Acquired.com were recently at Credit Week 2025, this remains a landmark event for the financial services industry, bringing together lenders, debt management, fintechs, and technology providers to discuss the future of credit, collections, and payments. Acquired.com were keen to participate in the conversations that are shaping the next era of consumer finance. Here are my key takeaways from this year’s event.
Payments: The Beating Heart of the Industry
Payments remain a vital part of the credit ecosystem. The consensus at Credit Week was clear: to deliver better outcomes for consumers, the industry must continue to invest in payment innovation. At Acquired.com, we are committed to working closely with lenders and Debt Management businesses to deliver solutions that drive efficiency, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. The appetite for collaboration and progress in this space was palpable.
Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs): Gaining traction, but education needed
One of the most prominent themes was the growing interest in Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs). Awareness is building rapidly and it is clear that most industry leaders now have VRPs on their medium-term roadmaps. Notably, some neobanks are investing heavily in building VRP capabilities in-house, underlining the seriousness with which the market is approaching this innovation. However, while interest is high, there is still a need for education – both in terms of technical implementation and consumer experience. Many conversations at Credit Week focused on the practicalities of VRP flows, including consent management, changing or revoking consent, and handling declines.
The Consumer Journey: A renewed focus
A major shift in industry mindset was apparent: there is now a much greater focus on the actual consumer journey, particularly in collections. Rather than concentrating solely on managing defaults and back-end processes, leading organisations are prioritising the optimisation of digital journeys to prevent and mitigate issues before they arise. This aligns closely with our own approach at Acquired.com, where we champion seamless, user-friendly payment experiences that empower consumers and reduce friction.
VRPs and Collections: The next frontier
VRPs were a recurring topic in both formal sessions and informal discussions, thanks in part to two standout talks: ‘Empowering Customers through Self-Serve Solutions in Collections’ and ‘Variable Recurring Payments: One Year In’. The consensus is that VRPs have the potential to fundamentally innovate collections – not just for utilities, but across all sectors. By enabling more flexible, automated, and consumer-friendly payment arrangements, VRPs can help reduce arrears and improve outcomes for both lenders and borrowers.
Looking Ahead
Credit Week 2025 made it clear that the future of collections and payments will be defined by innovation, collaboration, and a relentless focus on the consumer. At Acquired.com, we are excited to continue leading the way – investing in new technologies, partnering with forward-thinking organisations, and delivering solutions that make a real difference.
If you’d like to discuss how Acquired.com can help your business harness the power of VRPs and next-generation payment solutions, please get in touch. Together, we can shape a more efficient, consumer-centric future for credit and collections.
