Category: News

Zilch named the fastest-growing UK private fintech valued at over $1bn

Achievement celebrated by Baroness Gustafsson CBE, Minister for Investment, and Brent Hoberman, Co-Founder and Chairman of Founders Forum Group, firstminute capital and Founders Factory

London, 27 March 2025 – Zilch, the fintech payments innovator of the world’s first ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN), has seen its undisputed position as the UK’s fastest-growing unicorn company confirmed in a Financial Times ranking of high-growth firms.

The FT1000 league table ranked Zilch the highest of the UK’s unicorns – private firms worth more than $1 billion. 

With a compound annual revenue growth rate of more than 300% over the past three years, Zilch was recognised as both the second-fastest growing UK company and second fastest-growing company in fintech or financial services across Europe. It was the fastest-growing unicorn business in both categories. 

The news follows the publication of the inaugural Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025 in January, which also ranked Zilch as the UK’s highest-growth unicorn, measured by average annual revenue growth over three years.

Last year, Zilch continued its rapid growth trajectory, doubling revenues year on year, breaking into profitability and achieving six months of operating profit. In January this year, the company generated run-rate revenue of £145 million.

Baroness Gustafsson CBE, Minister for Investment, said: “The UK has a thriving tech sector worth over $1 trillion, and more fintech unicorn companies than any other market in Europe, so I’m delighted that British companies including Zilch have been recognised as some of Europe’s fastest growing companies.

“With financial services and technology identified as key growth sectors in our upcoming Industrial Strategy, we are helping to deliver the long-term, stable growth that supports skilled jobs and raises living standards across the UK.”

Philip Belamant, CEO and Co-Founder of Zilch, said: “At Zilch, speed and innovation is core to our DNA. We’ve scaled revenue at an exceptional pace, reaching monthly operating profitability in under four years – a milestone that puts us in rare company. We’re relentlessly ambitious, and today with a £145m revenue run rate we remain incredibly steadfast in our pursuit of creating extraordinary value for our customers each time they pay – and we’re never done pushing for better.”

Brent Hoberman, Co-Founder and Chairman of Founders Forum Group, firstminute capital and Founders Factory – ranked by the Financial Times as the UK’s no1. start-up hub – said: “I’ve known Zilch and Philip for a long time, and I’ve seen firsthand how bold leadership and rapid execution can redefine an industry. Built from first principles and harnessing AI to address unmet needs in the trillion-dollar worlds of consumer credit and advertising, Zilch is helping shape the future and global reputation of UK fintech. What makes Zilch stand out isn’t just its innovation; it’s also its deep commitment to strengthening the UK’s world-leading tech ecosystem and empowering the next generation of founders. That’s a mission my team and I deeply align with.”

This quarter also marks a year since the launch of the  Unicorn Council for UK FinTech (UCFT), a coalition of UK-based fintech unicorn founders and CEOs seeking to accelerate and unlock growth in the UK fintech sector. Co-founded with Innovate Finance, with Philip as a founding Co-Chair, the UCFT continues to engage proactively with the UK Government around the policies that can truly help unlock a wave of liquidity, deals and investment in the UK. 

— ENDS —

 For more information

About Zilch

Zilch’s vision is to eliminate the high cost of consumer credit. For good.

Zilch is a multi-award-winning pioneer of the world’s first direct-to-consumer, ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN). Leveraging its unique, vertically integrated, first-party-data business model, Zilch sets itself apart from the incumbent fintech industry with a profitable global revenue source, bringing unrivalled value to customers and marketers alike. Today Zilch is revolutionising the $50 trillion advertising and payments industries by merging the very best of debit, credit, and savings.

Co-founded by Philip Belamant, Sean O’Connor, and Serge Belamant, Zilch provides millions of customers the freedom to go anywhere in the world (online or offline) and, when they pay, earn up to 5% cashback & rewards on debit payments (‘Pay Now’) or spread interest-free credit repayments over six weeks or three months. In the process, Zilch helps customers build their credit profiles with the major credit agencies. Within 44 months of launch in 2020, Zilch amassed more than 4 million registered customers.

