The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Payment Card Solutions (UK) Limited T/A B4B Payments (“B4B”) manages, controls and operates the regulated business of issuing Electronic Money products in accordance with Electronic Money and other relevant legislation. B4B obtained additional regulatory permission in 2020 which enabled B4B to commence issuing its establish prepaid cards business under its own licence and migrate from its previous card issuing partner. In addition to growing the prepaid card issuing business, B4B expanded its product offering during 2022 and 2023 to provide Banking as a Service (BaaS) products including payment processing and currency conversion. B4B also supports Programme Managers to launch their own prepaid products using B4B permissions (BIN Sponsorship). A Programme Manager can be registered as an Agent or Distributor of B4B with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
During the period ended 31 December 2025, revenues increased by 15% to £21,323,549 and net revenue after direct costs and partner commissions increased by 7% to £10,554,607 reflecting continued steady growth across all revenue streams of the business.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) decreased by 80% to £437,389 primarily due to the introduction of service level fees from the parent company, Payment Card Solutions Group Limited following the transfer of the B4B Card Operating on 31st December 2024 and the TUPE of the technical teams on 1st January 2025.
The value of card activity processed with MasterCard declined by 10% mainly attributable to a BIN Sponsorship client closing down their UK product offering during 2025. The business continued to experience growth in prepaid card settlement activity.
Following the departure of the UK from the European Union on 31st January 2020, B4B novated its existing European customers to UAB B4B Payment Europe which was a newly established regulated entity in Lithuania within the Payment Card Solutions Group. B4B continues to see strong growth in the UK sector following Brexit and the COVID pandemic and continues to support the strong growth at UAB B4B Payments Europe.
B4B is a wholly owned subsidiary of Payment Card Solutions Group Limited. The parent company and its subsidiary companies was acquired by BC Midco Pte, Ltd on 29th December 2022. Following the acquisition B4B has successfully expanded its BaaS product offering utilising the banking facilities of the Banking Circle Group.
B4B acknowledges that the effective identification and management of risks and opportunities across all its business activities is vital to ensure the delivery of its strategic objectives. B4B's approach to risk management is aimed at the early identification of key risks and taking action to remove or reduce the likelihood of those risks occurring and their effects. B4B operates a risk-based approach regarding its customers and Programme Managers.
Key risks identified by B4B are:
Ensuring adequate processes and controls;
Retaining appropriately skilled employees;
Global financial instability leading to customer and/or Programme Manager failure;
Financial crime increasing the potential for material losses;
Achieving business growth objectives or incurring significant unanticipated costs
Regulatory compliance;
Outbreak of a future corona pandemic; and
Exposure to a number of financial risks including currency exchange, interest rates, and risks due to default of credit institutions.
B4B addresses the impact and likelihood of the above mentioned business risks mainly through:
Systems and processes to perform an exact and accurate reconciliation of daily Electronic Monies safeguarded and related liabilities;
Control mechanisms for processors and Programme Managers;
Right to perform yearly compliance audits for all Programme Managers;
Regular financial reviews of all Programme Managers;
Annual assessment of credit institutions;
Financial prefunding, i.e. pipeline prefunding;
Monitoring and setting policies and procedures to be followed;
Staff workshops and continuous training; and
IT security.
All the above controls are embedded into a comprehensive risk management framework, which is designed to identify, measure, manage and mitigate significant risks that could adversely affect B4B’s future performance.
B4B’s risk exposure is aggregated at Director level and reported to the Management Board on a case-by-case basis.
During 2025 B4B focused on the following main activities:
Implementing a turnkey debit-like solution to improve card acceptance globally.
Creating an improved experience in the channel and partner lifecycle.
Enhancing the use of data within the business to aid growth and decision making.
Repackaging the BaaS offering to expand the currencies available for payments and scheme settlements.
Support growth in the North American and European markets through sister entities.
Developing the relationship with Mastercard expanding the settlement currencies offered to customers.
Establishing the relationship with Visa after becoming a Principal Member.
Support sister company B4B Payments USA Inc onboarding with its new issuing bank partner and card processor.
