Rajshankar Balasingham

Great discussion yesterday at Payment Systems Regulator round table. My key takeaways are: - there is a lot of inefficiency due to a lack or fragmented data - Acquires face a lot of complexity with scheme fee management and requirements - there is an opportunity for a systemic fix that improves the MI and workflow automation. Let me know if your scheme requirement management process involves a lot of manual work or if you want better insights into the fees you pay. I have a solutions for those challenges. Rivero Pinnacle Payment Economics Auxo Advisors

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🚨 Major Alert in the Fintech World 🚨 Starling Bank, a pioneering name in the digital banking sector, has been hit with a hefty £29 million fine by the Financial Conduct Authority

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GoCardless launches ‘Outbound Payments’ for lenders Businesses can now use GoCardless to handle both account-to-account collections and payouts on the same system.

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Monzo Bank set out to demystify credit scores — and TransUnion® helped turn that vision into reality, delivering fully integrated, insights-driven experiences millions of customers now trust. From real-time alerts to score simulators, we powered the back-end of Monzo’s Credit Insights, helping it build deeper relationships and unlock app engagement at scale. Learn more: http://transu.co/6045AA1Fl

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The UK Government’s ambition is to build a trusted, world-leading payments ecosystem where consumers and businesses benefit from choice, innovation, and resilience. Account-to-account (A2A) payments are core to delivering it, as they can offer a competitive alternative to cards and direct debits. Natwest engaged us to examine (i) the challenges encountered by stakeholders in coordinating a commercial approach to Account-to-Account (A2A) payments, (ii) how commercial incentives could be most effectively aligned, while (iii) ensuring merchants and consumers are protected from the exercise of market power in payments over the longer term. Our independent findings are that:   ✔️ The focus on banks as bottleneck monopoly providers to each of their customer’s user data may not be an optimal response to the government’s National Payments Vision (it also predates it).  ✔️ The current process to achieving commercial alignment relies heavily on stated preferences (rather than revealed preferences) to resolve coordination and hold-up challenges.  ✔️ We propose an independent, profit driven scheme with greater commercial freedoms and agility than the current process allows for, alongside timely competitive access to mobile platforms by alternative mobile wallets.  ✔️ Beyond a high-level statement around the objectives that such a scheme should seek to achieve (in line with the National Payments Vision), no further regulatory intervention in cVRP pricing should be necessary today. Only if (or when) the scheme becomes so successful that it acquires market power, should further intervention on pricing be considered. While this paper does not represent the position of Natwest or any other party, we hope that this is a valuable (independent) contribution to the current debate. Direct link to paper: https://lnkd.in/dENiY7ux

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Fraud is now the UK’s most common crime - responsible for over 40% of all reported offences. It’s not just a financial issue — it’s a national security threat that drains confidence from our markets, money from our consumers, and trust from our system. For the payments industry, it’s the single greatest test of our collective resilience. That’s why collaboration across government, regulators, law enforcement, and the private sector has never been more critical. Next week at Financial Crime 360, hosted by The Payments Association, we’ll bring together the leading voices shaping the UK’s response to economic crime - exploring how innovation, data sharing, and cross-sector cooperation can help us move from response to prevention. Join us as we discuss how the UK can stay ahead of the criminals - and build a payments ecosystem that is secure, trusted, and world-leading. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/ew_RXXTi #FinancialCrime360 #Payments #FraudPrevention #EconomicCrime #Fintech #Regulation #Innovation #Collaboration

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Late payments & solutions for small businesses | Paylists Delays in payments are a growing issue that is stifling the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. These late payments can lead to cash flow problems, increased stress, and even the closure of businesses. In this article, we will dive into the severity of the issue, its implications, and explore some effective payment solutions for small businesses. https://lnkd.in/d5FTKvgF

UK fintech Tide rolls out SME mobile service via MVNO model UK business banking platform Tide has introduced a mobile phone service for its customers, integrating a business phone number and mobile plan directly into its application. The service, called Tide Business Phone Number, allows small businesses to activate and manage a UK mobile number through the Tide app using #eSIM. The mobile service is supported by Gigs, which acts as the enabler for the offering. Network access is provided through Vodafone’s 5G network. The setup allows Tide to offer mobile services as a mobile virtual network operator (#MVNO) without operating its own telecommunications infrastructure. Service features Customers can activate a new number through the Tide application or transfer an existing number. Once activated, users can make and receive calls or send text messages using the business number while continuing to use their personal number on the same smartphone. Incoming calls are identified as either business or personal, and users can select which number to use when making calls. The business number service is included for customers subscribed to Tide’s Smart, Pro and Max account tiers, providing a dedicated number with unlimited calls and text messages. An optional data plan is available for £15 per month, offering unlimited 5G data and 10GB of roaming data within the European Union. Heather Cobb, UK Managing Director at Tide, said: “Small business owners tell us time and again that admin gets in the way of doing what they actually set out to do - running and growing their business. Tide BPN is a natural extension of our mission to save small businesses time and money. By bringing business phone numbers directly into the Tide app, we are removing yet another task from their to-do list and helping founders keep their business and personal lives clearly separate.” Tide currently serves around 800,000 small business customers in the UK, representing approximately 14% of the country’s SME market. Founded in 2017, Tide provides digital business accounts and administrative tools aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. Its platform includes services such as invoicing, accounting integrations and company formation services. The company has expanded beyond the UK in recent years, launching in Germany in 2024 and France in 2025. Tide also serves more than one million SMEs in India. #NeoBank #SME #Fintech

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Last December, the UK Payment Systems Regulator opened an independent review of the Authorised Push Payments (APP) reimbursement regime, a unique regulatory framework whose assessment is still ongoing. MEF continues to monitor and support efforts to reduce fraud in the messaging channels used by Banks and Government bodies in the UK. From our perspective, there is an opportunity for a broader range of sectors—including logistics firms, e‑commerce platforms, and others involved in consumer communications to protect against scams. Extending consistent and proportionate prevention standards across all sectors could help enhance consumer protection and overall trust in digital interactions. 👉 Read MEF blog here https://lnkd.in/eAGW_8-H

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Barclays is actively exploring a blockchain platform for payments and deposits, aiming to partner with technology providers by April, and has invested in Ubyx to enhance digital money connectivity.