  • As of January 2025, Zilch had surpassed 4.5 million customers, £145m revenue run rate and exceeded £3.6 billion in total sales to date for retailers. 
  • In October 2024, Zilch announced it had increased its securitised debt deal to £150m – with a total facility of £400m – led by Deutsche Bank and two of the world’s biggest funds, positioning Zilch to drive £10 billion in annual commerce for retailers.
  • In September 2024, four years after its public launch, Zilch announced that in July 2024 it had achieved first-month profitability in record time while surpassing £100 million of revenue run rate, keeping pace with European fintech giants like Revolut, Starling Bank, and Monzo.
  • In 2023, Zilch launched its proprietary ASPN service, which allows merchants worldwide instant connection with Zilch’s first-party-data, closed-loop network of millions of high-intent customers, while offering customers personalised savings, deals, and discounts codified to their habitual daily spend. 
  • In January 2023, Zilch struck a ground-breaking reporting agreement with the UK’s prime credit reference agencies, transforming the UK lending ecosystem by enabling all adults to build their credit records using interest-free credit rather than high-cost revolving credit products.
  • Since April 2020, Zilch has been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), obtaining a consumer credit licence through the Regulatory Sandbox Programme.

Driven by innovation and a commitment to excellence, Zilch is setting new benchmarks in the industry to create a more inclusive and efficient ecosystem, empowering millions of users to budget and manage their financial lives more effectively and transparently.For more information, visit: www.zilch.com.

Great news to start the year – Zilch has been recognised in the top five of the The Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025 list, ranking Britain’s fastest-growing still currently private software companies.

We are officially the UK’s top-performing unicorn, recording higher growth than any other private tech business valued at over $1 billion.

After six months of research, this first-ever list analysed and measured average annual revenue growth over the past three years, ranking Zilch as one of the UK’s most innovative and high-growth businesses.

As a UK-born and scaling company, a big thank you to The Times and News UK for championing innovation and supporting growth in the tech sector.

You can view the full list here: https://lnkd.in/dCyAjxMn.

Zilch has announced the launch of Zilch Travel, a white-label solution powered by  lastminute.com, the go-to provider of online travel and leisure services.

With Zilch figures showing a 140% YoY growth in Travel spending, Zilch’s millions of customers can now seamlessly search, book, pay for and earn rewards on holidays, hotels and flights, all in the palm of their hand using their virtual Zilch card.

Zilch Travel changes the game for customers, who can earn 3% rewards on every trip or spread flexible, regulated, interest-free payments over 6 weeks or 3 months – allowing them to travel and securely pay with confidence while building their credit profile.

London, 13 January 2025 – Zilch, the fintech payments innovator of the world’s first ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN), today announces the launch of Zilch Travel. This new partnership will make booking and paying for holidays easier and more rewarding. 

Powered by lastminute.com, the European Travel-Tech leader in Dynamic Holiday Packages, this new white-label partnership will enhance Zilch customers’ experience of seamlessly searching, booking and paying for holidays, hotels and flights in the Zilch app.  Customers can earn up to 3% back in rewards on their travel bookings or can opt to spread the cost of their trip with interest-free payments over six weeks or three months – always with complete transparency and no hidden fees.

Travel is one of the largest household expenses, yet it’s also a non-negotiable annual priority, and in 2024, it hit an all-time high. This surge has made travel a rapidly growing category for Zilch, with a remarkable 140% year-on-year growth as customers seek smarter, more flexible ways to fund their trips. Nearly half of families now book their travel plans 5 to 12 weeks before departure*, and Zilch Travel is perfectly positioned to meet this demand. By offering easy payment options to spread out the cost of large bookings and rewarding customers with perks they can use on their holidays, Zilch Travel ensures that planning the perfect getaway is both simple and rewarding.

Alessandro Petazzi, CEO of lastminute.com, said: “By investing in flexible financial solutions and leveraging our technology to enhance customers’ travel experience, we can unlock a world of possibilities for holidaymakers. We’re delighted to partner with one of the UK’s leading fintech companies by powering their new Zilch Travel service. 

