What is embedded finance? How any business can offer payments, cards and accounts
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
Embedded finance is when a business that isn't a bank offers financial services inside its own app or website. Think of a ride app with its own wallet, a marketplace that pays its sellers, or a shop offering its own branded card. Customers never leave the brand they already use.
Common examples
- Embedded payments: checkout, payment links and saved cards inside an app.
- Wallets and accounts: a balance customers can top up, spend and withdraw.
- Branded cards: a card with the company's name, spending from that balance.
- Payouts: marketplaces and platforms paying sellers, drivers or freelancers.
Why businesses do it
It keeps customers in their own app, earns a share of fees and card spending, and gives the business more insight into how its customers pay. For marketplaces, it also makes paying sellers simpler.
How it works behind the scenes
The business rarely holds a licence itself. A licensed partner holds the customer money and runs the regulated parts, while the business owns the brand and the customer experience. This is what banking-as-a-service and white-label platforms provide.
Getting started
Start with the one feature your customers need most, such as payment links, payouts or a branded card, and add more as you grow. SendPay platforms, powered by licensed partners, are free to design and preview; you only pay when you publish.
Build it
Create your own financial platform.
Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
Build my platform →Questions people ask
What's the difference between banking-as-a-service and white label?
The comparison guide explains both and who each suits.
BaaS vs white label →How do marketplaces pay sellers?
The marketplace payouts guide covers splitting payments and paying sellers.
Marketplace payouts →What could my platform earn?
The calculator works it out from your own numbers.
Platform earnings calculator →Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.