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2024 WINNERS & SHORTLISTED
Consumer Payments
1. Best Digital Payments Solution (Consumer) (New category)
This award recognises the most innovative and user-friendly digital payment solutions designed for consumers. The judges will be looking for solutions that provide a secure, seamless, and convenient payment experience across online and mobile platforms. Entries may include mobile wallets, payment apps, online checkout solutions, or other digital payment methods. The winning entry will demonstrate exceptional user experience, high adoption rates, robust security features, and tangible benefits for both consumers and merchants. Judges will consider factors such as ease of use, speed, accessibility, and the solution's ability to enhance the overall digital commerce experience. Enter here.
2. Best In-store Payments Solution
This award focuses on payments innovation within the retail store environment. It could be an app that allows customers to pay via their phones on the High Street, a new point of sale feature, self-service kiosks, novel use of contactless payments integration or a ‘scan and shop’ service. The winning entry will demonstrate a mixture of innovation, high customer usage and increasing satisfaction rates, as well as any cost savings and other benefits to the retailer. Enter here.
3. Best Alternative Payments Solution
The payments industry is undergoing significant change, with a growing number of new entrants threatening the status quo as they look to capitalise on the changing landscape and meet rapidly growing consumer appetite for Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and contactless or cardless options. This category looks to recognise those payments providers which offer alternatives to the traditional routes of cash and cards; for example, electronic wallets, mobile and online payments, deferred payment or BNPL options and biometrics-based payments. The judges will be looking for entries which demonstrate innovation, strong user feedback, plus the number of transactions or accounts. Enter here.
4. Biometric Authentication Innovation of the Year
This award will recognise a technology, which utilises biometric information such as fingerprints, iris recognition or voice recognition, with special focus on how the technology mitigates for the use of artificial intelligence for payments fraud. Examples include point-ofsale terminals, mobile banking apps and other money management solutions which lean utilise biometrics. Judges will examine how the solution streamlines and secures transactions for both parties, with a special focus on user data protection. Enter here.
5. Customer Experience Innovation Award
This award recognises an organisation that delivers exceptional customer experiences across all touchpoints. From user-friendly interfaces to seamless interactions, entrants should demonstrate a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences, coupled with innovative approaches to delivering personalised, accessible, and frictionless services. Judges will assess factors such as usability, accessibility, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction metrics, as well as the integration of technology to enhance the overall experience. Enter here.
Merchant and Business Payments
6. Best Online Payments Solution (Merchant)
The judges will be looking for a secure, flexible and innovative online payments solution for merchants, which is helping organisations grow their business online. The winning entry will give evidence of an offering that is providing tangible business benefits by enabling customers to enjoy a fast and convenient online experience, as well as enabling merchants to accept or process a higher volume of online payments in a more timely, reliable or cost-effective way. Enter here.
7. Best Merchant Acquirer or Processor
This award will recognise a stand-out merchant acquirer or processor in the market. The judges will be looking for evidence of performance over the past year, and how the company has improved its own operations and that of its customers. This may include a new project implementation – where the judges would assess the innovation, speed to market, and any challenges or issues that were successfully overcome – but the entry must detail why this merchant acquirer or processor is currently the best in its field overall. Enter here.
8. B2B Payments Innovation of the Year
We welcome entries from both big enterprises and small companies in this category. The aim of this award is to highlight how technology advances are redefining the B2B payments process. The judging panel will be looking for innovative solutions that solve a real problem and create tangible business benefits. Enter here.
Cross-Border and International Payments
9. Best Cross-Border Payments Infrastructure
Reflecting sustained growth in the money transfer market the judges are looking for examples of the payments rails and systems infrastructure that makes sure people all over the world get their money quickly, accurately and securely. The transition to SWIFT’s ISO20022 standard is also driving rapid change in the way cross-border payments are processed, with many companies innovating to support the implementation of the standard ahead of the upcoming deadlines. Entries should include the geographical reach of the infrastructure, how the solution is facilitating cross-border payments innovation and, if applicable, the ways in which recipients in the destination country can access funds. Enter here.