This new offering will seamlessly combine lastminute.com’s cutting-edge platform for booking holiday packages, hotels, and flights with Zilch’s fantastic, flexible payment options. This will allow consumers to earn cashback rewards or spread the cost of their holiday purchases interest-free.

With more than twenty-five years of experience, we know that holidays are the one ring-fenced purchase everyone makes annually, this is why we will continue to invest in FinTech solutions and flexible payment options to enhance personalisation and empower people to pay on their terms.”

Philip Belamant, CEO and Co-Founder of Zilch, said: “Partnering with lastminute.com, a pioneer in online travel, marks an exciting step forward as we launch Zilch Travel. In 2025, travel is no longer a luxury – it’s a professional and family priority, with 84% of UK consumers exploring destinations at home or abroad, they’re spending over £72 billion on overseas holidays alone in 2023. Zilch Travel is designed to give our customers what they’ve been asking for, three years into an unprecedented cost-of-living squeeze: the convenience, security, and flexibility to design and pay for their trips seamlessly within the regulated app they trust to manage their money. 

This launch is another way we’re transforming everyday spending and broadening Zilch’s share of wallet, following the success of our Pay over 3 Months product for bigger-ticket purchases, which has already helped accelerate total sales on the Zilch platform to over £3.6 billion since launch and double our revenues for three years running.”

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*lastminute.com Travel Horizons family report 

For more information:

For any Press & Media enquiries: 

About Zilch

Zilch’s vision is to eliminate the high cost of consumer credit. For good.

Zilch is a multi-award-winning pioneer of the world’s first direct-to-consumer, ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN). Leveraging its unique, vertically integrated, first-party-data business model, Zilch sets itself apart from the incumbent fintech industry with a profitable global revenue source, bringing unrivalled value to customers and marketers alike. Today Zilch is revolutionising the $50 trillion advertising and payments industries by merging the very best of debit, credit, and savings.

Co-founded by Philip Belamant, Sean O’Connor, and Serge Belamant, Zilch provides millions of customers the freedom to go anywhere in the world (online or offline) and, when they pay, earn up to 5% cashback & rewards on debit payments (‘Pay Now’) or spread interest-free credit repayments over six weeks or three months. In the process, Zilch helps customers build their credit profiles with the major credit agencies. Within 44 months of launch in 2020, Zilch amassed more than 4 million registered customers.

  • As of January 2025, Zilch had surpassed 4.5 million customers, £145m revenue run rate and exceeded £3.6 billion in total sales to date for retailers. In October 2024, Zilch announced it had increased its securitised debt deal to £150m – with a total facility of £400m – led by Deutsche Bank and two of the world’s biggest funds, positioning Zilch to drive £10 billion in annual commerce for retailers.
  • In September 2024, four years after its public launch, Zilch announced that in July 2024 it had achieved first-month profitability in record time while surpassing £100 million of revenue run rate, keeping pace with European fintech giants like Revolut, Starling Bank, and Monzo.
  • In 2023, Zilch launched its proprietary ASPN service, which allows merchants worldwide instant connection with Zilch’s first-party-data, closed-loop network of millions of high-intent customers, while offering customers personalised savings, deals, and discounts codified to their habitual daily spend. 
  • In January 2023, Zilch struck a ground-breaking reporting agreement with the UK’s prime credit reference agencies, transforming the UK lending ecosystem by enabling all adults to build their credit records using interest-free credit rather than high-cost revolving credit products.
  • Since April 2020, Zilch has been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), obtaining a consumer credit licence through the Regulatory Sandbox Programme.

Driven by innovation and a commitment to excellence, Zilch is setting new benchmarks in the industry to create a more inclusive and efficient ecosystem, empowering millions of users to budget and manage their financial lives more effectively and transparently.

For more information, visit: www.zilch.com.

