Today we can pick from multiple payment providers, neobanks and payment methods. But how safe are they to hold our funds? Or how do they even work? Many merchants believe they diversified their payment setup because they integrated several gateways or payment providers. This could not be further from the truth: in reality, many of these providers route transactions through the same acquiring banks, sponsor institutions or infrastructure providers behind the scenes, without fu

The Green Sheet Magazine is out, and my latest article explores one of the most misunderstood areas in payments and banking today: Merchant of Record (MoR) versus Payment Facilitator (PayFac) models. Payment providers can operate under various models, which can affect our pocket greatly. However, this can be very confusing if we do not know what to look out for. The two most common -the Merchant of Record and Payment Facilitator - are frequently used terms in payments but are

The HM Treasury already published a draft legislation, removing the exemption for short-term interest-free credit, placing BNPL under full consumer credit style supervision. and under the Consumer Duty framework. BNPL providers will have to demonstrate that they carry out proportionate affordability assessments before granting credit, provide clear and upfront information about payment amounts, due dates, total repayment, and the consequences of missed payments. Third-party p

Both of the Moving Money - How Banks Think and the CPayO - Chief Payment Officer - The Role Which Doesn't Exist (but should!) are now listed in the FinTech Book Club Library, alongside some of the most globally recognised titles in the industry. These books are the must have for every business. Focusing on perfecting the product, competing for new markets, or spending millions on marketing is all known to be necessary - but in the meantime companies might be paying unnecessar

Viktoria Soltesz was recently interviewed by David van der Plicht from E-Flow on the Let’s Talk Payments podcast, where they discussed why payment and banking strategy has become one of the most ignored business risks today. During the conversation, Viktoria spoke about how many companies still focus only on tax, legal setup or costs, while completely ignoring how banks and payment providers actually think. Just because a structure is legal, it does not mean that banks will w

The Soltesz Institute has been named Best Payment & Banking Education Provider 2026 at the Business Excellence Awards 2026, a programme that recognises organisations driving measurable impact, innovation, and industry progress. This recognition reflects a clear shift in how businesses approach payments and banking. What was once treated as a back-office function now defines growth, risk, and operational stability across global companies. Viktoria Soltesz, Founder of The Solte