10. Best Cross-Border Payments Service
Reflecting sustained growth in the money transfer market and rapidly changing consumer expectations, the judges are looking for digital services that offer quick, reasonably priced and reliable ways for consumers to make international money transfers through mobile or online channels. Entries should include their geographical reach and, if applicable, the ways in which recipients in the destination country can access funds. Enter here.
11. International Payments Excellence Award
This award recognises excellence in international payments, remittance services, or foreign exchange (FX) solutions. Entrants should demonstrate innovation in facilitating cross-border transactions, delivering competitive exchange rates, reducing friction in remittance processes, or enhancing transparency and efficiency in FX operations. Judges will assess factors such as speed, cost-effectiveness, reliability, coverage, and ease of use, as well as the integration of technology to streamline international payment workflows and improve customer experiences. Enter here.
Security and Fraud Prevention
12. Consumer Anti-Fraud Solution of the Year
This award will recognise the best internal or external anti-fraud or security solution implemented by an organisation to protect the customer from fraud tactics such as money muling and payments fraud. The winning entry will demonstrate how anti-fraud technology and processes have protected the end user and helped the business comply with regulations. The judges will examine the application of technology to create business benefits as being of equal importance as the degree of protection and innovation in the IT solution. Enter here.
13. Merchant Anti-Fraud Solution of the Year
This award will recognise the best internal or external anti-fraud or security solution implemented by an organisation to protect retail or financial services clients from payments fraud, including chargebacks. The winning entry will demonstrate how anti-fraud technology and processes have protected the end user and helped the business comply with regulations. The judges will regard the application of technology to create business benefits as being of equal importance as the degree of protection and innovation in the IT solution. Enter here.
14. Security Innovation of the Year
Recognising the rapid advances in security technology to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape, this category is looking for the most innovative solutions to today’s problems. Whether it be protection from AI-driven threats, malware, phishing, denial of service or man in the middle attacks, the judges want to see how new technology and its application are helping people and businesses keep payments safe. Specific case studies and evidence of harm reduction should be included, alongside explanations of product and service differentiation in this competitive sector. Enter here.
15. Payments Compliance Technology of the Year
This category is aimed at recognising those regulatory technology firms helping to make sure financial services firms are up to speed with all the latest payments industry rules. The judges will be looking for evidence of how technology is used to parse new regulations and pass on the key changes to clients, automating what used to be costly and time-consuming manual compliance tasks. Enter here.
16. AI-Driven Fraud Prevention Platform of the Year (New category)
This award recognises excellence in artificial intelligence-powered fraud prevention solutions. As fraud techniques become increasingly sophisticated, the judges are looking for platforms that leverage advanced AI, machine learning, and behavioural analytics to detect and prevent fraudulent activities in real-time. Entries should demonstrate how the solution proactively identifies emerging threats, including deepfakes and advanced phishing attacks, while minimising false positives and maintaining a frictionless user experience. The winning entry will showcase measurable results in fraud reduction, operational efficiency, and customer trust.
Enter here.
Technology and Innovation
17. Most Disruptive Payments Technology
This award will go to a company who the judges feel has come up with the most disruptive payments technology during the past 12 months, one that has the potential to disrupt the way the financial services or retail sectors operate, displacing an earlier technology. The aim is to champion technology firms and startups with strong solutions or services that identify a gap in the market or look to improve current ways of working; companies that could well become game-changers by helping to redefine the payments landscape in the coming years. We welcome entries from every area of the payments sector. Enter here.
