FinTech Zilch has signed a multi-year partnership with Visa to launch its first physical card as it seeks to broaden credit access for UK customers who do not regularly use mobile wallets.

Available from September, the card will operate across Visa's global network, reaching over 150 million merchant locations in more than 200 countries and territories.

The new physical card aims to increase flexibility by allowing customers to complete payments for a range of transactions including home maintenance, hotel check-ins and car rentals.

The London-based company, which has surpassed five million customers and has processed over £4 billion of online and in-store purchases, said the card will help it capture a greater share of customer spending.

"Its launch means the nearly 50 per cent of active customers who currently only use Zilch for online shopping, not in-store via digital wallets, can now have the assurance and convenience of a physical card to 'tap-and-pay' anywhere in the world," the firm said.

The company cited a survey conducted by Finder in 2024, which found that one in five (21 per cent) Britons regularly use a digital wallet on their phone to pay for items in person.

Mandy Lamb, managing director for UK and Ireland at Visa, commented on the partnership: "We're proud to support UK unicorns such as Zilch with their growth ambitions as they provide innovative services to consumers and businesses, whilst driving financial inclusion through their core offering."

Speaking on the main stage of Money 20/20 Europe in Amsterdam, Zilch CEO and co-founder Philip Belamant emphasised the partnership allowed the company to embed its artificial intelligence-driven engine in a network that connects millions of merchants worldwide.

"With nearly 80 per cent of UK adults still not regularly using mobile wallets, the physical card is a strategic unlock to greater transaction volume, removing cost from payments, increasing behavioural intelligence, and converting that into enduring value for both users and the ecosystem."

In 2024, the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) FinTech secured £100 million in securitised debt financing arranged by Deutsche Bank.
Zilch said at the time that the move would help the company grow its business and launch new products for a broader customer base.

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