PayPoint and Lloyds Bank announce major strategic partnership expansion
*PayPoint Plc *
*20 March 2024*
*PayPoint and Lloyds Bank*
*announce major strategic partnership expansion*
PayPoint Plc and Lloyds Bank are pleased to announce a major partnership expansion, which will see Lloyds Bank Cardnet become the main card acquiring partner across the PayPoint Group’s extensive network of over 60,000 SME and retailer partners.
The expanded partnership, going into pilot in Q2 FY24/25, with a full launch expected in Q3 FY24/25 (subject to regulatory approval), will offer merchants a market-leading banking and card services proposition combining card payments, a 12-month fee-free Lloyds bank business account and a connected competitive commercial card offering. The enhanced proposition strengthens PayPoint Group’s market position, accelerates growth across our merchant estates and delivers better tools, support and experience for its SME and retailer partners.
Additionally, the multi-year agreement will bring significant benefits to the PayPoint Group customer base, including earlier in the day settlement, a faster onboarding experience, a new merchant app, additional customer data and insights, and wider access to Lloyds’ leading range of business banking and lending products. This will be supported by significant investment into the Lloyds Bank Cardnet business to enhance product development and data analytics for merchants.
The agreement extends to Northern Ireland as a new territory for the Handepay business, and additional revenue streams for the Merchant Rentals terminal lease business, as well as creating further growth opportunities for the PayPoint Group’s enhanced range of capabilities, including a merchant rewards scheme leveraging the Love2shop rewards and engagement platform.
**Nick Wiles, CEO of PayPoint said:**
“The expansion of our long-standing relationship with Lloyds Bank Cardnet Merchant Services has been a key strategic decision for our business and one that we believe will deliver major benefits to our SME and retailer partners. We are confident this partnership expansion will deliver an enhanced proposition and experience which will strengthen our market position, accelerate the growth of our merchant network and provide better tools and support for our SME and retailer partners as they look to grow their own businesses.
Good execution of this partnership extension is another key element to the delivery of our overall business ambitions and our immediate target of delivering £100m EBITDA by the end of FY26.”
**Melinda Roylett, Managing Director, Lloyds Bank Merchant Services said:**
“Our partnership with PayPoint is incredibly important for our next stage of growth and leveraging the significant investment we are making in the Lloyds Bank Cardnet Merchant Services business. The strength of their enhanced platform and network provides us with an unparalleled distribution capability to enable us to support even more UK SMEs with our leading range of card acquiring and wider banking services. We have always been committed to being by the side of all of our business customers, and this expanded partnership with PayPoint will enable us to continue to be true to that commitment.”
**PayPoint retailer Natalie Lightfoot, Londis Solo Convenience (Glasgow), said: **
“This is fantastic news for our business - we have been customers for many years and it’s great that this new partnership will give us access to even more benefits and banking services. Small businesses like ours are facing many challenges at the moment, so it’s good to know that both Lloyds Bank Cardnet Merchant Services and PayPoint are joining forces to help us continue to thrive and support customers at the heart of our community in Glasgow.”
*Enquiries*
*PayPoint plc* *FGS Global*
Nick Wiles, Chief Executive (Mobile: 07442 968960) Rollo Head
Rob Harding, Chief Financial Officer (Mobile: 07525 707970) James Thompson (Telephone: 0207 251 3801)
(Email: PayPoint-LON@fgsglobal.com)
*Lloyds Bank*
Adam Charles, Media Relations
adam.charles@lloydsbanking.com
0207 356 2374
*ABOUT PAYPOINT GROUP*
For tens of thousands of businesses and millions of consumers, we deliver innovative technology and services that make life a little easier.
The PayPoint Group serves a diverse range of organisations, from SME and convenience retailer partners, to local authorities, government, multinational service providers and e-commerce brands. Our products are split across four core business divisions:
· In Shopping, we enhance retailer propositions and customer experiences through EPoS services via PayPoint One, card payment technology, Counter Cash, ATMs and home delivery technology partnerships in over 60,000 SME and retailer partner locations across multiple sectors. Our retail network of over 28,000 convenience stores is larger than all the banks, supermarkets and Post Offices put together
· In E-commerce, we deliver best-in-class customer journeys through Collect+, a tech-based delivery solution that allows parcels to be picked up, dropped off and sent at thousands of local stores
· In Payments and Banking, we give our clients and their customers choice in how to make and receive payments quickly and conveniently. This includes our channel-agnostic digital payments platform, MultiPay, offering solutions to clients across cash, card payments, direct debit and Open Banking. PayPoint also supports its eMoney clients with purchase and redemption of eMoney across its retail network.
· In Love2shop, we provide gifting, employee engagement, consumer incentive and prepaid savings solutions to thousands of consumers and businesses. Love2shop is the UK’s number one multi-retailer gifting provider, offering consumers the choice to spend at more than 140 high-street and online retail partners. Park Christmas Savings is the UK’s biggest Christmas savings club, helping over 350,000 families manage the cost of Christmas, by offering a huge range of gift cards and vouchers from some of the biggest high street names, including Argos, Primark and B&M.
Together, these solutions enable the PayPoint Group to create long-term value for all stakeholders, including customers,
communities and the world we live in.
*ABOUT LLOYDS BANKING GROUP*
· Lloyds Banking Group is a leading UK based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services, focused on personal and commercial customers.
· We are proud to be by the side of British business, *supporting more than 1 million UK businesses* with leading digital and relationship banking services, as they start up, grow, thrive and trade internationally.
· As part of the Group, Lloyds Bank Cardnet Merchant Services offers leading end-to-end payment acceptance solutions. We help businesses from all parts of the UK, and across all different sectors and sizes, giving them the support they need to take payments online, in store, or over the phone at any time.
· For more information on how we help businesses to receive payments please visit: www.lloydsbank.com/cardnet.