European Payments SME - Scheme Management

ClearBank's story began in 2015, born from a vision to revolutionize the UK's banking infrastructure, a landscape that hadn't seen a new clearing bank in over 250 years. Founded by fintech entrepreneur Nick Ogden and seasoned banking professional Charles McManus, the ambition was clear: to build a bank from the ground up, free from the constraints of legacy technology. This was no small feat. The journey involved navigating a complex regulatory environment and convincing stakeholders, including the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority, of the viability and security of a cloud-based clearing bank. Scepticism was rife, as cloud-native systems and API fluency were novel concepts in the traditional banking sphere at the time. Starting with a small team in a basement office in London's East End, ClearBank was driven by the opportunity to fundamentally change how financial services operate. The founders recognized that existing clearing banks often relied on outdated technology, hindering their ability to support instantaneous payments and seamless API integrations – crucial elements for the burgeoning fintech sector.

The core mission was to provide financial institutions – from established banks and credit unions to innovative fintechs and digital asset platforms – with direct access to UK payment schemes like BACS, CHAPS, and Faster Payments through a single, modern API. This approach aimed to democratize access to payment rails, enabling clients to offer their own customers real-time payment capabilities and innovative banking services without the immense cost and complexity of building and maintaining their own infrastructure or becoming direct scheme members. ClearBank's model is distinct; it doesn't compete with its clients for end customers, nor does it use client funds for lending. Instead, it focuses solely on providing robust, secure, and efficient embedded banking and clearing services. This commitment to being a neutral and reliable infrastructure provider has fueled its rapid growth. The company has since expanded its physical presence with a hub office in Bristol, chosen for its talent pool and affordability, and has embraced a remote-first working model. With significant funding rounds, including a notable £175 million in 2022 to support international expansion, ClearBank has set its sights beyond the UK, obtaining a European banking license and planning further growth into Europe and North America. Today, ClearBank processes millions of transactions monthly, serving hundreds of financial institutions and underpinning the services of many well-known fintech brands, solidifying its position as a critical enabler in the modern financial ecosystem.