Luke Massie, founder of Vibe, first launched his business from a hot desk at Cotton Court as a teenager. Now, more than a decade later, VibePay has grown into a key player in the fintech industry, with over £15 million raised and a vision to reshape how people pay online.
“This deal is a really positive one. Not only for me as the founder of Vibe and being from the North, but also for the UK and in particular UK fintech in general. Especially with all the doom and gloom!
On the global stage, the UK has been seen as a leader in the fintech space, and our Open Banking legislation legal framework (PSD2) which means banks have to open up their technology stack to support innovation has been adopted worldwide.
We’ve set the standard and it’s now time to raise the bar!
www.VibePay.com and www.
‘PayByBank’ is the term now being used by the wider industry, but we own the domain.
No one brand has captured the space and I genuinely believe that together, me and Brad Goodall (founder of Banked), with the support of our respective shareholders which include tier one banks now we have the moving parts to create a much bigger business.
Just like Klarna went on to dominate BNPL and be the brand everyone recognised. VibePay has the same potential to be recognised as powering ‘PayByBank’.”
“Luke joined us at Cotton Court working on a desk space when he was just starting out with Vibe. Seeing him develop that idea into a serious player in fintech has been incredible. We’re proud to have played a small part in the journey.
This collaboration between Vibe and Banked isn’t just a win for them, it’s fantastic news for the Lancashire business scene. It shows what’s possible when talented people with good ideas are supported early on and given the space to grow. It also shows that innovation can start from anywhere.”
Open banking is a UK and European government initiative designed to give consumers and merchants more control over their payments and reduce reliance on traditional card networks. Both Vibe and Banked have been part of the movement since its inception, helping shape what the future of digital payments can look like.
Together, the two companies are now positioned to become the recognised leaders behind PayByBank, the term being adopted by the wider industry for direct-from-bank payments. Crucially, Vibe and Banked own the domain www.paybybank.com, and are now working together to build the brand around it.
This new chapter marks a significant opportunity for UK fintech, bringing more choice to merchants globally, reducing payment fees, and delivering more value to consumers through rewarding, direct payment experiences.
With Banked recently valued at $180 million following a funding round led by Bank of America, and Vibe backed by Candy Ventures, the combined trajectory of both companies puts their potential valuation in the $250–300 million range, showcasing the scale of what can be achieved through collaboration and a strong innovation agenda.