Yowpay and Akurateco Partner to Unlock SEPA A2A Payments Across Europe

The European payments landscape is shifting fast toward low-cost, real-time-friendly account-to-account (A2A) rails. To help providers and merchants capture this growth, Yowpay and Akurateco have formed a new strategic partnership akurateco yowpay that embeds Yowpay’s SEPA A2A orchestration layer directly inside Akurateco’s white-label payment platform.

This collaboration enables payment service providers (PSPs), acquirers, and enterprise merchants across Akurateco’s ecosystem to activate fully managed SEPA transfers as an alternative payment method (APM) — with business IBANs, multiple payment initiation channels, automated reconciliation, and a non-MoR model that gives merchants direct access to their funds.

With SEPA already the second most used payment method in Europe, the integration significantly broadens Akurateco’s APM portfolio and delivers a powerful, eurozone-ready payment stack for businesses entering or expanding within the EU.

  • For PSPs and acquirers— a new SEPA A2A revenue stream, fully managed by Yowpay, embedded in Akurateco’s orchestration layer.
  • For enterprise merchants— cost-efficient, euro-denominated bank transfers that can improve checkout conversion and reduce payment fees.
  • For international merchants entering the EU— a scalable, compliant payment setup that feels native to European customers.

Why SEPA A2A Payments Matter Now

The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) has transformed how euro-denominated payments move across Europe. By harmonizing credit transfers and direct debits across participating countries, SEPA makes bank transfers as straightforward and standardized as domestic payments.

Today, SEPA payments are firmly embedded in everyday financial life and have become the second most used payment method in Europe. For both consumers and businesses, SEPA offers a familiar, trusted way to pay directly from bank accounts — without relying solely on card schemes.

Several factors are driving the rise of SEPA account-to-account (A2A) payments as a strategic focus for payment providers and merchants:

  • Customer preference in many European markets for bank transfers over cards, especially for higher-value or recurring payments.
  • Pressure to reduce costs associated with card interchange, scheme fees, and chargebacks.
  • Growing adoption of instant-payment capabilities that make SEPA transfers increasingly compatible with real-time user expectations.
  • Regulatory support for open banking and fairer access to payment infrastructures.

Against this backdrop, PSPs, acquirers, and enterprise merchants are looking for scalable, low-friction ways to plug SEPA A2A payments into their existing stacks. That is exactly what the Yowpay–Akurateco partnership delivers.

Inside the Yowpay–Akurateco Partnership

Yowpay and Akurateco have combined their strengths to provide a seamless SEPA A2A solution that fits natively into the workflows of PSPs, acquirers, and merchants using Akurateco’s white-label platform.

Akurateco: A Full-Scale White-Label Payment Platform

Akurateco is a global provider of white-label payment software designed for PSPs, enterprise merchants, and banks. Its platform is built to handle complex, multi-rail payment operations with high levels of control and visibility.

Key elements of Akurateco’s offering include:

  • Advanced payment orchestration to connect and manage multiple payment methods and providers.
  • Smart routing and cascading for higher approval rates and resilient payment flows.
  • Centralized management of multiple card-acquiring MIDs, simplifying operations across regions and acquirers.
  • A wide hub of alternative payment methods (APMs) to serve local preferences and market specifics.
  • Merchant management tools and performance analytics for data-driven optimization.
  • Secure infrastructure for international payment operations.

Its flexible architecture allows PSPs and banks to scale globally while maintaining tight control over risk, routing, reporting, and merchant lifecycle management.

Yowpay: SEPA A2A Orchestration and Automation

Yowpay is a Luxembourg-based SaaS company specialized in SEPA account-to-account (A2A) payments and payment orchestration. It focuses on turning SEPA transfers into a merchant-friendly, fully orchestrated payment method with powerful automation on top.

Yowpay’s platform provides:

  • Business IBANs dedicated to each merchant and, if needed, to individual customers or payment flows.
  • Multiple SEPA initiation channels, including QR-code payments, manual bank transfers, and Open Banking flows.
  • Automated reconciliation and reporting to match incoming transfers to orders without heavy manual work.
  • Support for low-risk and high-risk merchant categories, giving PSPs more flexibility in onboarding.
  • A non-MoR model, so merchants benefit from direct access to their funds rather than relying on an intermediary merchant of record.
  • A modular SEPA API for seamless integration and customization.

By combining orchestration with advanced reconciliation tools, Yowpay helps businesses reduce operational effort, improve cash flow speed, and optimize payment acceptance for euro-denominated transactions.

How the Integration Works for Akurateco Clients

Through this strategic partnership, Akurateco’s PSPs, acquirers, and enterprise merchants can now activate SEPA transfers as a fully managed alternative payment method within their existing Akurateco setup. They gain a complete SEPA A2A layer, orchestrated by Yowpay, without having to build or maintain their own SEPA infrastructure.

