Token.io, the leading account-to-account (A2A) payment infrastructure provider, today announces a partnership with Santander UK (‘Santander’). The collaboration aims to leverage Token.io’s industry-leading open banking connectivity and infrastructure to enhance Santander’s customer experiences and develop cutting-edge, real-time payment propositions. The partnership was announced during the opening keynote at the Open Banking Expo in London today by Santander’s Chief Payment Officer Paul Horlock and Token.io’s Chief Executive Officer Todd Clyde.

Initially, Santander will leverage Token.io’s infrastructure to offer payment directly from an external bank account as a credit card repayment option. With direct A2A payment for card repayments, Santander customers can enjoy a more seamless payment experience than direct debit or manual bank transfers, as the solution eliminates error-prone manual data entry and supports biometric Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) for payments made on mobile devices.

In addition, Santander plans to utilise Token.io's cutting-edge infrastructure to modernise real-time money movement for its retail banking clients.

Token.io CEO Todd Clyde commented:

"We are thrilled to partner with Santander, a forward-thinking institution committed to driving open banking innovation and enhancing the experience of millions of customers. Token.io’s technology, combined with Santander's dedication to exceptional service, will undoubtedly set new standards for how financial institutions leverage open banking to create innovative value propositions that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.”

The integration of Token.io's technology further strengthens Santander's commitment to providing high-quality, seamless service across all channels. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banco Santander, Santander UK serves over 14 million active customers in the United Kingdom, offering a comprehensive range of financial products and services. From mortgages and auto finance to unsecured loans, credit cards, banking, savings accounts, investment, and insurance products, Santander provides tailored solutions for individuals and growth-focused support for businesses.

The partnership between Santander UK and Token.io comes as a recent report from Capgemini Research Institute emphasises the importance of financial institutions embracing instant payments and open banking. Capgemini’s World Payments Report 2025, which draws on insights from a global survey of banking and payment executives, suggests that these technologies could potentially offset 15-25% of future card transaction volume growth, highlighting the need for banks to unlock the full potential of open banking and instant payments to maintain competitiveness and drive long-term growth in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.