18. Best Use of AI and Data in Payments
This award celebrates a financial institution, payments provider or technology company that demonstrates outstanding utilisation of data or artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance payments. Entrants should showcase innovative applications of data analytics or AI algorithms to optimise processes, improve decision-making, mitigate risks, or personalise services for customers. Judges will evaluate the effectiveness, creativity, and impact of the implementation, considering factors such as improved operational efficiency, enhanced customer experiences, and regulatory compliance. Enter here.
19. Payments Innovation of the Year
This award looks to showcase technology and service innovation in the payments space. Entries are encouraged from banks, acquirers, card schemes, technology firms and retailers – in fact any company that can lay claim to being a genuine payments innovator. The judges will be looking for evidence of how a company’s technology could be considered a first in the industry and how it has the potential to positively impact upon the payments ecosystem. Enter here.
20. Payments Infrastructure Award
This category will consider entries involving payments systems and infrastructures that have been created or have evolved to increase the reach, speed or efficiency of high-volume transactions. This may also include widening access for smaller industry players, boosting reliability of the payments infrastructure or upping volumes that can be accurately processed through means such as embedded finance and API banking. Enter here.
21. Decentralised Finance (DeFi) Payments Solution of the Year (New category)
This award celebrates innovation in the rapidly evolving decentralised finance ecosystem. The judges will be looking for payment solutions that effectively leverage blockchain technology, smart contracts, and decentralised protocols to create more accessible, transparent, and efficient financial services. Entries should highlight how the solution addresses traditional pain points in payments through decentralisation, including aspects such as cross-border transactions, lending platforms, liquidity pools, or stablecoin implementations. The winning entry will demonstrate practical applications, user adoption metrics, and benefits to both consumers and businesses. Enter here.
22. Retail Media Network Payments Innovation (New category)
This category recognises organisations that have successfully integrated innovative payment solutions within retail media networks. Retail media networks are advertising platforms owned by retailers that allow brands to advertise to shoppers using the retailer's data. The judges will examine how these integrations enhance the customer journey from product discovery to purchase completion while delivering actionable insights to merchants. Entries should demonstrate how payment data is leveraged to improve targeting, attribution, and overall customer experience. The winning solution will showcase seamless commerce experiences, increased conversion rates, and revenue growth for participating retailers, along with innovative approaches to privacy and data management. Enter here.
23. Quantum Computing in Payments Security (New category)
This forward-looking award recognises pioneering efforts in applying quantum computing technologies to address the emerging security challenges in the payments industry. Entries may include quantum-resistant cryptography solutions, post-quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum random number generators for enhanced security, or research initiatives preparing payment systems for the post-quantum era. The judges will assess the innovation, practicality, and potential impact of the solutions in safeguarding payment systems against future threats. The winning entry will demonstrate thought leadership and a clear roadmap for implementation as quantum computing capabilities advance. Enter here.
24. Real-Time Payments Innovation (New category)
This award recognises exceptional innovation in real-time payment solutions that are reshaping the speed, efficiency, and reach of financial transactions. The judges will evaluate how entries are advancing instant payment capabilities, whether through new infrastructure, overlay services, or value-added features that enhance the utility of real-time payments. Submissions should demonstrate how the solution addresses friction points in traditional payment flows, improves liquidity management, and delivers tangible benefits to users. The winning entry will showcase impressive adoption metrics, innovative use cases, and the potential to drive broader industry transformation. Enter here.
25. Embedded Finance and Open Banking Award (New category)
This award celebrates the most impactful and innovative projects that seamlessly integrate lending and other financial services into non-financial products, platforms, or ecosystems. Entrants should demonstrate how they leverage partnerships, APIs, Open Banking, and technology to embed financial products, including lending, payments, or insurance, into consumer or business applications and marketplaces. Judges will evaluate the level of integration, technology innovation, speed of authentication and approval, scalability, user adoption, reach across the lending market, business impact, and potential for disruption or transformation within the industry. This category recognises initiatives that provide new and innovative ways to access finance and enhance the customer experience through embedded financial solutions. Enter here.
