Category: News

We’re rolling out two new membership tiers and two new features – giving customers more flexibility, more rewards and more control over their spending than ever before.

Today we’re announcing our most significant product expansion since launch. Two new membership tiers, a new way to spread the cost of bigger purchases, and a smarter way to access your salary before it arrives. Here’s everything you need to know.

Why now?

Our Credit Confidence Study of over 10,000 UK adults found that 45% of consumers want rewards and savings from their credit products, and 47% want those products to help them manage their spending. The new products we’re launching today are a direct answer to that – more of the rewards and flexibility consumers want with transparency and control.

New membership tiers: Extra and Plus

Our new membership tiers give customers more value every time they spend. Members earn more rewards on everyday purchases, unlock priority customer support and, for eligible members, access to Zilch Advance.

Zilch Extra
Extra turns a simple Open Banking connection into something more useful – sharper offers, real spending insights, and rewards that work wherever you shop. Learn more about Zilch Extra.

Zilch Plus
Plus pays members up to 6% back in rewards when using debit, and up to 1% when using credit – with the best rates unlocked simply by enabling your Zilch card in the app before checkout. Learn more about Zilch Plus.

Zilch Advance

Zilch Advance uses AI-enabled open banking and income verification to give eligible customers access to up to £100 of their salary up to seven days before it arrives, repaid automatically when their income lands.

It’s a flexible tool for customers who want more control over when they access their money. The advance operates within a customer’s existing, fully regulated Zilch credit agreement, with no separate application or product to manage. Fees apply.

Learn more about Advance here.

Pay Monthly

Pay Monthly expands the options for customers who want to spread the cost of purchases over time, with more flexibility for bigger purchases over three, six or 12 months. Fees are shown upfront with no surprises at checkout.

It’s designed for customers as an alternative to high-interest credit cards or personal loans. Like all Zilch credit products, Pay Monthly operates within a customer’s existing regulated credit agreement. Learn more about Pay Monthly here.

Rolling out now

Pay Monthly, Advance and the new membership tiers are being rolled out progressively across Zilch’s user base over the coming months. Get in touch with our customer service team if you have any questions.

Zilch has been accepted as a participant in the Financial Conduct Authority’s Scale-Up Unit, becoming one of the first consumer fintechs to join the programme.

The FCA’s Scale-Up Unit is a programme designed to support high-growth regulated firms as they scale, and our acceptance is a significant milestone for Zilch.

It also reflects the progress we’ve made since our early days in the FCA’s Regulatory Sandbox. We’re proud to be collaborating with the FCA again as one of the first consumer fintechs accepted into this framework.

What is the FCA Scale-Up Unit?

The Scale-Up Unit was launched by the Chancellor as part of the UK Government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. It forms a core part of the FCA’s Strategy 2025-2030, which sets out a mandate to deliver growth and rebalance risk across the UK’s financial services ecosystem.

The programme is designed to provide fast-growing firms with dedicated regulatory resource to support their growth ambitions. For Zilch, that includes support for our next wave of product innovation as we continue to build new tools and services for our customers.

The UK is home to approximately 25 active fintech unicorns with a combined valuation of over £121bn, and remains second only to the US in terms of fintech investment. The Scale-Up Unit is part of the FCA’s commitment to ensuring that position is maintained.

What it means for Zilch

As a solo-regulated consumer credit fintech, Zilch is among the first companies of its kind to be accepted into the programme – a reflection of the scale we’ve reached and the regulatory maturity we’ve built.

This sits alongside a period of significant momentum for Zilch. We’ve raised $175m to accelerate our growth, launched Intelligent Commerce – our AI-powered data intelligence platform connecting retailers with our highly engaged customer base – and acquired Fjord Bank to lay the foundations for our European expansion.

Towards the end of 2025 we also further cemented our position as a trusted leader within the UK market by securing a payments services licence from the FCA.

Philip Belamant, CEO and Co-Founder of Zilch, said:

“We’ve never shied away from engaging with regulation and found that leaning into it has been to our benefit at Zilch.

“We’ve been on a journey with the FCA since our early days in the Regulatory Sandbox and are now pleased to be collaborating with them again at this stage of our growth. As one of the first consumer fintechs to join the Scale-Up Unit, we see it as both a recognition of what we’ve built and an opportunity to help shape how regulation evolves for companies like ours.”