Deliver our 2025 financial targets and KPIs
B4B’s key focus areas in 2026 are:
Developing relationships with existing Electronic Money customers encouraging organic growth.
Roll out a turnkey debit-like solution developed to improve card acceptance globally.
Launch the Corporate Banking Portal utilising advanced UI/UX functionality.
Launch just in time funding for customers loading the prepaid products.
Introduce Optical Character Recognition (OCR) functionality for customer expense management
Enhancing the improved experience in the channel and partner lifecycle.
Enhancing the use of data within the business to aid growth and decision making.
Adoption of AI technologies to improve efficiencies and productivity in day-to-day activities.
Support growth in the North American and European markets through sister entities.
Deliver our 2026 financial targets and KPIs
The future strategy and longer-term vision of the company are:
Become the go to partner of choice for BaaS and BIN Sponsorship
Maintain reputation as a leading European EMI through strong regulatory practices and a culture of compliance.
Continue to grow the business organically in the UK market and support the growth of the business through its sister subsidiaries in Europe and North America.
Build strength and depth across the product portfolio, through cross-selling Banking Circle Group products and services to existing customers and adding new customers.
Retain and grow long-standing relationships with industry players and stakeholders and develop new relationships as the market continues to evolve.
Integrate with other Banking Circle Group companies to drive efficiencies, embed relationships, and grow the business.
On-going development of core B4B systems.
Business performance is judged against 4 main performance indicators:
| 2025 | 2024 |
Revenue | +15% | -3% |
Net Revenue | +7% | +6% |
EBITDA | -80% | -17% |
Settlement Volume | -10% | +25% |
The Directors are highly satisfied with B4B’s performance during the year and the achievement of its strategic objectives of developing the opportunities with Banking Circle Group, implementing solutions to support existing customers and onboarding new Programme Managers, growing settlement volumes with Mastercard and readiness to launch new Visa settlement services.
B4B is well positioned to continue to service and grow its portfolio of products, customers and Programme Managers.
In accordance with section 172 of the Companies Act 2006, the Board of Directors act in a way they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the Company for the benefit of its shareholders, employees, customers and suppliers and maintain a reputation for high standards of business conduct when making decisions for the long term.
Through open and transparent dialogue with our shareholders, we have developed a clear understanding of their ambitions and assessed the impact on our strategic roadmap and culture. As part of the Board’s decision-making process, it considers the potential impact of decisions on relevant stakeholders whilst also having regard to broader factors, including our regulatory obligations, the impact on the users of our e-money services, the welfare of our employees, impact on the environment and the likely consequences of decisions in the long term.
Key decisions and matters that are of strategic importance to the Company include:
Shareholders
The Directors participate in monthly reviews with the parent company to discuss and agree various topics including achievement against key financial and non-financial performance indicators, future strategy, business outlook and regulatory governance. The Directors engage with the senior management to share the visions agreed with the shareholders to ensure a common understanding of the goals and visions.
Regulators
Ensuring a robust safeguarding process is maintained to protect all the e-money deposited with the company and maintain customers unrestricted access to their funds. The Directors appoint an independent consultancy to perform an annual audit of the company’s safeguarding procedures and controls and implement any recommendations for improvements. The Directors oversea collaborative and transparent communications with the regulators to ensure compliance with regulatory standards are maintained.
Customers
Prior to approving any developments to the internal customer management platform, the Directors evaluate the enhancements to ensure there will be no impact on customers access to their e-money deposits. The company supports its clients in manging customer enquiries to ensure resolution in a timely manner with minimal inconvenience to the customers
Employees
Our people are valuable to the success of our business and the company want them to be successful individually and as a team. The Directors are actively engaged in the business interacting with our people daily to ensure employee health and wellbeing The Directors also engage with our people through regular town halls, monthly business updates, periodic satisfaction surveys, internal staff community groups and anonymous communication channels. Employees are encouraged and developed through our appraisal process and all line managers are readily available for face-to-face briefings and meetings.