About lastminute.com

lastminute.com is the European Travel-Tech leader in Dynamic Holiday Packages. Our mission is to simplify, personalise, and enhance customers’ travel experience by leveraging our technology. Thanks to the iconic brand lastminute.com and a rich portfolio of vertical brands, we meet the most diverse needs of travellers across the entire holiday experience. As one of the few fully licensed European tour operators, we offer unlimited real-time travel combinations thanks to our proprietary Dynamic Holiday Packaging engine, providing additional customer protection and exclusive deals. lastminute.com N.V. is a publicly traded company listed under the ticker symbol, LMN on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

Zilch is proud to have been recognised as the UK’s ‘Fastest Growing Financial Services Firm’ and London’s ‘Fastest Growing Firm’ at the UK Fast Growth Index Awards, in partnership with UBS.

As a company proudly serving millions of customers across the UK, it was an honour to join this celebration of British business excellence. The UK’s 350 fastest-growing private businesses have contributed over £15 billion in turnover to the economy and created 24,000 jobs in just two years.

Huge thanks to our dedicated team, valued partners, and loyal customers for their trust and support – these achievements would not have been possible without you. Congratulations to all the winners, and we are delighted that our executive committee members, Desmond McNamara and Ryan Mendy, had the privilege of accepting these awards on Zilch’s behalf.

View the full list here.

Zilch commerce sales more than double compared to Black Friday 2023

Travel spending soars with consumers targeting holiday bargains

Black Friday electronics spending jumps 140% 

London, 5 December 2024 – Zilch, the fintech payments innovator of the world’s first ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN), releases data today showing the full impact of a record Black Friday that saw its sales more than double compared to the previous year.

Black Friday bargains drove a 116% year-on-year growth in sales, with 93% year-on-year growth following on Cyber Monday. The figures underline the power of Zilch’s network to connect its 4 million users to great deals.

Travel spending was the surprise standout category on a day best known for delivering deals on consumer goods, as Zilch users spent more than ever on securing getaways with flights and spa breaks proving the most popular subcategories.

The fastest-growing payment method was the recently-launched ‘Pay over 3 months’ option, providing a more flexible way to spread the cost for bigger-ticket purchases.

  • Product categories showing the fastest growth compared to Black Friday 2023 were electronics (+140%), travel (+127%) and health and beauty (+125%) 
  • Retailers’ advertising spend with Zilch increased 135% over Black Friday week this year compared to 2023
  • The peak trading minute for brands was 12:02 on Black Friday

eBay was among the retailers benefiting from the Black Friday surge. 

Rebecca Mangaroo, EPN Partnerships Lead, United Kingdom, eBay, said: “eBay has been working with Zilch for over three years and we are over the moon with the volume and quality of sales generated. As a key affiliate, Zilch is dedicated to providing customers a unique and invaluable service to help spread out their purchases without accruing any interest or late fees – helping everyone to shop worry free. Most impressive is the performance during this peak period compared to last year: we saw an incredible year-on-year  increase in GMV of 118%. Truly impressive.”

Andreas Andreou, Chief Revenue Officer at Zilch, said: “On Black Friday, Zilch delivered a 116% year-on-year increase in commerce for our retail partners, while saving customers millions in future late fees and interest payments. Accelerated by our product innovation and continued record ad-spend on our Ad-Subsidised Payments Network.”

— ENDS —

Notes for Editors

About Zilch

Zilch’s vision is to eliminate the high cost of consumer credit. For good.

Zilch is a multi-award-winning pioneer of the world’s first direct-to-consumer, ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN). Leveraging its unique, vertically integrated, first-party-data business model, Zilch sets itself apart from the incumbent fintech industry with a profitable global revenue source, bringing unrivalled value to customers and marketers alike. Today Zilch is revolutionising the $50 trillion advertising and payments industries by merging the very best of debit, credit, and savings.

Co-founded by Philip Belamant, Sean O’Connor, and Serge Belamant, Zilch provides millions of customers the freedom to go anywhere in the world (online or offline) and, when they pay, earn up to 5% cashback & rewards on debit payments (‘Pay Now’) or spread interest-free credit repayments over six weeks or three months. In the process, Zilch helps customers build their credit profiles with the major credit agencies. Within 44 months of launch in 2020, Zilch amassed more than 4 million registered customers.