Jessica Rusu, Chief Data Information and Innovation Officer at the FCA, said:

“High-growth firms play a vital role in driving economic growth across the UK. We want the UK to remain one of the best places in the world to start, grow and scale a financial services business. That’s why we’re supporting ambitious firms as they scale, helping them navigate regulation and innovate with confidence.”

Zilch is proud to announce its latest football partnership with Cardiff City FC, becoming the club’s Official Way to Pay and Shorts Sponsor.

Last year when we made our first move in football sponsorship, becoming Arsenal’s Official Way to Pay, we made a promise. Not just to put our logo everywhere, but to create experiences that supporters genuinely wanted to be part of – and to use our product to give fans real, tangible value. Last season, Zilch became Arsenal FC’s Official Way to Pay, focused from day one on giving supporters genuine value – from matchday discounts and exclusive player access to activations that put free merchandise directly into fans’ hands.

The response showed us something important: when a brand stops acting like a sponsor and starts genuinely showing up for supporters, fans notice.

Today, we’re bringing that same thinking to Cardiff City.

We’re proud to be partnering with the Bluebirds, who are on an upward trajectory after promotion to the Championship last season. Cardiff is a proud, one-club city with a fiercely loyal fanbase, a distinct identity, and deep community roots. It’s exactly the kind of club the Zilch sponsorship model was built for.

What it means for Cardiff City fans

Cardiff supporters will receive 10% off all stadium and in-store purchases (including food and drink) when they pay with Zilch, whether using our debit or credit products. Click here to learn more.

Beyond the discount, supporters can also look forward to exclusive player access, season-long ticket and experience giveaways, and activations designed around one simple principle – giving something meaningful back to the fans.

Make sure you’re following us on Instagram for the latest fan activations and Zilch x Cardiff content.

Kirsty Spickett, Chief Marketing Officer at Zilch, said:

“Arsenal showed us what’s possible when you put fans genuinely at the centre of a partnership. Cardiff City gives us the chance to prove that the same approach works in another football environment – one with just as much passion, loyalty and community spirit. We can’t wait to get started and show what that looks like for Bluebirds supporters.”

Ken Choo, Executive Director & CEO at Cardiff City FC, said:

“We’re thrilled to welcome Zilch to the Cardiff City family as our Official Way to Pay and Shorts Sponsor for the upcoming season. Our supporters are at the heart of everything we do, so partnering with a brand that shares our commitment to delivering real value to our fans was a natural choice.

“From stadium discounts to unique matchday experiences, this partnership ensures our passionate fanbase reaps direct benefits throughout the 2026/27 campaign. We look forward to working closely with Zilch to make this a memorable season both on and off the pitch.”

Mike Spear, Chairman of Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust, said:

“The cost of going to football is an ongoing concern for supporters. Any initiative that reduces what it costs City fans attending games has to be a good thing. We at the CCST support the initiative Zilch is delivering this season – it’s a great gesture that I am sure will be well-received.”

For the third consecutive year, Zilch has been recognised by CNBC and Statista as one of the world’s top fintech companies – a reflection of our continued growth and the momentum behind what we’re building.

Zilch features in the Payments category, assessed against a combination of overarching and market-specific fintech KPIs across the global fintech landscape.

In one of the most crowded and fast-moving verticals in financial services, we’re proud to be consistently recognised among the best.

A year of significant progress

Since last year’s recognition, a lot has changed and a lot has been built.

We raised $175m to accelerate our growth, launched Intelligent Commerce – our AI-powered data intelligence platform connecting retailers with our highly engaged customer base – and acquired Fjord Bank to lay the foundations for our European expansion.

Each of these moves reflects our ambition to build something that goes well beyond payments.

This recognition from CNBC follows Zilch being named the fastest-growing fintech unicorn in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 EMEA, as well as a top 5 fastest-growing $1bn tech company in the Sunday Times Tech 100.

Philip Belamant, Zilch CEO & Co-Founder, said:

“Three consecutive years on this CNBC list is a real testament to the team we’ve built and the product we’ve created. We set out to give people a genuinely better way to pay and spend – and the recognition we’re seeing across the board tells us we’re on the right track. And with everything we have in the pipeline, we’re only just getting started.”

View the full CNBC list here.

A new partnership with Rezolve Ai’s Reward platform brings more leading UK brands onto our Intelligent Commerce product – giving customers more places to pay flexibly, and retailers a smarter way to reach them.

Great payment experiences aren’t just about how you pay. They’re about the value you get from every transaction and the brands you can access along the way. 

