Virgin Media O2 and Trustly join forces to expand Pay by Bank services in the UK

New agreement will bring automated direct debits and one‑off account payments to millions of customers

Virgin Media O2 has signed a partnership with Trustly to introduce Pay by Bank services across its digital channels, a move set to change how the company’s customers handle payments and sign‑ups.

The agreement, announced on 23 July, will see Trustly’s technology integrated into Virgin Media O2’s payment systems in the coming months. It will allow users to set up direct debit accounts through Pay by Bank and make one‑off payments directly from their bank account. The process uses Open Banking infrastructure to connect accounts securely and quickly.

Virgin Media O2 was the first UK telecommunications provider to invest in Open Banking. A pilot scheme for direct debit automation launched in 2023 recorded more than 60 percent uptake among eligible users. The company later introduced digital wallets for recurring contract payments in 2024, the first service of its kind in the sector.

Industry data shows 13.3 million active Open Banking users in the UK as of March 2025, with one in five consumers and businesses now using account‑to‑account payment services.

Trustly already works with major UK organisations including Hargreaves Lansdown and HMRC. Its agreement with Virgin Media O2 signals an expanded focus on the UK market, where adoption of Pay by Bank methods is growing rapidly.

Christian Hindennach, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media O2, said the company is rolling out new products and services to improve customer experience, with the Trustly partnership providing faster and secure payment options. Johan Tjärnberg, Group CEO at Trustly, said the collaboration will strengthen Virgin Media O2’s digital payment infrastructure and support wider adoption of Open Banking payments.