In September 2024, four years after its public launch, Zilch announced that in July 2024 it had achieved first-month profitability in record time while surpassing $130 million of revenue run rate, keeping pace with European fintech giants like Revolut, Starling Bank, and Monzo.

In 2023, Zilch launched its proprietary ASPN service, which allows merchants worldwide instant connection with Zilch’s first-party-data, closed-loop network of millions of high-intent customers, while offering customers personalised savings, deals, and discounts codified to their habitual daily spend.

In January 2023, Zilch struck a ground-breaking reporting agreement with the UK’s prime credit reference agencies, transforming the UK lending ecosystem by enabling all adults to build their credit records using interest-free credit rather than high-cost revolving credit products.

Since April 2020, Zilch has been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), obtaining a consumer credit licence through the Regulatory Sandbox Programme.

Driven by innovation and a commitment to excellence, Zilch is setting new benchmarks in the industry to create a more inclusive and efficient ecosystem, empowering millions of users to budget and manage their financial lives more effectively and transparently.

For more information, visit: www.zilch.com.

Contacts 

Zilch – Ryan Mendy, Chief Communications Officer: [email protected] 

For any Press & Media enquiries, please contact: [email protected] 

It was an honour to be named the UK’s ‘Financial Institution of the Year’ at the City AM Dragon Awards, held at London’s iconic Mansion House.

In just four years since our launch – and in our first year entering – we’re beyond proud to have won this against some of the biggest and most established banks operating in the UK.

The next wave of innovation is here. UK fintech is thriving, and this award demonstrates that forward-thinking companies driving real social impact are being recognised. By working from first principles, our mission is clear: to transform consumer finance and use AI as a force for good.

On behalf of Zilch, our Chief Operations Officer, Rakesh Harji, and Chief Communcations Officer, Ryan Mendy, had the privilege of collecting the award from LSEG’s Jane Goodland. 

Read the full press coverage here.

In our first year of eligibility, we’re proud to announce that Zilch has been recognised as the 2nd fastest-growing fintech in the Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50. With nearly 8,000% growth over four years, we’re honoured to be named among the UK’s most transformative tech companies in 2024’s Top 10.

Milestones like this reflect our commitment to pushing boundaries in financial inclusion by creating a regulated payment product. Our solution securely and seamlessly switches between paying now (and earning rewards) and paying later (interest-free) – empowering millions to pay with confidence, protect their credit, and avoid the pitfalls of high-interest, revolving credit card debt.

A heartfelt thank you to our exceptional Zilch team, supportive partners, and shareholders for helping us redefine the future of payments.

View the full list of Deloitte’s Winners here.

London, 28 October 2024 – Zilch, the fintech payments innovator of the world’s first ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN), today announces the successful expansion of its securitisation facility by an additional £50 million, bringing the total to £150 million. This latest round includes participation from two of the world’s largest credit funds, alongside lead arranger Deutsche Bank.

The total deal will allow Zilch to support £10 billion in annual commerce and maintain its rapid growth trajectory. This expansion of the facility and an increase in its maximum size just four months after the initial securitisation announcement reflects the acceleration in Zilch’s transaction and lending volumes. Securing the addition of two of the world’s top credit funds is also testament to the strength of Zilch’s lending portfolio and its solid regulatory foundation.  

Philip Belamant, CEO and Co-Founder of Zilch, said: “Bringing two more leading global credit funds into our securitisation structure not only underscores the increasing confidence in our business model but also provides the financial fuel and resources we need to accelerate our growth, serve increasing customer demand and continue the dramatic expansion of our wallet and market share. With our uniquely capital-efficient model meaning that every £1 of finance powers over £25 of sales, we’re in an exceptional position to deliver significant shareholder value and expand our offering, thanks to this new milestone achievement.”

Hugh Courtney, Chief Financial Officer of Zilch, said: “We are fortunate to be able to satisfy the pent-up demand for our securitisation as the business has grown at pace through the last six months. Our class-leading unit economics and unique high-engagement business model mean that this growth will accelerate as we head into 2025 and beyond. The syndication of the facility allows us to confidently drive the business forward with the headroom to grow.” 