In practice, this means Akurateco clients can:

  • Offer customers SEPA bank transfers at checkout, alongside cards and other APMs.
  • Use business IBANs for dedicated merchant and customer flows.
  • Leverage QR codes, manual transfers, and Open Banking to initiate payments.
  • Rely on automated reconciliation to link incoming funds to specific orders and customers.
  • Keep a non-MoR structure, so settlement occurs directly to the merchant’s accounts.

The result is a native SEPA experience inside Akurateco’s white-label platform, backed by Yowpay’s deep specialization in A2A payments.

Key Benefits of the New SEPA A2A Layer

The Yowpay–Akurateco integration is designed to deliver tangible business outcomes for PSPs, acquirers, and merchants. Below are the core benefits of this enhanced SEPA A2A capability.

1. An Expanded APM Portfolio Powered by SEPA

Alternative payment methods are no longer optional in Europe. Local preferences, regulatory initiatives, and rising digital adoption mean customers expect more than just cards at checkout.

By integrating Yowpay’s SEPA layer, Akurateco:

  • Extends its APM hub with a robust, euro-native A2A payment method.
  • Enables PSPs to serve markets where bank transfers are the primary way to pay.
  • Gives merchants a broader set of payment options to match local expectations.

SEPA A2A is particularly compelling as an APM because it combines the familiarity of bank transfers with the automation, orchestration, and analytics that modern payment stacks require.

2. A Cost-Efficient Alternative to Card Schemes

Card payments remain essential, but they come with costs: scheme fees, interchange, chargebacks, and additional overhead. SEPA A2A payments give merchants and PSPs a more cost-efficient way to move money across the eurozone.

With Yowpay’s SEPA layer embedded in Akurateco, merchants can access low-fee, real-time-compatible euro payments that reduce reliance on card rails.

AspectTraditional Card PaymentsSEPA A2A via Yowpay and Akurateco
Settlement modelThrough card schemes and acquirersDirect account-to-account transfers in SEPA
Typical fee structureInterchange + scheme fees + acquirer marginLower structural costs per transaction
Risk of chargebacksChargeback handling and related costsBank transfers are generally push payments, reducing chargeback exposure
Customer preference in some EU marketsPreferred for certain use casesOften preferred for high-value, recurring, or B2B payments

For PSPs and acquirers, this unlocks a compelling value proposition: offer merchants a lower-cost payment rail while still benefiting from a monetizable flow.

3. Improved Conversion and Checkout Experience

SEPA transfers are widely used and trusted across Europe. In many countries, customers are accustomed to paying large invoices, subscriptions, and even e-commerce orders via bank transfer.

Integrating SEPA A2A payments into the checkout experience can therefore:

  • Increase conversion rates by giving customers a payment method they already use and trust.
  • Reduce cart abandonment caused by card declines, limits, or security friction.
  • Support cross-border acceptance across the SEPA area with a familiar payment experience.

Yowpay enhances this impact by supporting multiple initiation flows:

  • QR codes for fast, scan-to-pay experiences on desktop or mobile.
  • Manual bank transfers for users who prefer to pay through their existing banking interface.
  • Open Banking flows for guided, digital-first payment journeys.

This flexibility allows PSPs and merchants to tailor the SEPA payment experience to their specific audiences and use cases.

4. New Revenue Opportunities for PSPs and Acquirers

For PSPs and acquirers, SEPA A2A is not just a cost-saving measure for merchants; it is also a new revenue channel. By orchestrating SEPA payments through Yowpay’s integration with Akurateco, they can:

  • Monetize SEPA-based C2B and B2B flows with competitive, transparent pricing.
  • Onboard new merchant categories that prefer A2A methods, including those where card acceptance is less prevalent.
  • Diversify their portfolio beyond card acquiring to include bank-transfer-driven transaction volumes.

Because Yowpay operates with a non-MoR model, PSPs and acquirers can design commercial structures that keep merchants in control of their settlement accounts while still capturing value from the payment orchestration and services layer.

5. Automated Reconciliation and Lower Operational Overhead

One of the historical challenges with bank transfers has been reconciliation: matching each incoming payment to the correct customer, invoice, or order. Manual reconciliation is time-consuming, error-prone, and hard to scale.

Yowpay’s orchestration layer, now embedded in Akurateco, addresses this head-on with:

  • Business IBANs dedicated to merchants and, where needed, to customers or payment flows, simplifying attribution.
  • Automated reconciliation and reporting that map incoming funds to specific transactions.
  • Advanced reporting to give finance and operations teams clear visibility into payment statuses.

For merchants and PSPs, this means:

  • Less time spent on manual matching and error correction.
  • Faster, clearer insight into cash positions and settlement cycles.
  • Smoother financial operations, even at high transaction volumes.