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🚨 𝗧𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 Tide launched Tide Business Phone Number (BPN) and a mobile plan for SMEs, powered by Gigs on Vodafone UK’s network. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲:  • Adds a core utility beyond banking  • Solves a real need by separating work and personal communication  • Increases engagement through a high-frequency everyday service while giving fintechs more first-party usage data to improve personalization over time. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁:  • N26 launched N26 SIM in Germany in May 2025 and added travel eSIMs across 100+ countries in July 2025.  • Revolut expanded from travel eSIMs in 2024 to UK mobile plans rolling out in late 2025.  • Nubank launched NuCel in Brazil in October 2024 via Claro.  • Klarna entered the US mobile market in June 2025 with an unlimited plan embedded in its app.  • Monzo Bank is also reportedly preparing a mobile-plan launch in the UK. Connectivity is emerging as a new subscription category within fintech apps. Early adoption was centred on travel eSIMs and related benefits. The market is now moving toward full mobile plans embedded directly into financial platforms. For fintechs, this creates an additional source of recurring revenue and increases the likelihood of customers engaging with the app more regularly. 💡 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gq6ZBjJa

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Monzo Bank's 2025 Annual Report is a masterclass in digital bank growth. 💰 - Deposits up ~50% 📈 - Revenue up ~50% 🧾 - Number of customers using subscriptions up ~50% 📊 - 6.4 million weekly active customers (out of 12 million total) up 28% CAC costs are low (according to the bank 67% of customers are from 'word of mouth') which gives them a great advantage. 👉 Can they maintain this momentum with a UK-only focus? They have a great reputation for product development, innovation and customer satisfaction and are clearly one of the 'best in class' digital banks. Surely an EU or US expansion plan needs to be in the roadmap if they are going to lock in this advantage. #fintech #digitalbanking #innovation #CustomerExperience https://lnkd.in/edvS8f-C

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UK has a new unicorn. Allica Bank raises $155.0M in Series D Ventura Capital and existing investor TCV. Post-money valuation reported to be at $1.2B.

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The Money Hive is live 🚀 Excited to share that Manchester Credit Union has just launched their new embedded financial education platform — powered by Doshi. Via API integration with CUApps and Incuto, 30K+ MCU members now have direct, in-app access to over 200 personalised lessons on saving, borrowing, budgeting, and building money confidence. We are doubling down on empowering our partners to embed Doshi inside existing digital journeys, so education becomes relevant and actionable. Early signs are strong: hundreds of members have already engaged, averaging +30 minutes of learning. It’s proof that when you meet people at the right moment, learning leads to action. Thank you Ryan Young, Mandy Wilcock, Declan McGallagly, and Andrew Rabbitt for their vision and trust into Doshi. Together, we can help showcase to the credit union sector what’s possible when member experience meets innovative thinking.

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𝑳𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒌 - 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒚𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒚. Last week, the MENA FINTECH ASSOCIATION convened its 11th Payments Boardroom, diving deep into “Loyalty 2.0” — an exclusive C-level conversation hosted in partnership with gennius xyz. This wasn’t just about rewards. It was about redefining how loyalty, engagement, and value intersect across banks, wallets, networks, merchants, fintechs, and even crypto platforms in our region. The session was moderated by: 🔹 Akshay Chopra, CCO at gennius xyz & Co-Chair, MFTA Payments Working Group 🔹 Clyde Rosanowski, SVP at Mastercard & Co-Chair, MFTA Payments Working Group 📌 Key themes: • Loyalty as a core commercial lever • Shifting consumer expectations • Embedded value and real-time engagement • Cross-industry loyalty ecosystems These boardrooms are where real conversations happen — private, focused, and actionable. Proud of the momentum and leadership shown by our working groups. Onwards with impact. Ruben Salazar Genovez | Kartik Taneja | Saad Kaleem | Paul Carey | Gina Petersen-Skyrme | Ryan Sandilands | Said Al Sayyed, CFA | Ghada Karim | Kartik Chhabra | Altaf Ahmed | Nadia Benaissa | Suzy Al Zeerah | Tariq Mattar | Gaurav Dhar | Ronit Ghose | Nihal Abughattas | Kokila Alagh | Gaurav Sachddeva | Prashant K. (PK) Gulati | Mo Ali Yusuf | Miriam Kiwan | Yacine Faqir | Samir Safar-Aly | KARIMA👼🏽 El Hakim 🎈🧸🐪 | Tom Romanski | Serena Sebastiani | Christine A. | Kristina Gerasimova | Bahaa Abdulhadi | Mona Alsemayen | Sophie Guibaud 👾| Amélie Arras #MFTA #MENAFintech #FintechCommunity #MFTAPayments #FintechMENA #BoardroomBriefing #CustomerEngagement #Tokenisation #RewardsReimagined #MENA #Fintech #Payments #Loyalty #Innovation

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Ebury launches Ebury Connect to deliver digitally integrated services and drive SMEs’ cross-border growth #ukfintech #fintechuk #fintech #fintechnews #finance #financialtechnology #SMEs #growth https://lnkd.in/gwwUHqGA

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