offering practical help with everyday financial tasks. Customers can get assistance with mobile banking, digital payments and money transfers, as well as other services across the wider Bir ecosystem.

The move reflects a broader push by financial groups to combine digital banking with physical customer support. Banks and financial technology companies in several markets have been testing stores, smaller service points and redesigned branches to build familiarity with app-based services.

Farid Huseynov, Chief Executive Officer of Bir ecosystem and Kapital Bank, said: "Digital innovation should make financial services more accessible to everyone, regardless of their age, location or familiarity with technology. Our new branch in Ganja brings together the convenience of digital banking with the reassurance of personal support, allowing customers to explore new services at their own pace and develop the confidence to use them independently. By helping more people take advantage of digital financial tools, we aim to make everyday banking easier and support broader participation in Azerbaijan's growing digital economy."

Bir describes itself as the Caucasus' first integrated banking, payments and eCommerce ecosystem. Launched in 2025, it says it serves more than 5 million users, nearly half of Azerbaijan's population.

Its services include the Birbank digital banking brand, the m10 e-wallet app, the Birmarket eCommerce platform and a national network of more than 6,000 MilliÖn payment terminals. The terminals let customers make cash payments and top up digital balances, linking cash-based transactions with app-based services.

Inclusion focus

The Ganja branch also forms part of wider accessibility measures. Birbank earlier introduced sign-language video calls within its mobile app for customers with hearing and speech impairments, and later extended sign-language assistance to selected physical branches.

That mix of digital and branch-based support suggests the group is targeting customers who may not move immediately to fully self-service banking. In markets where mobile payment use is rising, banks have often found that some customers still want face-to-face guidance before shifting routine transactions online.

For Bir, the branch provides another physical point of contact in a market where digital adoption is increasing but remains uneven by customer type. Its existing reach through payment terminals and apps means the new branch is less about basic distribution and more about helping customers use tools they may already be able to access.

The opening also highlights how banks in emerging digital payments markets are using branches differently. Rather than serving only as places for cash handling or account administration, some are being redesigned as locations where staff demonstrate apps, explain transfers and help customers complete digital transactions for the first time.

In Ganja, Bir is now testing that model as part of its wider network. The branch offers practical help with using the Birbank app, making cashless payments and sending transfers through the m10 digital wallet.