News, News Release

Modulr joins Faster Payments and becomes one of a small number of non-banks to hold a settlement account at the Bank of England

Modulr By Modulr on 7 November 2019   •   4 mins read
<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >Modulr joins Faster Payments and becomes one of a small number of non-banks to hold a settlement account at the Bank of England</span>

 

The new access will enable Modulr to pioneer greater payments innovations and improve service offering to clients through direct access to the UK payment systems.

London & Edinburgh, UK, 6th November, 2019

Modulr, the Payments as a Service API platform for digital businesses, today announced that it became a direct participant in the Faster Payment Service (FPS) on Friday 7th June 2019. Modulr is one of a small number of non-bank payment service providers (PSP) to hold an account in the Bank of England’s (BoE) Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system, allowing the FinTech to settle payment obligations in central bank money under its Modulr FS Limited entity (FRN 900573). This follows an assessment by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

This has been achieved under a new settlement account policy directive initiated by the BoE that enables direct access to payment systems through provision of settlement accounts to non-bank PSPs. Direct access for PSPs is a key part of the broader policy objectives for the BoE, FCA, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) and Her Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury) to enable greater competition and innovation in UK payments.

Modulr will now process payments without going through a commercial bank, providing greater clarity on the location and protection of the funds. In addition, Modulr will technically connect directly to the payment schemes removing the operational reliance on third-party bank systems. Following an initial live proving period, Modulr will migrate its existing sort codes, accounts and transaction volume to the direct access solution.

This new access provides a level playing field for competition. It will allow Modulr to be in control of delivery, further innovation and its best-in-class service.

Myles Stephenson, Chief Executive, Modulr, says: “This is a significant milestone for Modulr enabling greater control over our payments infrastructure allowing us to drive further innovation faster. Coupled with the £10m awarded to us from the RBS Alternative Remedies Package, it allows us to compete with banks, and bring greater value to our clients. This capability will support our rapidly scaling organisation as we migrate volume in the coming months; in October alone, we processed over £1.3bn of Faster Payments value.”

Paul Horlock, CEO at Pay.UK (Operator of the UK’S Payment Networks including Faster Payments), says: “We are pleased to welcome Modulr on board to provide real-time payments on a level playing field with the best-known banks on the UK high-street. This is possible because Modulr is now using its own settlement account with the Bank of England, rather than making payments through a commercial bank.”

-ENDS-

About Modulr

Modulr is the Payments as a Service API platform for digital businesses. It integrates into any product or system. Modulr’s new type of payment accounts are built for businesses that need a faster, easier and more reliable way to move money.  Once integrated, businesses can instantly set up as many accounts as they need.  Getting paid, reconciling and making payments is fully automated and can be managed in real-time, 24/7 through their existing software applications. Modulr’s API makes it easy for businesses to streamline existing services, launch new products and scale more efficiently.  Modulr Finance Limited (FRN: 900699) is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority as an EMD Agent of Modulr FS Limited. Modulr FS Limited is an Authorised Electronic Money Institution, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

 For further information – please go to www.modulrfinance.com

About Pay.UK

Pay.UK maintains and develops the UK retail payment systems and standards that are core to the economy being able to function on a day-to-day basis.  From Bacs to Faster Payments and cheques – we act as the single operator for all UK retail payments.  We put the needs of consumers and businesses at the heart of everything we do, working in the public interest to ensure that the systems the country relies on for its banking transactions are safe, open, innovative and resilient.  Our payment systems underpin the services that enable funds to be transferred between people and institutions. In 2018, the UK’s retail payment systems processed 8.8 billion transactions worth £7 trillion through Bacs Direct Credit, Direct Debit, Faster Payments, and cheques.  Every day, individuals and businesses use the services we provide to get their salaries, pay their bills and make online and mobile banking payments. Our vision for the future is to enable a vibrant economy, with Pay.UK delivering the best-in-class payment infrastructure and standards for the benefit of consumers and businesses nationwide.

Find out more on our website: wearepay.uk or get more detail on the systems we manage: bacs.co.uk, chequeandcredit.co.uk, fasterpayments.org.uk, paym.co.uk.

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Media enquiries please contact:

David Beach | Head of Content & Press | david.beach@modulrfinance.com  

Jack Ferris | Octopus Group | modulr@octopusgrp.com  

Ashleigh Brown | Octopus Group | modulr@octopusgrp.com