This securitisation facility marks a pivotal moment for Zilch as it continues to scale its operations and provide innovative financial solutions to consumers, while maintaining a commitment to robust regulatory standards.

— ENDS —

Notes for Editors

About Zilch

Zilch’s vision is to eliminate the high cost of consumer credit. For good.

Zilch is a multi-award-winning pioneer of the world’s first direct-to-consumer, ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN). Leveraging its unique, vertically integrated, first-party-data business model, Zilch sets itself apart from the incumbent fintech industry with a profitable global revenue source, bringing unrivalled value to customers and marketers alike. Today Zilch is revolutionising the $50 trillion advertising and payments industries by merging the very best of debit, credit, and savings. 

Co-founded by Philip Belamant, Sean O’Connor, and Serge Belamant, Zilch provides millions of customers the freedom to go anywhere in the world (online or offline) and, when they pay, earn up to 5% cashback & rewards on debit payments (‘Pay Now’) or spread interest-free credit repayments over six weeks or three months. In the process, Zilch helps customers build their credit profiles with the major credit agencies. Within 44 months of launch in 2020, Zilch amassed more than 4 million registered customers.

In September 2024, four years after its public launch, Zilch announced that in July 2024 it had achieved first-month profitability in record time while surpassing $130 million of revenue run rate, keeping pace with European fintech giants like Revolut, Starling Bank, and Monzo.

In 2023, Zilch launched its proprietary ASPN service, which allows merchants worldwide instant connection with Zilch’s first-party-data, closed-loop network of millions of high-intent customers, while offering customers personalised savings, deals, and discounts codified to their habitual daily spend.

In January 2023, Zilch struck a ground-breaking reporting agreement with the UK’s prime credit reference agencies, transforming the UK lending ecosystem by enabling all adults to build their credit records using interest-free credit rather than high-cost revolving credit products.

Since April 2020, Zilch has been regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), obtaining a consumer credit licence through the Regulatory Sandbox Programme.

Driven by innovation and a commitment to excellence, Zilch is setting new benchmarks in the industry to create a more inclusive and efficient ecosystem, empowering millions of users to budget and manage their financial lives more effectively and transparently.

Contacts

For more information, visit: www.zilch.com.

Zilch – Ryan Mendy, Chief Communications Officer: [email protected]

For any Press & Media enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

On October 17th, 2024, Zilch’s CEO and Co-Founder, Philip Belamant, was honoured to be invited to join industry leaders at a landmark event celebrating a decade of the FCA’s Innovation Sandbox. Moderated by FCA Board Member Bryan Zhang, Philip shared the stage with industry leaders, including Charlotte Crosswell OBE (Chair of Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT)), Janine Hirt (CEO of Innovate Finance), and Anna Wallace (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and creator of the FCA’s Innovation Sandbox), discussing the evolution of fintech and its future.

Zilch remains committed to consumer protection, already offering FCA-backed safeguards to our 4 million customers, and supports the government’s efforts to regulate BNPL. With AI advancements underway, led by the FCA’s new AI Lab, the future of fintech in the UK looks promising.

A huge thanks to Economic Secretary to the Treasury Tulip Siddiq for her support. With the FCA launching its AI Lab, the future of fintech and AI in the UK looks brighter than ever.

Click here to read more on our LinkedIn post.

Zilch turns profitable within just four years post-launch.

CEO announces $130m (£100m) annual revenue run rate — 100% YoY growth.

Mark Wilson, former CEO of Aviva and AIA and current BlackRock Board member, joins Zilch’s Board.

Rapid revenue growth beats average UK and US tech industry growth by over 10 years.

London, 3 September 2024 – Zilch, the world’s first ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN), today announced its first month of operating profit while surpassing a revenue run rate of more than $130m (£100m). The business has reached these milestones within just four years of launching its groundbreaking consumer payment platform. Zilch also announced the appointment to its Board of Mark Wilson, former CEO of Aviva and AIA and current member of BlackRock’s Board of Directors.