6. Direct Access to Funds with a Non-MoR Model

In a traditional merchant-of-record (MoR) model, an intermediary sits between the merchant and the end customer, receiving funds and then paying out to the merchant. While this can simplify certain aspects, it also introduces dependencies and potential delays.

Yowpay’s solution operates on a non-MoR model that enables direct access to funds for merchants. Combined with Akurateco’s orchestration capabilities, this delivers:

  • More direct cash flow from customers to merchant accounts.
  • Reduced reliance on intermediaries for settlement.
  • A transparent, merchant-centric setup that supports growth and liquidity planning.

This approach is especially attractive for enterprise and international merchants that prioritize direct settlement relationships and need clear control over their financial flows.

Who Benefits Most from the Yowpay–Akurateco SEPA Integration?

While the partnership brings advantages across the payments ecosystem, certain segments stand to gain particular value.

European Merchants Processing Euro-Denominated Payments

Merchants already active in the eurozone can immediately leverage SEPA A2A as a native payment experience for customers who prefer bank transfers.

  • E-commerce and marketplaces can offer SEPA bank transfer at checkout for high-ticket items or for customers who avoid cards.
  • Subscription and recurring-revenue businesses can explore more predictable, bank-based payment arrangements.
  • Service providers and B2B platforms can streamline invoice payments with automated reconciliation.

PSPs Expanding Their Payment Method Portfolio

Payment service providers using Akurateco’s white-label platform can now add a fully managed SEPA A2A rail to their product suite without heavy development or operational overhead.

  • Differentiate in crowded markets by offering a comprehensive APM portfolio that includes SEPA bank transfers.
  • Target new verticals that rely on bank transfers or are underserved by traditional card acquiring.
  • Build packaged propositions that bundle cards, APMs, and SEPA A2A under one orchestrated platform.

Acquirers Seeking New Revenue Streams

Acquirers focused primarily on card volumes can use this integration to diversify into SEPA A2A flows. This diversification helps:

  • Reduce concentration risk tied solely to card rails.
  • Capture incremental transaction volumes from merchants shifting part of their flows to SEPA.
  • Offer value-added services around reconciliation, reporting, and analytics.

International Merchants Entering the EU

For businesses expanding into Europe, local payment expectations and regulatory frameworks can be complex. The Yowpay–Akurateco partnership provides a ready-made EU payment stack that aligns with how European customers already pay.

International merchants can benefit from:

  • Fast access to SEPA A2A payments with minimal integration overhead via Akurateco.
  • A compliant, euro-native payment method that feels local to end users.
  • Scalable orchestration that supports future growth across multiple payment methods and regions.

Merchants Across Low-Risk and High-Risk Categories

Because Yowpay supports both low-risk and high-risk merchant categories, the integrated solution covers a wide range of verticals. PSPs and acquirers gain greater flexibility in the types of merchants they can serve with SEPA A2A payments, while still benefiting from the orchestration, automation, and control inherent in Akurateco’s platform.

A Future-Ready Payment Stack for European Commerce

The European payment ecosystem will continue to evolve as instant payments expand, open banking matures, and merchants seek better margins and higher conversion. In this environment, businesses need a payment stack that is both resilient today and ready for tomorrow.

The partnership between Yowpay and Akurateco delivers exactly that:

  • Resilient— by combining established SEPA rails with sophisticated payment orchestration and risk management.
  • Scalable— by enabling PSPs, acquirers, and merchants to add SEPA A2A without rebuilding their core systems.
  • Modular— by integrating SEPA as one of many orchestrated methods within Akurateco’s white-label platform.
  • Compliant— by aligning with SEPA rules and supporting the operational needs of companies active in the eurozone.
  • Conversion-focused— by unlocking local payment preferences and reducing friction at checkout.

As SEPA continues to grow as a primary payment method across Europe, the Yowpay–Akurateco integration equips market participants with a modern, efficient, and merchant-centric SEPA A2A solution that can evolve alongside the wider payments landscape.

Conclusion: Turning SEPA A2A into a Strategic Advantage

SEPA account-to-account payments are no longer just a back-office way to move money; they are becoming a front-line strategic tool for PSPs, acquirers, and merchants that want to win in the European market.

By embedding Yowpay’s SEPA orchestration layer into Akurateco’s white-label platform, this partnership delivers:

  • Fully managed SEPA transfers as an integrated APM.
  • Business IBANs, multi-channel initiation, and automated reconciliation.
  • Direct access to funds through a non-MoR model.
  • Improved checkout conversion and lower payment costs for euro-denominated transactions.
  • New monetization paths for PSPs and acquirers.

For organizations operating in, or preparing to enter, the eurozone, this is a powerful opportunity to turn SEPA A2A payments into a competitive advantage— with the orchestration, automation, and control required by modern digital commerce.

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