UK Payments at a Turning Point: 2025 Milestones, 2026 Ambitions, and the Strategic Rise of Custom Acquiring
The UK payment industry closed 2025 as one of the most dynamic fintech markets globally, marked by large-scale consolidation, record transaction volumes, and a growing demand for customised payment infrastructure. As UA.NEWS have noticed, the market is increasingly shaped by two parallel forces: global processors scaling infrastructure—and specialised providers redefining flexibility.
Among the companies that defined 2025 are Worldpay, Stripe, Checkout.com, Adyen, PayPal, Mollie, and Revolut.
2025: Achievements That Shaped the Market
In 2025, Worldpay reinforced its status as a cornerstone of UK acquiring by expanding omnichannel enterprise coverage and strengthening direct integrations with global card schemes. Its scale and resilience once again positioned it as a preferred partner for multinational retailers. Looking to 2026, Worldpay is expected to double down on AI-driven fraud prevention and retail-embedded finance.
Stripe continued its transformation from payment processor to financial infrastructure giant. Throughout 2025, Stripe expanded enterprise adoption of its billing, treasury, and embedded finance products. Its 2026 strategy is focused on deepening platform unification, targeting global SaaS and marketplace operators.
Checkout.com capitalised on 2025 demand from high-growth ecommerce and fintech firms, strengthening its approval-rate optimisation and acquiring performance. For 2026, the company has signalled aggressive international expansion and further investment in proprietary acquiring technology.
Adyen used 2025 to deepen relationships with global enterprise merchants, advancing its unified commerce vision across physical and digital channels. In 2026, Adyen plans to enhance data intelligence and global consistency for large multinational brands.
PayPal leveraged its consumer trust and wallet ecosystem in 2025 to remain a conversion driver for cross-border commerce. In 2026, PayPal is expected to further integrate BNPL, digital wallets, and merchant services into a single global flow.
Mollie strengthened its European SME footprint in 2025, simplifying local payment acceptance and onboarding. Its 2026 roadmap points toward broader pan-European coverage and deeper financial tooling for small and mid-sized businesses.
Revolut continued its evolution in 2025 into a full-scale business finance ecosystem, expanding merchant acquiring and cross-border capabilities. For 2026, Revolut aims to position itself as a financial operating system for internationally active companies.
Sends.co: Precision Over Volume
As UA.NEWS have observed, 2025 was also the year when niche providers gained strategic relevance—especially among businesses operating outside standard payment models.
One of the most notable examples is Sends.co.
In 2025, Sends.co strengthened its positioning as a licensed EMI and custom acquiring provider, offering principal membership with Visa and Mastercard, direct UnionPay integration, and a scalable embedded finance platform. The company focused on bespoke acquiring structures, real-time payments, and tailored settlement flows—capabilities increasingly sought by established and international businessesю
“The future of payments belongs to those who can adapt infrastructure to business reality—not force businesses into rigid frameworks,”
notes Vladyslav Nikulin, interviewer at UA.NEWS.
2026 Outlook: From Infrastructure to Global Reach
In addition to its strategic expansion toward the Chinese market in 2026, Sends.co plans to further develop:
Embedded finance and API-first orchestration for partners,
UnionPay-driven acceptance corridors for Asia-focused commerce,
Advanced compliance, KYC, and AML tooling for cross-border businesses,
Faster merchant onboarding and custom settlement logic, building on its principal membership model.
Industry observers note that this roadmap positions Sends.co not as a mass-market processor, but as a trusted infrastructure partner for complex, international payment ecosystems.
A Market Redefined
As 2026 approaches, the UK payments landscape appears increasingly polarised—but also more mature. Global leaders provide scale, trust, and stability, while specialised players like Sends.co deliver precision, adaptability, and new geographic reach. Together, they form an ecosystem capable of supporting both global commerce and highly specialised business models.