Zilch achieved both operating profit and surpassed $130 million revenue run rate in July 2024. The speed at which Zilch has achieved profitability places it in the same bracket as European fintech giants such as Revolut, Starling Bank, and Monzo. All four companies also reported revenues in excess of $130 million within three to five years1, with Zilch almost doubling revenues in the year to March 2024. By comparison, industry data shows that it takes the average tech company 8-10 years in the US to break through the $100m revenue ceiling, 15 years in Europe and 17 years in the UK.2  

Philip Belamant, CEO and co-founder of Zilch, said: “This milestone fundamentally changes the game for us. Profitability is something that a lot of fast-growing businesses are struggling to achieve, and I am hugely proud of the team for reaching this mark, ahead of plan. While many have cut their way to profit, we’ve doubled our revenue year on year, expanded our team, saved our 4 million customers over half a billion dollars in fees and interest costs, and generated over $3 billion in new sales for merchant partners through our ad-subsidised payments network.” 

“In a market saturated with competition, we’ve distinguished Zilch from inception by owning the customer relationship, pioneering regulation, and generating real credit profiles, savings, and value for customers where others haven’t. We’re hugely optimistic about the future, all the while recognising that this is our day 1 and it’s all ahead of us.”

Zilch is leveraging AI to unlock the full potential of four years of first-party consumer data and drive even more precise, personalised offerings. A deep understanding of users’ needs allows Zilch to convert sales better than any online platform to date – converting sales for advertisers up to 10-20 times more effectively than traditional search and social platforms. 

As a result, customers now open their Zilch app daily, which creates unrivalled engagement and conversion – all of which continues to drive major merchants to switch their ad budgets to Zilch’s ad-subsidised payments network, in turn fuelling better deals, discounts, and subsidies for customers. Zilch’s remarkable performance accelerates the fintech’s momentum as the business eyes even greater milestones in 2025.

Commenting on his new appointment to the Board of Zilch, Mark Wilson, said: “I am excited to join Zilch at this critical juncture. Under Philip’s visionary leadership, Zilch is transforming consumer finance with an innovative and responsible approach that lowers customer finance costs and fills a fast-growing need in society. I look forward to working alongside the Board to further help Zilch steer its path toward sustainable success as a category leader.”

Chairman of Zilch, Serge Belamant, remarked: “As Zilch’s Chair, I am delighted Mark has made this commitment as the value he will add will complement the expertise we currently have and help guide the company in its mission to provide affordable credit and rewarding debit for all as part of its financial inclusion vision. Mark’s deep expertise running global financial businesses will be a tremendous asset as Zilch continues its rapid trajectory, profitable growth, and market expansion.” 

— ENDS —

Background and notes.

Today’s announcement follows the launch of the company’s second longer-duration zero-interest ‘Pay over 3 Months’ credit payment product; the creation of the Unicorn Council for UK FinTech, where Philip Belamant acts as founding co-chair; the selection of Checkout.com as Zilch’s primary acquiring partner globally; the extension of Zilch’s collaboration with Amazon Web Services to accelerate the rollout of its AI innovation; surpassing the milestone of 4 million registered customers; and raising $125 million in a securitised debt financing arranged by Deutsche Bank.

1.   Zilch, Revolut, Starling Bank, and Monzo all reported either run-rate or full-year revenues in excess of £100 million within three to five years of launch and achieved profitability between two and eight years post-launch. Revolut launched its service in July 2015, achieved full-year revenues of £162.7m year-ending December 2019, up from £58.2m the previous year (ARR not publicly disclosed) and reported its first monthly operating profit for December 2017. Starling Bank launched its service in May 2017, achieved annualised run rate revenue of £108m by October 2020 and reported its first monthly operating profit for October 2020. Monzo launched its service in October 2015, achieved annual run rate revenue of £105m+ by December 2020 and reported its first monthly operating profit for January 2023.

2.   Bessemer Ventures, Boardwave.org

Contacts

Zilch – Ryan Mendy, Chief Communications Officer: [email protected]

For any Press & Media enquiries, please contact: [email protected]