UK fintech MADFIN launches acquiring operations with Tribe Payments
MADFIN, a UK fintech focused on modern card acquiring, has partnered with Tribe Payments, a global payments fintech specialising in issuer and acquirer processing, to power its transaction processing and 3D Secure infrastructure as the company scales its merchant acquiring operations across the UK.
Founded in late 2024 by payments industry specialists Irina Litvinova and Kristina Sestaka, MADFIN was created to challenge longstanding inefficiencies across the acquiring landscape, including slow onboarding processes, fragmented compliance, and inconsistent merchant support.
Through the partnership, Tribe is providing Processing Centre services alongside Merchant Plug-In (MPI) technology for 3D Secure authentication, supporting MADFIN’s transaction authorisation, clearing, fraud prevention, and scheme compliance capabilities.
For MADFIN, selecting the right infrastructure partner was a crucial decision from the outset, with the company seeking a provider capable of supporting a scalable, compliance-led acquiring business from day one.
Kristina Sestaka, director at MADFIN, commented: “We wanted to build an acquiring business the right way – with strong infrastructure, deep scheme expertise, and a genuine focus on trust, compliance, and merchant support. Tribe stood out immediately because of its experience with Visa and Mastercard, but also because of its reputation for structured, professional onboarding and delivery.
“The team has been responsive, knowledgeable, and easy to work with throughout the process, and that level of support has made a significant difference as we continue scaling MADFIN across the UK market.”
The partnership enabled MADFIN to bring its acquiring infrastructure to market quickly, with the company completing its Mastercard integration in under two months, and Visa onboarding following within the year – a notable achievement for a newly established acquirer entering the market.
Since launch, MADFIN says transaction volumes processed through Tribe’s platform have grown by an average of 20% month-on-month.
Robin Anderson, head of product at Tribe Payments, said: “MADFIN represents the next generation of acquirers entering the market with compliance, merchant experience, and operational resilience built in from day one. We’re delighted to support their growth with scalable processing infrastructure and 3D Secure authentication capabilities, and we look forward to expanding the partnership further as the business grows.”
The partnership is expected to expand further in the coming months, with MADFIN exploring additional capabilities including Apple Pay and Google Pay integrations through Tribe.