That’s the thinking behind our new partnership with Rezolve Ai, a global leader in AI-powered commerce and engagement. By connecting with Rezolve’s Reward platform, we’re bringing more of the UK’s leading retailers onto Intelligent Commerce – giving Zilch customers even more places to pay flexibly and fee-free, both in-store and online. 

What this means for customers

More choice, more value. The partnership expands the range of retailers where customers can use Zilch’s flexible, fee-free ways to pay – across both in-store and online journeys. 

What this means for retailers

Intelligent Commerce is Zilch’s AI-powered data intelligence platform. Powered by our first-party spend data, it gives retailers real-time insight into customer behaviour for precision targeting, plus a genuine competitive edge – consumers get ‘Pay over 3 months’ completely free, funded by the partnership, and our ranking promotes their brand above competitors across the Zilch network.

The results speak for themselves.  

Brands working with the platform have reported a 20–50% increase in return on ad spend and significant sales growth since launch. This partnership opens up a new channel for brands looking to reach one of the UK’s most rapidly growing and highly engaged payments audiences. 

Why it matters

The partnership reflects a growing demand for payment experiences that deliver genuine value for consumers, while giving retailers new ways to connect with high-intent customers. It’s another step in building the intelligent commerce infrastructure that sits at the intersection of payments, banking and retail. 

Andreas Andreou, Chief Revenue Officer at Zilch, said:  

“Our focus has always been on giving customers more from their everyday spending by offering more flexible ways to pay and more value from every transaction. This partnership with Reward significantly expands the range of retailers our customers can access subsidised credit in-store and online through Zilch. It also brings more great brands onto Intelligent Commerce, where we can help them connect with our highly engaged customer base in the most effective way.” 

Daniel M. Wagner, CEO and Chairman of Rezolve Ai, said:  

“Zilch is exactly the kind of high-engagement payments platform that demonstrates the power of Reward within the Rezolve Ai ecosystem. By bringing personalised retailer offers into the payments journey, we are helping connect consumers, merchants and payment providers in a way that creates measurable value for all three.” 

James House, CEO of Reward, said:  

“We’re continuing to evolve our Finance Media Network by giving brands more ways to connect with customers through trusted financial experiences. Bringing the Reward platform into the Zilch ecosystem extends the reach of our retailer network into a new payments audience, helping brands diversify how they engage customers while delivering measurable sales growth.” 

The new FCA rules for Buy Now Pay Later aren’t the end of the story. They’re the first proof point in a much bigger shift.

What’s changing?

From 15 July 2026, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers in the UK come under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation for the first time – introducing new consumer protections, affordability checks and clearer standards across the sector. 

The introduction of FCA regulation for BNPL providers will rightly be seen as a landmark moment for the sector. Much of the debate will focus on compliance, consumer protections and which firms are best prepared for the new regime. There is, however, a bigger story.

These new rules should not be viewed as the culmination of the BNPL journey. They are the first proof point in a much broader transition: one in which trust becomes the foundation of the next era of commerce.

The first era of fintech was defined by removing friction. Payments became faster, credit became more accessible and financial services became seamlessly embedded into everyday life. Success was measured by convenience. Now, we’re seeing regulation catch up, providing consumers with the protections they always deserved.

In parallel, we’re entering the dawn of a new era of fintech and commerce – one that presents a different challenge. AI agents that can search, compare and transact on a consumer’s behalf are no longer theoretical; they are already being built.

As AI evolves from an assistant into an autonomous agent – capable of discovering products, comparing prices, managing subscriptions and ultimately making purchases on a consumer’s behalf – convenience alone will no longer be enough. The defining question becomes whether consumers trust the systems making those decisions.

Trust begins with transparency

Our new Credit Confidence study has found that nearly a third of credit users find credit agreements difficult to understand, while only one in ten say their credit makes them feel genuinely in control. If consumers already struggle to understand the financial products they choose for themselves, how can they be expected to confidently delegate those choices to an AI agent? 

As financial decisions become increasingly automated, transparency, accountability and consumer protection become prerequisites for innovation, not obstacles to it. 

Viewed through this lens, the BNPL regulations coming into force this month are about far more than one payment product. They establish principles that will underpin the future of AI-enabled financial services. Innovation and regulation are not opposing forces; regulation creates the confidence that allows innovation to scale. 

Trust also creates intelligence

The most effective AI systems are built on rich, proprietary data, but that data cannot simply be collected. It must be earned. Consumers share more meaningful data only when they believe it will be used responsibly and deliver genuine value in return. 

