As digital payments continue to evolve across Europe, consumers are increasingly looking for payment experiences that are faster, simpler, and more secure. Traditional card payments are still widely used, but direct payments are becoming an increasingly important part of modern e-commerce.

One of the leading providers driving this shift is Trustly.

By allowing customers to pay directly from their bank account without using cards or creating additional accounts, Trustly has become one of Europe’s leading open banking payment providers. Today, Trustly connects more than 12,000 banks across 30+ markets and enables payments for over 9,000 merchants globally.

In 2025 alone, Trustly processed nearly $100 billion in payment volume globally, reflecting the rapid growth of Pay by Bank and open banking payment adoption across Europe and North America. (Source: Trustly)

What is Trustly?

Trustly is a Swedish fintech company founded in 2008 that specializes in direct payments powered by open banking technology.

The platform allows consumers to make online payments directly from their bank account using their existing online banking credentials. Instead of entering card details manually, users simply select their bank, authenticate securely, and approve the payment.

Today, Trustly operates across multiple European markets and connects with thousands of banks, making it one of the leading open banking payment providers in Europe.

Trustly is widely used across:

  • ecommerce
  • digital services
  • subscriptions
  • gaming platforms
  • financial services

The company’s goal is to make online payments faster and safer for both businesses and consumers.

How Trustly works

The payment flow is designed to be simple and secure.

When making a purchase online:

  1. The customer selects Trustly at checkout
  2. They choose their bank from the list of supported institutions
  3. The customer logs into their online banking environment securely
  4. The payment is authenticated directly with the bank
  5. Funds are transferred from the customer’s account to the merchant

Because the payment is processed directly through the customer’s bank, there is no need for card details, lengthy forms, or additional account registration.

This creates a faster checkout experience – especially on mobile devices.

Why consumers choose Trustly

One of Trustly’s biggest advantages is convenience.

Consumers can complete payments using a banking environment they already trust, without needing to manually enter payment card information.

For users, the experience feels:

  • fast
  • familiar
  • secure
  • mobile-friendly

As open banking adoption continues to grow across Europe, more consumers are becoming comfortable with direct bank payments as an alternative to traditional card-based checkout flows.

Faster payments with fewer checkout steps

Modern consumers expect checkout experiences to be quick and frictionless.

Trustly helps reduce unnecessary payment steps by allowing customers to authenticate directly with their bank instead of manually entering card numbers, expiration dates, and security codes.

This can help:

  • reduce checkout abandonment
  • simplify mobile payments
  • improve conversion rates
  • speed up payment processing

Strong security through bank authentication

Security remains one of the most important parts of any payment experience.

Trustly uses secure bank authentication, and encrypted payment flows to protect customer information during transactions. Sensitive banking credentials are handled directly within the banking environment and are not shared with merchants.

Because payments are authenticated through trusted banking systems, consumers often feel more confident completing transactions through direct bank payments.

This combination of security and simplicity has helped accelerate adoption of open banking payment methods across Europe.

Real-time payment processing

One of the major benefits of Trustly is payment speed.

Many Trustly transactions are processed in real time, allowing merchants to receive payment confirmations quickly and begin processing orders faster.

This can be especially valuable for:

  • ecommerce businesses
  • digital services
  • subscription services

Faster payment confirmation can improve operational efficiency while also creating a smoother customer experience.

Why offering local payment methods matters

Consumers are more likely to complete purchases when they see payment methods they already recognize and trust.

For merchants operating internationally, offering local and alternative payment methods alongside traditional cards can help:

  • improve checkout conversion
  • increase customer trust
  • reduce payment friction
  • support mobile-first consumers

Trustly provides businesses with another flexible payment option that supports fast, secure, and seamless online payments across European markets.

To learn more about Trustly and other local payment methods available through Finby, contact the team at sales@finby.eu.