ICS announces partnership with Worldline for the outsourcing of core operations
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Marieke Ziedses des Plantes
Sr Press Officer Corporate Banking, WM, Personal & BB
International Card Services (ICS), a subsidiary of ABN AMRO, has entered into an agreement with Worldline (WLN), a European leader in payment services, to outsource a significant part of its core operations from the second quarter of 2028. This includes credit card issuing, transaction processing, the IT platform and customer services for ICS clients. Through this outsourcing, ICS is building a strong and future-proof organisation that will continue to provide clients and partners with secure, reliable and innovative payment products. Ensuring a smooth transition with minimal impact on clients is a key priority throughout the process.
With 2.6 million clients, ICS is the market leader in the Netherlands. Its products and services are highly valued by both retail and business clients, as reflected in its Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 28. This strong position provides an important foundation for the next stage of ICS’s development.
ICS operates in a rapidly evolving payments market, driven by regulatory change, innovation and increasing competition. Against this backdrop, ICS has carefully assessed how to organise its services to be fit for the future over the long term, in line with ABN AMRO’s strategy announced in 2025. The partnership with Worldline is the outcome of this process.
By partnering with a specialist provider, ICS will be able to focus more strongly on developing distinctive products and services for its clients. The partnership will also increase the organisation’s agility, help maintain a sustainable cost base and create more opportunities for innovation and delivering an excellent customer experience.
ICS currently employs approximately 850 FTEs. Around 450 FTEs work in areas where activities are either partly or largely included in the collaboration with Worldline. Employees will not transfer with the activities to the outsourcer.
The exact implications for employees will be further defined over the coming period. Various options will be carefully considered, including natural attrition, redeployment opportunities and the gradual reduction of external resource engagement over time.
Employees have already been informed of the intended outsourcing. The two parties expect Worldline to take over the relevant activities from Q2 2028.
The outsourcing is subject to the relevant approval and consultation processes.