Sustainability and Social Impact
26. Sustainable Payments Award
Environmental and Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) are becoming increasingly important to financial institutions. This category recognises businesses who have a clear and well-developed ESG strategy and have successfully embedded payments within the process or payments businesses who can demonstrate how their strategy is making a positive impact in any of the E,S,G pillars, particularly when supported by technology. Judges are looking for evidence of how progress is being made against specific objectives such as net-zero, carbon offsetting, UN Sustainable Development Goals, social purpose, supply chain transparency goals and more. Entries should include a case study of a live initiative or programme as well as supporting data/evidence of its impact. Enter here.
27. Social Inclusion Project of the Year
This category seeks to recognise payments technology designed for social good – from contactless payment tools for buskers to corporate responsibility projects in the office. The judges will be looking for evidence of how the project succeeded in its goals, what practical changes were made, and who exactly it helped. Enter here.
28. Accessibility in Payments Award (New category)
This award celebrates organisations that have made exceptional efforts to ensure payment solutions are accessible to users of all abilities. The judges will be looking for innovations that remove barriers for individuals with visual, hearing, cognitive, or motor impairments, as well as solutions that address the needs of elderly users or those with limited technological literacy. Entries should demonstrate how inclusive design principles have been integrated into payment systems, interfaces, or customer journeys. The winning solution will showcase measurable improvements in accessibility, user satisfaction metrics, and commitment to universal financial inclusion. Enter here.
Business finance management
29.Payments Startup of the Year
This award will recognise a visionary startup (launched three years ago or less) with a payments product or service which is set to, or has recently had, a significant impact on the sector. Companies should detail why they are ones to watch, successes to date and how they are changing the way that that payments are being made. We welcome entries from every area of the payments sector. Enter here.
30.Payment Technology Provider of the Year (SME)
This award will recognise a technology vendor who has excelled in its field, implementing innovative cards and payments technology in organisations during the past year. The judges will be looking for evidence of how the deployment of this company’s technology has led to an improvement in the overall efficiency of its clients’ operations. Companies eligible for this award must meet the UK government’s recognised description of an SME – any organisation that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than €50 million or a balance sheet total less than €43 million. Enter here.
31.Payment Technology Provider of the Year (Large Enterprise)
This award will recognise a technology vendor who has excelled in its field, implementing innovative cards and payments technology in organisations during the past year. The judges will be looking for evidence of how the deployment of this company’s technology has led to an improvement in the overall efficiency of its clients’ operations such as the demonstrable role of merchant acquirers. Companies entering this award should meet the UK government's recognised description of a large enterprise – companies with more than 250 employees and a turnover of more than €50 million or a balance sheet total more than €43 million. Enter here.
32.Corporate Treasury Management Solution of the Year (New category)
This award recognises excellence in treasury management solutions that help organisations optimise cash flow, manage liquidity and mitigate financial risks. The judges will be looking for platforms that streamline treasury operations through automation, real-time visibility and advanced forecasting capabilities. Entries should demonstrate how the solution improves working capital management, enhances investment strategies or provides better control over foreign exchange exposure. The winning entry will showcase measurable improvements in treasury efficiency, cost savings and strategic financial decision-making for corporate clients. Enter here.
33. Accounts Payable/Receivable Automation Platform of the Year (New category)
This award celebrates innovation in automating and optimising the accounts payable and receivable processes. The judges will assess how effectively the solution streamlines invoice processing, payment approvals, supplier management and collections. Entries should highlight features such as intelligent document capture, seamless integration with existing systems, automated reconciliation and enhanced visibility across the payment lifecycle. The winning platform will demonstrate significant improvements in processing speed, accuracy, cost reduction and cash flow management, while providing valuable analytics for financial planning and supplier relationships. Enter here.