Trust therefore becomes a strategic asset. It lets businesses build smarter payment experiences – ones that understand what customers want, delivering more personal outcomes. Over time, those same capabilities will underpin agentic commerce, where AI acts on a consumer’s behalf within parameters they understand and control. 

The trust flywheel

This creates a powerful flywheel. Transparency builds trust, trust encourages customers to share richer data, richer data enables more intelligent products, and better customer outcomes reinforce trust. Companies that understand this will be best placed to lead the next era of fintech innovation. 

For firms that have invested in governance, responsible lending, and transparency from the outset, the introduction of BNPL regulation is not a moment of disruption but one of validation.  

This is the ground Zilch was built on. As a fully FCA-regulated credit provider, these principles have shaped how we operate from day one. 

In the age of AI, trust is no longer just a regulatory goal – it is the operating system for commerce itself. 

The winners will not simply build the smartest AI. They will build the financial platforms that consumers trust enough to share their data with and, ultimately, trust enough to let AI act on their behalf. 

Zilch Credit Confidence research methodology

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 10,940 UK adults, of which 6,612 use credit. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7–13 April 2026.

Today we’re revealing the first findings from our brand new research, the Zilch Credit Confidence study, which finds that millions of Brits are using credit more strategically than ever – not out of desperation, but to get more from every pound they spend.

Ask someone why they use credit and you might expect answers like “I couldn’t afford it otherwise” or “it was an emergency”.  But something has quietly shifted in the way Britain uses credit. Our new Credit Confidence study, which surveyed over 10,000 UK adults and more than 6,600 credit users with YouGov, puts numbers to a change that many of us have already felt. 

More than half of credit users (52%) surveyed now say they use credit primarily as a financial tool. Just 19% say they rely on it out of necessity. 

That’s a significant shift, and it changes what we should expect from credit products. 

Credit is showing up everywhere – and rewards are part of the reason 

Credit is no longer something people only reach for when buying a car or booking a holiday. It’s woven into everyday life – the weekly shop, filling the car up, dinner out.  

More than a third of UK credit users (36%) use it for clothing and a third (33%) for their weekly food shop, with fuel (28%) and dining out/takeaways (29%) not far behind. 

But the most revealing finding is the reason why – of those using credit for their grocery shop, 44% say the primary motivation is to earn rewards or points, compared to just 23% who say it’s a necessity. The same pattern holds for fuel (47% rewards vs 17% necessity) and dining out (43% rewards vs 14% necessity).   

Far from being a financial lifeline, credit has become a tool millions of Brits are actively using to get more value from the money they spend every day. 

Credit use is becoming more strategic, but a knowledge gap is emerging 

Another interesting finding from the Study is that most people feel good about how they use credit.  

Despite that self-assurance, a persistent knowledge gap is emerging. Nearly a third (32%) say credit agreements are difficult to understand, and over a quarter (27%) admit they don’t know how long it would take to repay their balances. 

The gaps are especially pronounced among the people who are using credit the most. Women are more likely than men to find credit agreements difficult to understand (36% vs 28%). And 37% of 18 to 34-year-olds – the highest-growth credit demographic – struggle with the same. 

Credit products need to keep up 

So while consumers are using credit more strategically, with more intention and more ambition, many of the products that dominate the UK credit market were designed for outdated consumer behaviours, and don’t help consumers manage, understand, and enhance their everyday use of credit. 

When we asked people what they want from credit, the answer was clear – and it goes well beyond access to borrowing. 

Only 28% say that simple access to borrowing is sufficient. Almost everyone else wants more – tools to manage spending, rewards for using credit, and features that build their financial confidence over time. Yet only 10% say that using credit currently makes them feel empowered and in control. 

These evolving expectations move credit from being a product designed for its traditional use of larger-scale borrowing and as a last resort, to a tool that needs to finance, optimise and reward different kinds of transactions. 

What better looks like 

Flexible payment options (32%), membership perks (27%), and discounts at partner retailers (24%) are some of the features most likely to drive adoption of a new credit product, according to our latest research.  

Philip Belamant, Zilch Co-Founder and CEO, said:

“How we use credit has changed. It’s no longer something people use occasionally for big purchases and as a final option, but a tool that millions of people are attempting to use strategically to get more value from their spending. While the market has broadly accepted this expanded role for credit, it hasn’t been revolutionised yet and too many products are still built for borrower habits that no longer serve many credit users.

“At Zilch, we’ve built our platform around how people actually spend today. It’s one place to manage your spending, giving you flexible ways to pay and rewards in real-time, with embedded smart tools that simplify decisions and keep you in control.