Clients
Maintaining open relationships with our clients to understand how the company’s service offerings can best support their customer’s requirements. The company has dedicated teams to support clients develop their business and utilises frequent client meetings and events to build long-lasting partnerships.
Suppliers
We maintain open relationships with our suppliers to develop mutually beneficial long-lasting partnerships that ensures the company’s needs are understood in the supply chain and services are delivered on time and in line with expectations. The company attends industry events and is a member of several industry organisations. Prompt settlement of supplier invoices within contracted payment terms is a key policy of the company.
Environment
Maintaining our internal customer management platform to support the latest In-App functionalities allows the company to promote virtual e-money products reducing the manufacture and distribution of the recycled physical cards.
On behalf of the board
The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The results for the year are set out on the statement of comprehensive income.
No ordinary dividends were paid. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Kirk Rice LLP be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The company is below the size thresholds for the streamlined energy and carbon reporting requirements and is therefore not required to report on its emissions, energy consumption or energy efficient activities.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
We have audited the financial statements of Payment Card Solutions (UK) Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 December 2025 which comprise the profit and loss account, the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Basis for opinion
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Our audit approach was developed by obtaining an understanding of the company’s activities, the key functions undertaken by management, and the overall control environment. Based on this understanding we determined an overall materiality and assessed those aspects of the company’s transactions and balances which were most likely to give rise to a material misstatement and were most susceptible to irregularities including fraud or error. Specifically, we identified what we considered to be key audit risks and planned our audit approach accordingly.
We gained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the company and the industry in which it operates, and considered the risk of acts by the company which were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud. These included but were not limited to compliance with Companies Act 2006, FCA and FRS 102.
We designed audit procedures to respond to the risk, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery, misrepresentations or through collusion.
Using the risk assessment, alongside our understanding of the company's business and their control environment, we considered our approach to ensure sufficient coverage was obtained across the entire financial statements. Our tests included, but were not limited to:
- Agreement of the financial statements disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;
- Enquiries of management;
- Considering the effectiveness of the control environment in monitoring compliance with laws and regulations.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. As in all of our audits we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including testing journals and evaluating whether there was evidence of bias by the directors that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the company's member in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's member those matters we are required to state to the member in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's member, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.
In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Where amounts are due from group entities, the recoverability of intercompany loans is assessed with reference to the financial position and expected future cash flows of the borrower. A provision is made where necessary. Management reviews this regularly and considers the estimates applied to be appropriate based on available information.
The valuation of share-based payment arrangements involves the use of models such as Black-Scholes, which incorporate assumptions including volatility and expected life. These assumptions require judgement and may significantly impact the expense recognised. Management considers the assumptions applied to be reasonable and in line with market data.
Payment Card Solutions (UK) Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 12-18 Grosvenor Gardens, London, England, SW1W 0DH.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
This company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:
Section 4 'Statement of Financial Position': Reconciliation of the opening and closing number of shares;
Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;
Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues: Interest income/expense and net gains/losses for financial instruments not measured at fair value; basis of determining fair values; details of collateral, loan defaults or breaches, details of hedges, hedging fair value changes recognised in profit or loss and in other comprehensive income;
Section 26 ‘Share based Payment’: Share-based payment expense charged to profit or loss, reconciliation of opening and closing number and weighted average exercise price of share options, how the fair value of options granted was measured, measurement and carrying amount of liabilities for cash-settled share-based payments, explanation of modifications to arrangements;
Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.
Payment Card Solutions (UK) Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Payment Card Solutions Group Limited and the results of Payment Card Solutions (UK) Limited are included in the consolidated financial statements of Payment Card Solutions Group Limited.
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.
During the year, the company revised the depreciation method applied to fixtures and fittings and computer equipment from reducing balance at 33% to straight-line at 33%. The directors consider that the revised method more appropriately reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of these assets are consumed. The change has been applied prospectively and comparative amounts have not been restated.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Derivatives, including interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.
Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as being measured at fair value through profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.
