Trustly

Overview

Trustly is a leading fintech company that provides a secure, bank-independent payment service allowing consumers to pay merchants directly from their bank accounts. By leveraging open banking technology, it bypasses traditional card networks to facilitate instant payments, payouts, and real-time account data verification, serving thousands of global merchants across e-commerce, gaming, and financial services.

Founder story

Trustly was founded in 2008 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Carl Wilsson, Joel Jacobsson, Lukas Gratte, and Alexandre Gonthier. The founders identified a critical need for a more secure and efficient online payment method that utilized existing bank infrastructure, effectively creating a direct alternative to the fragmented card-based system.

What it does

• Facilitates direct account-to-account (A2A) payments and recurring billing
• Enables instant payouts and disbursements for refunds or winnings
• Uses open banking and KYC data to verify customer identities and account status
• Provides intelligent data engines for payment optimization and conversion
• Supports cashless direct funding for high-speed transaction environments

Who it's for

• E-commerce Merchants
• Gaming & Betting Platforms
• Financial Services Companies
• Public Sector Agencies

Why it works

• Eliminates reliance on costly card networks and intermediaries
• Provides industry-leading low latency and high-volume transaction processing
• Enhances security by never storing or sharing sensitive user banking credentials
• Improves conversion rates through a simplified, friction-free checkout experience
• Leverages proprietary bank connectors for accurate real-time data decisioning

Alternatives

• Plaid
• TrueLayer
• Tink
• PayPal
• Airwallex

Comparison overview

• Trustly focuses on direct account-to-account payment processing, distinguishing itself from account-linking providers like Plaid or broad payment processors like PayPal
• While competitors often serve as data aggregators, Trustly provides an end-to-end payment network that handles the actual movement of funds and real-time settlement.