From Telecom to FinTech: Viva’s Mobile Payments Market

Executive Summary

Client: Viva / MobiDram

Industry: FinTech, Telecommunications

Engagement: Long-term Strategic Partnership

Country: Armenia

Project at a Glance

As digital payments became a strategic priority, Viva faced the challenge of building a secure, scalable platform without the internal capabilities to move quickly. VOLO became their trusted technology partner, taking full ownership of MobiDram’s end-to-end delivery. With our deep expertise, we designed a forward-thinking architecture and accelerated development to meet tight timelines. Today, MobiDram is a widely adopted platform with over 1 million users, supporting 50+ services, and driving Viva’s growth into new markets and deeper customer engagement.

1M+

users reached

50+

integrated services & banks

fully integrated platforms

10+

years of strategic partnership

About the Client

Founded in 2005, Viva is Armenia’s largest telecommunications provider, serving millions of users and leading the country’s digital connectivity. Known for innovation beyond telecom, Viva has expanded into adjacent sectors to strengthen customer engagement and diversify revenue.

Financial services became a key focus in that strategy, leading to the creation of MobiDram. But turning that vision into reality required more than infrastructure; it demanded a secure, scalable platform and a partner who could build it from the ground up.

The Challenge

Viva set out to launch a national digital payment platform at a time when the market was still emerging. Speed to market was critical, but so was building a future-ready architecture capable of supporting mobile wallets and evolving financial services. The solution needed to be secure, scalable, and flexible enough to adapt to changing user needs, regulatory requirements, and integration demands.

Key Challenges

Lack of internal fintech expertise to design and architect a scalable, compliant platform

Limited technical capacity to deliver secure, high-quality software at speed

Strict compliance and security requirements with zero margin for error
Need to build on-premises infrastructure with strong data governance from day one
No existing systems or components, requiring a full end-to-end solution from scratch
Urgency to move fast without compromising long-term scalability or reliability

Viva needed a strategic partner capable of owning the product end-to-end, from roadmap and architecture to execution and support. One with fintech fluency, delivery experience, and the ability to move decisively. That’s where VOLO came in.

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Our Solution

From day one, VOLO was engaged not as a vendor, but as Viva’s long-term technology partner. We took full responsibility for designing and delivering the MobiDram platform, covering system architecture, development, compliance alignment, and infrastructure setup.

Collaborating closely with Viva’s leadership and product team, our specialists brought deep fintech expertise and a scalable delivery model to accelerate execution. Over the next decade, we helped evolve MobiDram from a market-entry platform into one of Armenia’s most widely used digital wallets.

We built every component to meet enterprise-grade standards for performance, security, and availability, laying a foundation that could grow with Viva’s business.

End-to-End Application Ecosystem 

VOLO designed and delivered the full application ecosystem covering the entire development lifecycle. This resulted in native mobile applications for iOS and Android, a customer-facing web portal, and an internal Windows application for administrators. Together, these tools ensured that end users, business clients, and internal staff could access the system through interfaces built specifically for their needs. The Windows application provided administrators with a secure environment for managing accounts and configurations, while the mobile and web tools delivered convenient access for day-to-day users.

Custom Transaction Engine  

VOLO developed a purpose-built transaction engine capable of handling high volumes of financial operations, including routing, settlement, and reconciliation across banking systems and telecom providers. The engine tracked the entire lifecycle of each transaction, from validation to exception handling and balance reconciliation. With this foundation, the business could manage complex financial flows across multiple providers, ensuring that transactions were processed reliably and on time. 

Secure Integration Infrastructure 

To simplify external connectivity, VOLO built a secure API layer that enabled integrations with third-party systems, merchant platforms, and mobile applications. This infrastructure allowed external partners and services to connect to the core platform without compromising security or performance. By providing standardized access points for merchants, payment providers, and mobile channels, the VOLO-designed APIs reduced the complexity of maintaining multiple custom integrations. 

Regulatory Compliance Toolkit 

VOLO implemented a set of compliance-focused tools, including customer verification (KYC), anti-money laundering (AML) checks, and detailed audit logging. These capabilities ensured that transactions and user activities were tracked in accordance with local regulations, reducing risk during audits and supporting the organization’s legal obligations. By embedding compliance tools directly into the system, VOLO helped run daily operations while meeting regulatory expectations without additional manual oversight. 

Agent and Partner Portals  

VOLO developed dedicated portals to support agents and business partners with in-person onboarding, cash transaction handling, and commission tracking. These portals provided intuitive interfaces for field staff and partners, replacing manual paperwork and reducing delays in reporting. The system also automated commission calculations, creating greater transparency and strengthening relationships with agents and partners. 

Technical Advisory and Roadmap Execution

In addition to product delivery, VOLO provided ongoing technical consulting to shape decisions on system architecture, growth strategies, and execution of the product roadmap. Acting as both a delivery partner and advisor, VOLO ensured the platform was functional for current needs while prepared for future enhancements. This approach combined technical execution with strategic foresight, giving the organization both the immediate solutions and the long-term vision required to evolve its services. 

The Impact

What began as a strategic move into digital payments quickly transformed into a long-term engine for growth for Viva. Over more than a decade, the MobiDram platform steadily evolved, becoming one of Armenia’s most widely adopted digital wallets.

Throughout this period, it was continuously enhanced to meet user needs, maintain regulatory compliance, and integrate with a wide range of banking and payment systems. Built to handle increasing transaction volumes and new services, the platform not only provided convenience to everyday users but also supported Viva’s broader digital ecosystem, helping the company expand its offerings and reach a larger customer base.

1M+

active users

50+

integrated services

30%

market share

Key Takeaways

Strategic execution requires full ownership

Viva needed a partner who could guide product, compliance, and architecture end-to-end. VOLO stepped in to lead. 

Real outcomes come from real partnership

Over 10+ years, VOLO became an extension of Viva’s leadership and technology team, powering their FinTech evolution. 

FinTech platforms demand built-in scalability

MobiDram was built to grow across users, services, and integrations, with zero disruption to performance.

Continuous innovation drives lasting impact

VOLO helped Viva stay ahead of the market by continuously enhancing features, introducing new payment services, and ensuring the platform adapted to evolving regulatory and customer needs. 