“With almost six million customers, many of whom use Zilch every day, our model is testament to what can be achieved when credit is designed with the consumer front of mind.” 

Our new Credit Confidence study makes it clear that the way Britain uses credit has moved on. The products need to follow suit.  

Look out for more findings from the Credit Confidence study on our channels in the coming weeks.

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Methodology

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 10,940 UK adults, of which 6,612 use credit. Fieldwork was undertaken between 7-13 April 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). 

We’re excited to announce a major board appointment at Zilch.

Dame Clare Barclay DBE has joined our Board of Directors from her role as President of Enterprise and Industry for EMEA at Microsoft – a role spanning 120 markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa – having previously served as CEO of Microsoft UK. 

She brings a 27-year career at Microsoft building and scaling technology businesses across European markets, with deep expertise in AI, enterprise partnerships and digital transformation across financial services, retail and telecommunications.  

She also serves as the Chair for the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council for the UK Government and was awarded a Damehood in 2025 for services to business, technology and leadership. 

The appointment comes as Zilch enters its most ambitious phase of growth, with the agreed acquisition of Fjord Bank (a regulated European bank) marking the foundation of its European expansion. It also follows the recent appointment of Florence Quirici as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, reflecting Zilch’s investment in the senior leadership needed to support its next chapter of growth. 

Dame Clare’s experience scaling technology across regulated European markets, embedding AI into commercial operations and building enterprise partnerships maps directly onto what this expansion will require – navigating complex regulatory environments, building institutional partnerships at scale and driving AI adoption across industries are precisely the capabilities that have defined her career at Microsoft. 

Philip Belamant, Co-Founder and CEO of Zilch, said:

“Clare has spent over two decades at a global leader, scaling technology across numerous markets at the highest level – building partnerships with some of the world’s most complex organisations, embedding AI into industries that were resistant to change, and doing so across markets with very different regulatory and commercial environments. That is exactly the experience we need on our board as we extend Zilch’s model beyond the UK and we are incredibly fortunate to have someone of her calibre join us for this next chapter.” 

Dame Clare Barclay DBE said: 

“I’m excited to join the board of Zilch at this pivotal stage in their international expansion. In just seven years, under Philip’s leadership, the team has built one of the UK’s fastest‑growing fintech businesses by harnessing technology and AI to tackle a challenge that affects millions every day. 

“What drew me to Zilch is the rare combination of exceptional people, deep customer focus and a mission grounded in technology with purpose – solving a problem at scale that will improve the financial outcomes for consumers. I look forward to working with the board to help accelerate this next chapter of growth and impact.” 

We’re excited to launch a World Cup promotion giving England fans the chance to claim a free limited-edition scarf – designed by content creator and comedian Chunkz – every time the Three Lions keep a clean sheet this summer.

Each time England concede Zilch goals, 1,000 scarves will be released on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can claim theirs at zilch.com/englandcleansheets at full time. 

Watch the campaign launch video with Chunkz on Instagram here. 

The promotion builds on our hugely popular Clean Sheets campaign with Arsenal. Last season we gave away 500 official Arsenal scarves every time the Gunners kept a clean sheet – with more than 6,500 scarves claimed in total, over 500,000 unique visitors to the Clean Sheets platform, and millions of campaign views. 

Kirsty Spickett, Chief Marketing Officer at Zilch, said:

“Clean Sheets became one of the most exciting activations we’ve ever run – the response exceeded anything we expected. The fastest drop sold out in just 36 seconds, and Arsenal described it as the club’s most engaged-with fan campaign of the season.  

“Bringing that energy to the World Cup felt like a natural next step. Every time England keep a clean sheet this summer, we want fans to feel that moment, and we’ve loved working with Chunkz on the campaign.” 

We’re proud to announce that Zilch has once again been included in Deloitte’s EMEA Technology Fast 500, marking our second consecutive year in the ranking.

With a revenue growth rate of 940%, Zilch is recognised as the:

• Fastest-growing fintech unicorn in the EMEA region
• 2nd fastest-growing unicorn technology company in the UK
• 3rd among all $1bn+ unicorns in the overall ranking

This recognition reflects the continued trust of our nearly 6 million customers and the work of everyone at Zilch to build a payments platform that gives consumers more flexible and rewarding ways to spend.

Thank you to our team, customers, partners, and investors for their continued support.

View the full Deloitte Technology Fast 500 rankings here.