Trustly and Virgin Media O2 Team Up to Transform Payments with Innovative Bank-Based Payment Methods
In a significant move for the UK's digital payments landscape, Trustly and Virgin Media O2 have joined forces to provide next-generation Pay by Bank services. The partnership, announced in late July 2025, aims to integrate Trustly’s advanced open banking technology into Virgin Media O2’s digital platforms.
The integration will enable direct debit account automation and seamless one-off Pay by Bank payments for VMO2 customers. This collaboration is expected to streamline payment and onboarding processes, making them faster, safer, and more user-friendly.
Virgin Media O2, a major UK telecommunications company, has been at the forefront of eCommerce digital payment solutions. Following the successful launch of digital wallets for recurring contract payments in 2024, the first service of its kind in the UK telecoms sector, VMO2 remains committed to innovation in payments.
The partnership underscores VMO2's position at the forefront of eCommerce innovation in the payments space. With over 60% uptake among eligible users in the 2023 direct debit account automation pilot, VMO2 is the first UK telecommunications company to invest in Open Banking.
Trustly, a leading provider of open banking payments, has existing partnerships with leading UK companies like Hargreaves Lansdown and government departments such as HMRC. The company has also partnered with Virgin Media O2, marking a continued focus on the UK market for the company.
As of March 2025, there were 13.3 million active Open Banking users in the UK. One fifth of consumers and businesses in the UK now use Open Banking, up from one in 17 in March 2021. One-off Pay by Bank payments will help simplify payment processes for customers by enabling a seamless connection to their bank account using Open Banking services from Trustly.
The partnership will simplify onboarding processes for Virgin Media O2 customers, delivering a faster, safer, and more seamless payment experience. Johan Tjärnberg, Group CEO at Trustly, has expressed his pleasure about the partnership with Virgin Media O2, calling it a meaningful advancement in the adoption of Pay by Bank solutions in the UK.
Trustly's technology will be integrated into Virgin Media O2's digital estate in the coming months. The partnership with Virgin Media O2 is a significant step for Trustly, expecting to process over $100 billion in transaction value in 2024, demonstrating their robust capabilities and growth in global pay-by-bank adoption.
Virgin Media O2 remains a leader in digital payments innovation and eCommerce within the telecommunications sector. The partnership will provide Virgin Media O2 customers with quick and secure ways to sign up for services, offering users a secure, fast, and new way to sign up for VMO2 services.
In conclusion, the Trustly and Virgin Media O2 partnership is actively progressing towards launching enhanced Pay by Bank solutions, improving payment convenience and security for UK consumers. The full rollout is still underway as of August 2025.
[1] Trustly Partners with Virgin Media O2 to Revolutionize Payments in the UK, Trustly Press Release, July 2025. [2] Virgin Media O2 Partners with Trustly to Streamline Payments and Onboarding, Virgin Media O2 Press Release, July 2025. [3] UK Government Pushes for Account-to-Account Payments Adoption, UK Government Press Release, March 2025. [4] Open Banking Adoption Skyrockets in the UK, Open Banking UK Press Release, March 2025. [5] Trustly Anticipates $100 Billion in Transaction Value in 2024, Trustly Press Release, December 2024.
This collaboration between Trustly and Virgin Media O2, as stated in the press releases from July 2025, aims to revolutionize digital payments by integrating Trustly’s advanced open banking technology into Virgin Media O2’s digital platforms, focusing on finance, business, and technology. The ultimate goal is to streamline payment and onboarding processes, making them faster, safer, and more user-friendly, particularly with regards to Pay by Bank services. This strategic partnership is a significant step for Trustly in the UK market, anticipating to process over $100 billion in transaction value in 2024.
