TD Bank has been recognized by Global Finance with the North American award for "Outstanding Crisis Finance Innovation" for the launch of its Virtual Assistant within the TD U.S. mobile app. The award was created by Global Finance to acknowledge the financial industry's extraordinary and agile response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TD launched the Virtual Assistant to help its customers with immediate access to answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-relief programs and information about their personal finances during the pandemic. The Virtual Assistant has supported more than 3 million U.S. customer interactions since launching in April 2020.

"We have always focused on innovating in ways that support our customers' financial well-being," says Rizwan Khalfan, Chief Digital and Payments Officer, TD. "This recognition pays tribute to the collaborative effort of our teams who responded quickly to deliver new tools and solutions to help our customers navigate the uncertainty many people have faced during this challenging time."

Leveraging conversational AI technology from Kasisto, the Virtual Assistant provides TD U.S. mobile customers with answers to questions about their account activity and transactions, and information about how to access financial assistance and payment relief. The launch of the Virtual Assistant is part of TD's ongoing effort to create new, personalized experiences by engaging its innovation and fintech ecosystem, including its ongoing collaboration with fintech Kasisto.

Global Finance award winners are evaluated by the editorial board of Global Finance Magazine, with the input of reporters who cover topics related to innovation. The awards are a trusted standard among the international financial community.

"Innovation in banking was vital to supporting the needs of customers as they turned more than ever before to digital platforms for answers during the pandemic," said Joseph D. Giarraputo, Publisher and Editorial Director of Global Finance. "Our judges are proud to recognize the support TD Bank has provided to its customers through digital innovation."

Earlier this year, the Virtual Assistant was also recognized with the Celent Model Bank award for "Supporting Customers in the Pandemic."