Worldline’s entry into recurring Click to Pay arrives weeks after the UKPI unveiled its recurring A2A framework
Worldline has made history by becoming the first payment provider in Europe to enable Click to Pay for recurring payments.
Launched on 24 June, the payment method allows consumers to approve recurring payments, including subscriptions, using a single click at checkout.
The Click to Pay method is available through Worldline’s Global Collect platform and aims to improve conversion, reduce involuntary churn and protect recurring revenue by removing friction.
“Being first in Europe to bring Click to Pay to recurring payments is a major step forward for subscription commerce,” said Gertjan Dewaele, Head of Product & Technology at the Global Commerce division of Worldline.
“With Global Collect, we help international merchants convert more sign‑ups into long‑term revenue by reducing checkout friction and avoiding payment failures. The result is simple: better conversion, lower churn, and stronger revenue protection at a global scale.”
In an announcement, Worldline noted research from Mastercard and Visa, two card schemes that will benefit from Click to Pay adoption due to the solution operating on card networks.
Mastercard data suggests Click to Pay can lift checkout conversion by up to 6%, while Visa reports that 89% of consumers rate Click to Pay equal to or better than other digital payment methods.
The latter figure sets up an interesting period ahead for payments, coming just weeks after the UK Payments Initiative (UKPI) launched a scheme to turn open banking payments into recurring A2A transactions.
A push for recurring A2A payments in the UK
Unveiled at Money20/20 Europe on 2 June, the UKPI scheme enables the UK government and businesses to accept recurring A2A payments, such as pay‑by‑bank, within limits set by the consumer.
Users can set how long the permission lasts, how much can be taken and who receives the payment, without sharing card details or relying on direct debit.
The initial launch includes charities, government services, financial services, utilities and other predictable payment flows. It is regarded as a huge step in the UK’s National Payments Vision, a strategy to expand adoption of open banking and introduce new competition at checkout.
The scheme is backed by UK banks including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Monzo, NatWest, Revolut and Santander, as well as fintech firms such as Acquired, GoCardless, Plaid, TrueLayer and Yapily.
How card‑based recurring payments differ from recurring A2A
Card‑based recurring payments and recurring A2A payments solve the same problem of automating repeat transactions, but operate on different rails.
Card‑based recurring payments, such as Worldline’s new Click to Pay capability, rely on stored credentials and automatic card‑updater services. When a card expires or is reissued, the network updates the token behind the scenes, allowing billing cycles to continue uninterrupted.
This model is well‑established, widely accepted across e-commerce and supported by global card schemes, but has scheme fees – one of the major reasons merchants are starting to adopt A2A payments.
Recurring A2A payments, including commercial variable recurring payments (cVRPs), bypass card networks because payments move directly between bank accounts, with consumers setting the parameters.
If a request falls outside those limits, the bank automatically blocks it. This gives payers greater visibility and control, while reducing the need to share card details or rely on direct debit mandates.
Pat Bermingham, CEO of Adflex, told Payment Expert that the launch of UKPI’s framework resolves uncertainty around liability, dispute resolution and consumer protections, issues that had slowed adoption of cVRPs.
“By establishing a common rulebook for commercial Variable Recurring Payments, UKPI have provided the governance and certainty that the market has needed, giving greater clarity on how cVRPs will operate in practice, including in areas such as liability, dispute management and consumer protections. This gives the market a stronger foundation for widespread adoption,” said Bermingham.
Bermingham noted there are also benefits for business, stating that it “can help to lower or eliminate interchange and scheme fees, while also reducing operational challenges associated with recurring card payments, such as expired cards, replacement cards and failed transactions.”
Not a war against Visa and Mastercard
When A2A payments are discussed in the UK, reports usually suggest an attempt to replace Visa and Mastercard. However, the aim is to increase competition and reduce the duopoly they hold.
Both card schemes are active participants in the UK’s National Payments Vision and invest in A2A innovation.
Visa and Mastercard have each launched API‑driven fraud‑prevention tools, such as Visa A2A Protect and Mastercard A2A Protect, with the aim of scanning account‑to‑account payments for scams and unauthorised activity.
The card networks are also working to introduce consumer protections to A2A payments, developing standardised dispute processes and consumer controls that mirror the safeguards available on card rails. Visa’s initiative, for example, adds built‑in dispute resolution and permission management to open banking transfers.
