MADFIN Taps Tribe Payments to Scale UK Merchant Acquiring Operations

UK-based card acquirer MADFIN has selected Tribe Payments to provide the core processing infrastructure and 3D Secure authentication required to scale its merchant services. This partnership highlights the growing demand for modular, compliance-first technology among new entrants looking to challenge established incumbents by streamlining onboarding and improving transaction reliability for UK merchants.

What was announced

MADFIN, a fintech founded in late 2024 by payments industry specialists Irina Litvinova and Kristina Sestaka, has integrated Tribe Payments’ Processing Centre services and Merchant Plug-In (MPI) technology. This technical stack handles the critical components of the acquiring lifecycle, including transaction authorisation, clearing, fraud prevention, and 3D Secure authentication. The move is designed to address common merchant pain points such as slow onboarding and fragmented compliance.

The speed of the implementation is a key highlight of the collaboration. MADFIN successfully completed its Mastercard integration in less than two months, with Visa onboarding following within the first year of operations. This rapid market entry has translated into immediate operational traction; since the launch, MADFIN reports that transaction volumes processed through Tribe’s platform have seen an average month-on-month growth of 20%.

The infrastructure provided by Tribe allows MADFIN to focus on its core proposition of modern card acquiring while maintaining strict scheme compliance. As the company establishes its footprint in the UK market, it is currently exploring the addition of further payment methods, specifically Apple Pay and Google Pay integrations, through Tribe’s existing capabilities. This ensures the acquirer can support the digital wallet preferences of modern consumers while maintaining a scalable, compliance-led business model.

"We wanted to build an acquiring business the right way – with strong infrastructure, deep scheme expertise, and a genuine focus on trust, compliance, and merchant support. Tribe stood out immediately because of its experience with Visa and Mastercard, but also because of its reputation for structured, professional onboarding and delivery. The team has been responsive, knowledgeable, and easy to work with throughout the process, and that level of support has made a significant difference as we continue scaling MADFIN across the UK market."

Kristina Sestaka, Director at MADFIN

The companies involved

MADFIN is a London-based fintech specialist focused on modernising the card acquiring landscape. Led by co-founder Irina Litvinova and Director Kristina Sestaka, the firm entered the market to resolve inefficiencies in merchant support and compliance. It operates in a highly competitive UK sector where speed of onboarding is increasingly a differentiator for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Tribe Payments is a global payments fintech that provides modular issuer and acquirer processing services. The company’s technology is designed to be modular, allowing partners like MADFIN to pick and choose specific components such as 3D Secure or fraud monitoring. Tribe’s infrastructure is built to support major card schemes and is led by Robin Anderson, Head of Product.

Visa and Mastercard remain the dominant forces in global payment networks. Visa, a global leader in digital payments, and Mastercard, which has recently focused heavily on agentic banking and AI-driven commerce, provide the underlying rails that MADFIN’s acquiring services utilise. Additionally, the integration of digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay has become a standard requirement for modern acquirers to remain competitive in the retail and e-commerce sectors.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has extensively covered the evolving roles of the major card schemes that underpin this partnership. Recently, we reported on how Mastercard and Backbase Launch Agentic Banking Solutions for 120+ Global Banks, showcasing the shift toward AI-integrated financial services. Mastercard has also been active in the social commerce space, as seen in Mastercard and Flowcart Launch In-Chat Payments to Transform Social Commerce in Africa. Furthermore, the network is preparing for a massive shift in consumer habits, with a report detailing how Mastercard Predicts £370 Billion AI Shopping Shift as Agentic Commerce Emerges. In the UK specifically, Mastercard continues to expand its reach through partnerships like the one where Currensea Launches Miles & More Rewards Debit Card with Lufthansa and Mastercard.

What this means

The entry of new acquirers like MADFIN suggests that despite a crowded market, there is still significant room for players who can solve the "last mile" of merchant onboarding. By leveraging Tribe’s modular processing, MADFIN avoids the heavy lifting of building legacy-style stacks, putting pressure on traditional acquirers who struggle with speed and agility. The 20% month-on-month growth indicates that merchants are receptive to compliance-led, tech-first alternatives. However, the industry faces a broader question: as the barrier to entry for new acquirers drops due to infrastructure-as-a-service providers, how will these firms differentiate themselves beyond just faster onboarding and basic scheme access?