34. Business Expense Management Platform of the Year (New category)
This award recognises platforms that excel in simplifying and controlling business expense management. The judges will evaluate how the solution captures, processes and analyses business expenses whilst ensuring policy compliance and reducing administrative burden. Entries should showcase mobile capabilities, integration with payment cards, automated receipt capture, approval workflows and reporting functionalities. The winning solution will demonstrate measurable improvements in expense processing efficiency, policy compliance, cost control and employee satisfaction through a user-friendly experience. Enter here.
35.Small Business Financial Management Platform of the Year (New category)
This award honours platforms specifically designed to address the unique financial management needs of small businesses and sole traders. The judges will assess how the solution helps small businesses manage cash flow, invoicing, tax compliance and financial planning without requiring extensive financial expertise. Entries should highlight intuitive interfaces, integration with banking and payment systems, automated bookkeeping features and accessible financial insights. The winning platform will demonstrate how it empowers small business owners to make informed financial decisions, save time on administrative tasks and improve their overall financial health. Enter here.
Money Management Platforms
36. Financial Data Intelligence Platform of the Year (New category)
This award recognises platforms that excel at transforming financial data, including payments data, into actionable insights for consumers, businesses, or financial institutions. The judges will assess how the solution aggregates, analyses, and visualises financial information to drive better payment-related decision-making, financial wellness, or business performance. Entries should demonstrate innovation in data collection, integration, and analytical methods. The winning platform will showcase measurable impact through improved payment outcomes, user engagement, and innovative features. Enter here.
37. Personal Financial Wellness Platform of the Year (New category)
This award recognises platforms that empower consumers to improve their financial health through innovative payment management tools and insights. The judges will evaluate how the solution facilitates better financial decisions by enabling users to manage spending across payment methods, track transactions, and optimise payment flows. Entries should demonstrate features such as personalised spending analysis, automated bill payments, smart budgeting tools linked to payment accounts, and insights into the impact of payment choices on financial wellness. The winning platform will showcase measurable improvements in users' financial behaviours, engagement metrics, and overall financial wellbeing through innovative and intuitive payment-focused tools. Enter here.
38. Investment and Wealth Management Platform of the Year (New category)
This award celebrates platforms that enhance investment and wealth management for retail customers through innovative payment solutions. The judges will assess how the solution simplifies funding, transactions, and withdrawals, making investing more accessible through features such as seamless account linking, diverse payment method integration, and automated investment flows. Entries should highlight how the platform leverages payments technology to improve user experience, security, and efficiency in investment activities. The winning platform will demonstrate how it has successfully attracted and retained investors by providing seamless and secure payment capabilities within its investment services. Enter here.
Individual Recognition
39.Women in PayTech Award (New category)
This award celebrates a woman who has made exceptional contributions to innovation, leadership or mentorship in the payments technology sector. The judges will consider the nominee's professional achievements, influence on product development, business growth or industry advancement, as well as efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within the payments ecosystem. Entries should highlight specific examples of the individual's impact, challenges overcome and initiatives to support other women in the industry. The winning nominee will exemplify excellence in her field. Enter here.
40.Payments Rising Star Award (New category)
This award recognises an exceptional young professional (under 35) who has already made a significant impact on the payments industry. The judges will consider the nominee's contributions to innovation, problem-solving, and thought leadership in their organisation and the wider payments ecosystem. Entries should highlight specific achievements, initiatives led, and the individual's potential to shape the future of payments. The winning individual will demonstrate a combination of technical expertise, business acumen, and a forward-thinking approach that sets them apart as a future industry leader. Enter here.
41.Payments Leadership Award (New category)
This award recognises an individual's outstanding contributions and leadership within the payments industry. The judges will evaluate the nominee's strategic vision, influence on the payments landscape, and impact on innovation, transformation, or growth. Entries should highlight the individual's role in successful project and strategy implementation, their contributions to the advancement of the payments sector over recent years, and their ability to navigate industry challenges. The winning nominee will exemplify exceptional leadership and a sustained commitment to shaping the future of payments. Enter here.