When the terms and conditions of equity-settled share-based payments at the time they were granted are subsequently modified, the fair value of the share-based payment under the original terms and conditions and under the modified terms and conditions are both determined at the date of the modification. Any excess of the modified fair value over the original fair value is recognised over the remaining vesting period in addition to the grant date fair value of the original share-based payment. The share-based payment expense is not adjusted if the modified fair value is less than the original fair value.
Cancellations or settlements (including those resulting from employee redundancies) are treated as an acceleration of vesting and the amount that would have been recognised over the remaining vesting period is recognised immediately.
The company participates in a group share-based payment arrangement granted to its employees. The expense in relation to options over shares in the indirect parent company, BC Midco Pte Ltd granted to employees of the subsidiary, Payment Card Solutions (UK) Limited are recognised by the company as a capital contribution, and presented as an increase in the company’s investment in that subsidiary.
Included in exceptional items is the share based payment expense of £317,372 (2024: £9,939). This is a non-cash accounting entry recognised through the profit and loss account with a corresponding credit to equity. The item does not result in any cash outflow, does not impact the company’s banking facilities, working capital, or liquidity position, and does not represent a trading or operational cash cost incurred during the period.
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:
Their aggregate remuneration comprised:
The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to 3 (2024 - 3).
The number of directors who are entitled to receive shares under long term incentive schemes during the year was 3 (2024 - 2).
The highest paid director has been entitled to receive shares under a long term incentive scheme during the year.
The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
Included within cash at bank are client funds held in client accounts. At the end of the year, these client funds totalled £81,018,979 (2024: £80,468,762).
Included within other creditors are amounts received from clients in advance of the issue of payment cards. These funds are held in client accounts. At the end of the year, the balance owed to clients in respect of these advances was £80,963,331 (2024: £80,325,113) and all are repayable on demand.
Cash and bank balances from client funds held in client accounts include £55,648 (2024: £142,938) of spent E-Money future Mastercard settlements held in Mastercard settlement accounts that are cleared in the float creditor liability in January 2026.
The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:
The deferred tax liability set out above is expected to reverse within 12 months and relates to accelerated capital allowances that are expected to mature within the same period.
The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.
The company has one class of ordinary shares which carry equal rights.
The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Payment Card Solutions Group Limited. The company has taken advantage of the disclosure exemption conferred by FRS 102 paragraph 26.18(b) on the grounds that the share-based payment arrangements are group schemes and full details are disclosed in the consolidated financial statements of Payment Card Solutions Group Limited.
Certain employees of the company participate in share-based payment arrangements operated by BC Midco Pte. The cost of these arrangements is recognised as an expense in the profit and loss account over the vesting period, with a corresponding credit in equity as a capital contribution from the parent undertaking.
The total charge recognised in the profit and loss account in respect of share-based payments during the year was £317,372 (2024: £9,939).
Full disclosure of the group’s share-based payment arrangements, including the nature and extent of such arrangements, is provided in the consolidated financial statements of Payment Card Solutions Group Limited.
The Capital Contribution reserve relates to the share based payment charge vested for EMI Share options granted in the year which have been issued directly from BC Midco Pte Ltd to employees in Payment Card Solutions UK Ltd. The charge has been recognised as a capital contribution from the parent.
During the prior year, the company received upfront cash support of £200k under a Visa agreement (2024: £200k). Under the terms of the agreement, the support is subject to a potential clawback if the cumulative volume target specified by Visa is not achieved by the end of the third year of the agreement term. The amount repayable is determined on a proportionate basis and could result in a refund of up to 100% of the upfront cash support received.
Management is confident that the company is likely to exceed the target but accepts the volumes are not guaranteed.
At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
The parent of the smallest group preparing consolidated accounts of which the company is a member is Payment Card Solutions Group Limited, incorporated in the UK. The company's registered office address is 12-18 Grosvenor Gardens, London, England, SW1W 0DH.
The parent of the largest group preparing consolidated accounts of which the company is a member is BC Midco PTE Ltd, incorporated in Singapore. The company's registered office address is 12 Marina View, #11-01, Asia Square Tower 2, Singapore 018961.