Genome Launches Visa and Mastercard Acceptance to Streamline Merchant Payments

Genome has expanded its merchant services by integrating Visa and Mastercard payment acceptance, allowing businesses to consolidate card processing and daily treasury management within a single electronic money institution account. This move eliminates the need for third-party payment providers, streamlining cash flow for online retailers operating across the European Economic Area and beyond.

What was announced

Genome, an electronic money institution (EMI) regulated by the Bank of Lithuania, now enables online merchants to accept major card brand payments directly. The service supports both Visa and Mastercard, offering two primary integration methods: a hosted payment page for ease of deployment and a direct host-to-host integration. The latter allows businesses to maintain a checkout experience entirely under their own domain, providing a seamless transition for customers.

A key feature of the launch is the unification of card revenue with Genome’s existing suite of financial tools. Merchants can receive funds in EUR, USD, or GBP, with settlement occurring as early as the next business day (T+1). This rapid settlement cycle is designed to help businesses manage liquidity and pay suppliers in the same currency they receive, avoiding the costs associated with unnecessary currency conversion. Card revenue lands directly in the same account used for day-to-day operations, such as SEPA Instant and SWIFT transfers.

The addition of card acceptance complements Genome’s existing "Pay by Bank" feature, which utilizes Open Banking protocols for direct account-to-account transfers. By combining these methods, merchants can provide a broader range of payment options alongside existing services such as Visa business cards and automated bulk payments. The company has also indicated that Apple Pay and Google Pay integrations are the next scheduled updates for the platform.

"Businesses don’t want five providers to get paid – they want one account that works. Adding card acceptance closes the loop for our clients: they can accept a payment, receive the funds, and settle with their partners and suppliers from the same place."

Daumantas Barauskas, CEO of Genome.

The companies involved

Genome operates as an electronic money institution licensed and supervised by the Bank of Lithuania. Positioned as a digital alternative to traditional banking for both personal and business users, the platform focuses on providing a centralized ecosystem for international transfers, currency exchange, and merchant services. While it is a specialized player in the European fintech corridor, its focus on multi-currency business accounts has carved out a niche for SMEs requiring agile treasury management.

The integration relies on the global networks of Visa and Mastercard, the two dominant forces in the payments industry. Mastercard, which has been the subject of over 1,000 reports by FF News, continues to expand its footprint through massive infrastructure projects, including its recent innovation centre in Singapore. Visa, similarly pervasive with over 750 mentions in our archives, maintains its market leadership by bridging traditional card rails with emerging technologies like stablecoins and digital assets. For an EMI like Genome, securing direct or high-level access to these networks is essential for moving beyond basic transfer services into full-stack merchant acquiring.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the evolution of the global payments landscape, particularly the expansion of the major card networks. We recently covered how Visa and Anchorage Digital Partner to Bring Federally-Regulated Stablecoins to VisaNet, highlighting the network's shift toward digital assets. Similarly, we reported on infrastructure growth as Mastercard Launches Largest Asia Pacific Innovation Centre in Singapore to Scale AI and Cybersecurity.

In the broader merchant and credit space, our coverage includes the entry of new players such as when Creditstar Group Enters Everyday Payments with New Monefit Credit Card Launch. We also noted the increasing intersection of cards and blockchain in our report on how DCS DeCard and Visa Expand Stablecoin Payments to 70 Global Markets.

What this means

The move by Genome reflects a broader industry trend toward "verticalization" in fintech, where EMIs are no longer content being just a wallet or a transfer service. By adding card acquiring, Genome is directly challenging specialized payment service providers (PSPs) and traditional merchant banks. For the merchant, the value proposition is the reduction of "vendor sprawl"—managing one relationship instead of three. However, this puts pressure on pure-play gateway providers who lack the underlying banking infrastructure. The real test for the sector will be whether these consolidated platforms can match the sophisticated fraud prevention and high authorization rates offered by dedicated, global payment processors.