Theoretical provisions for substantiating the essence of the banking digital infrastructure

Abstract

The banking digital infrastructure is defined as an integrated multi-level system of technical, technological, information, organizational and process elements that ensures the continuity of operations, cyber resilience and customer focus of the bank in the digital economy. The purpose of the article is to systematize its internal structure and clarify its classification features. The methodology includes systemic and structural-functional analysis, induction, deduction, and comparison based on the NBU's statistics and international cases. Five key subsystems have been substantiated in the study, namely: technological (cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain), operational (core-banking, robotic process automation), service (mobile banking in conjunction with API ecosystems), information and analytical (data warehouses, business intelligence) and regulatory (AML/KYC procedures). The proposed classification covers the most common and practically relevant components, and its dynamism is driven by transformations in macroeconomic environment, regulatory initiatives, and competition from neobanks. In addition, the role of the digital infrastructure in ensuring adaptability to global trends, including mobile banking, introduction of open APIs, development of central bank digital currencies (CBDC) and the use of biometric identification methods, is emphasized. Relevance of digital inclusion, integrating customers into remote services and improving usability of banking products through automated interfaces is also emphasized. Digital transformation drives a new paradigm for competitive strategy of banks. Successful functioning of the banking digital infrastructure also depends on digital literacy of customers, interaction with Fintech ecosystems, availability of mobile Internet and scalability of internal IT solutions. At the same time, digital transformation involves continuous modernization of the infrastructure, regular updating of security protocols, and strategic rethinking of the bank's role in the digital economy.