The Payments Association, (previously the Emerging Payments Association, or EPA), which celebrates innovation and collaboration across the payments industry, has today announced the finalists for its 15^th annual PAY360 Awards (previously the Emerging Payments Awards). 

This year the PAY360 awards received a large volume of submissions, from over 30 countries. All 106 finalists demonstrated examples of the highest quality across some of the most important areas of payments, including financial inclusion, open banking and mobile payments.

As the fintech sector continues to grow year on year, with UK fintech investment hitting a substantial $37.3 billion in 2021, the PAY360 Awards recognise companies that have made significant advances in how we transact today. They are the most coveted awards in payments, drawing hundreds of the leading experts from across the industry.

Tony Craddock, director general of The Payments Association, said: “Each year, I am astounded by how far our community is pushing the boundaries, with unprecedented levels of passion. The finalists for the PAY360 Awards are fully deserving of recognition, market leaders in their own right and I am extremely excited for this year’s annual awards ceremony, as it promises to be the biggest showcase of innovation in payments.”

The full shortlist of finalists for 2022, includes:

• Best International Payments, Remittance or use of FX: Vitesse, Banking Circle, Currencycloud, Verto, HSBC, Assure Hedge (UK) Limited
• Best Financial Inclusion Payments Programme: Paycode, Cash Perks, Crown Agents Bank, Safal Fasal by BPC, AGAM International, IDEMIA
• Best Consumer Payments Programme: BPC, PPS / Sprive, Ecospend, Payit by NatWest
• Best B2B Payments Programme: Cora, Banking Circle, Nium, Pleo and Enfuce, Blackhowk Network, BCB Group
• Best Open Banking Initiative: Yapily and Comma, Payit by NatWest, Token.io, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, PrinSIX Technologies Ltd
• Best B2B/B2C Banking Initiative: Toqio & Crealsa, BTG Pactual BCB Group, Klarna, Monneo, Tink & Kivra
• Best Partnership Initiative: Tink & Kivra, Asperato & GoCardless, Guestline, ApTap & TSB Bank, MuchBetter, Netcetera – Software matters
• Best Use of Payments Data or AI in Financial Services: TSYS and Featurespace, Kani Payments, FIS, Banking Circle, Transact365, Optherium Labs
• Most Innovative Mobile or Financial Services Payments Solution: Form3, Curve, Transact Campus Inc., SimplyPayMe Ltd, TreviPay, Pay.UK
• Most Innovative Merchant Services Solution: YouLend, DigitalFlyer, ACI Worldwide, Trust Payments, WIZZIT
• Best Financial Crime Prevention Solution (New): SEON, Featurespace, Salv, Ekata, Vesta Corporation, Nationwide Building Society
• Business Reg Tech Project (New): China Banking Corporation, B3, W2 Global Data, Rivero, Know Your Customer and ConnectPay
• Best Customer Facing Experience: YouLend Revenue, Vyne, Pannovate, ECOMMPAY, Cardstream Limited
• Leading Financial Services or Payments Start-Up: FinScore, StarLix, Arf, Tell Money
• Best Use of Crypto and/or Blockchain in Financial Services: Nexxo, Arf, Wirex, Worldpay from FIS
• Best Direct Account to Account Solution: Payit by NatWest, Vyne, Nuapay, Tietoevry, Contis, Ecospend & MrQ
• Best Lending Initiative: SteadyPay, DivideBuy, Cashplus Bank, Chetwook Financial, Liberis
• Best ESG Initiative in Payments (New): Trust Payments, Klarna, IDEMIA, Starling Bank, PPS / ekko
• Leading Emerging Payments Organisation: Weavr, Marqeta, Trust Payments, PHI COMMERCE PVT LTD, Global Processing Services, 3S Money – A Leading Emerging Payments Organisation
• Best Demonstration of UK Companies Exporting Financial Services (New): Capital on Tap, Codat, Raidiam, PXP Financial, REPX
• Industry Contributor of the Year: The winner will be announced at the Awards Ceremony

The PAY360 Awards celebrate innovation, collaboration and excellence by recognising companies that have made significant advances in how we pay today.