TrueLayer Acquires Dutch FinTech in3 to Bring Credit to Pay by Bank

TrueLayer, Europe's leading Pay by Bank network, has acquired in3, a Dutch fintech specialising in consumer credit delivered through bank payments. The deal makes TrueLayer the only Pay by Bank network in Europe to offer both debit and credit at checkout, allowing consumers to choose immediate payment or payment over time through the same Pay by Bank experience.

Founded in the Netherlands, in3 is a Buy Now Pay Later provider serving millions of consumers and thousands of merchants. Unlike traditional BNPL providers built on card infrastructure, in3 developed a fair, transparent credit model designed specifically for account-to-account payments. in3 will continue operating from the Netherlands while its technology and products are integrated into the TrueLayer platform. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Until this announcement, Pay by Bank focused on instant debit payments. TrueLayer's expansion into credit provides merchants and consumers an alternative to cards and card-dependent credit products. Buy Now Pay Later will launch first, with longer-duration credit products following later in 2026.

Challenging card rails at checkout

Europe's online checkout has historically offered two options: card payment or card-based borrowing. That limitation carries significant costs. Merchants face high card acceptance fees, multi-day settlement delays, and absorb billions in chargeback fraud. Chargebacks are projected to occur 281 million times globally this year, with up to 70 percent representing fraudulent claims, equating to over $33.8 billion in disputed transactions.

TrueLayer's model replaces card networks entirely, delivering credit through secure payments directly from consumer bank accounts, authenticated at the point of transaction, with transparent pricing and no hidden fees.

The acquisition comes amid heightened focus on European dependence on US financial infrastructure. US card payment networks process 95 percent of UK card transactions and similar majorities across Europe. Pay by Bank is growing rapidly, with these transactions now representing up to 17 percent of European ecommerce transaction value. Recent adoption by Amazon and eBay demonstrates mainstream acceptance.

"Pay by Bank has successfully challenged card dominance for years. Today we achieve for credit what we accomplished for debit. Consumers can now choose instant or flexible payment directly from bank accounts through the familiar Pay by Bank experience. With in3's team and credit expertise, we have the people, network and products to build a truly independent European payments alternative."

- Francesco Simoneschi, CEO and co-founder of TrueLayer

TrueLayer brings credit into an existing payments network rather than launching a standalone product. That network reaches more than 25 million consumers across 22 countries and processes over $150 billion in annualised payment volume. Real-time financial data and payment intelligence enable faster credit decisions, quicker merchant onboarding, and transparent consumer pricing.

"We created in3 because consumers deserved genuinely fair, simple and transparent credit. TrueLayer's network provides the infrastructure to reach millions across Europe. Together, we offer instant payments and flexible credit in a single checkout experience."

- Hans Langenhuizen, CEO of in3

For merchants, offering flexible credit at checkout increases order values by 20 percent and boosts conversion rates by 20 to 30 percent. Traditional card-based credit solutions often transfer the customer relationship to third-party providers at the critical purchase moment. TrueLayer's approach gives merchants greater ownership, enabling debit and credit offerings through a single integration while maintaining direct customer engagement.

The acquisition follows TrueLayer's October 2025 purchase of Swedish paytech Zimpler and reflects broader UK fintech consolidation in Europe. It also precedes the first wave of FCA regulation for UK deferred payment credit, effective 15 July 2026.

About TrueLayer

TrueLayer, based in London and founded in 2016 by Francesco Simoneschi and Luca Martinetti, is Europe's fastest growing payments network and Pay by Bank leader. The company combines real-time bank payments with financial and identity data to enable smarter, safer and faster online payments. Businesses use TrueLayer products to onboard users, accept money and process payouts in seconds at scale. Operating across 22 countries, more than 30 million users trust the platform for transaction processing.