Answer Pay fuels European expansion with DIT funding arrangement
LEEDS, UK—Answer Pay announces it has successfully received funding from the UK Government’s Department for International Trade (DIT), to extend its Request to Pay connectivity to European countries in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).
NEWS PROVIDED BY
Answer Pay Ltd
17th March 2022, 09:00 am GMT
Digital payment technologies are evolving. Arguably, the biggest step-change in payments innovation in the UK and Europe comes in the form of Request to Pay (RtP). This is a relatively new message overlay service, first developed in the UK as a response to the need identified by the Payment Services Regulator. Request to Pay underpins secure payments from mobile apps and moves the industry away from unsecured pay by link solutions that compel bill payers to run the gauntlet of fraudulent messages and fake websites.
As the first independent solutions provider to offer a Pay.UK certified Request to Pay platform service, Answer Pay plans now to build on its UK track record of success and expand into Europe, at a time when the European Union is itself beginning the shift towards RtP digital payment services.
Peter Cornforth, Commercial Director for Answer Pay, says the DIT funding could not have come at a better time. He explains:
“Request to Pay is growing globally, not least of all in Europe where the SEPA RtP standard was launched in 2021. There are over 6,000 banks and providers across the European region now looking at smarter ways to serve up digital payments. Answer Pay finds itself in the right place at the right time, having had a two-year head-start to pioneer the successful implementation of RtP in the UK.”
The UK government’s Department of International Trade exists to secure the UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment and championing free trade. DIT investment arrangement offered to Answer Pay Ltd demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to helping innovative UK FinTechs to grow their business internationally. Additionally, facilitating digital payments across Europe by perpetuating RtP adoption is expected to bring rewards to small UK businesses and consumers looking to fulfil digital payments across the European trade area.
Adoption of Request to Pay by European banks, billers and consumers is in demand for several reasons:
- Multiplicity of use cases – In Europe, RtP supports eCommerce and in-store payments in addition to servicing bill payments. Furthermore, in markets where expensive card fees continue to be an issue, an alternative payment option that enables affordable account to account payments is highly desirable.
2. eInvoice mandates – France is one of the first European countries to mandate that businesses deliver their bills digitally. As Request to Pay allows a business to add attachments it means that they can meet the mandate whilst giving their customers an easier way to pay
3. SEPA instant mandate – As widely reported the European Commission is going to mandate SEPA instant adoption which may also include mandates for Request to Pay. Broader availability of instant digital payments coupled with a better-connected banking network is expected to drive increased competition and innovation meaning better payment experiences for all.
For more information about this announcement, please contact us.
About Answer Pay
Answer Pay secures bill payments in banking apps.
Our certified “Payments as a Service” platform connects banks to Request to Pay, the new messaging standard for experience-rich payments. Complementing existing payment infrastructure, it gives payees the ability to request a payment and send an invoice using their corporate bank interface. Payers can then aggregate and control when and how each request is paid using their retail bank app.
Placing financial institutions at the centre of the bill payment experience ensures end to end bank grade security. However, it isn’t always easy for banks to bring differentiated services to market. Our API based access removes the technology challenges so banks can maximise their revenue opportunity.
For more information, please visit www.answerpay.uk.
MEDIA CONTACT DETAILS:
Answer Pay Ltd
Union Mills, 9 Dewsbury Rd, Leeds LS11 5DD, United Kingdom
Tel: 0113 201 0600
info@answerpay.uk
Media and Press Contacts:
Francesca Manley
press@answerpay.uk
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