Enfuce has entered the Irish market through a partnership with Payac, which includes migrating 125,000 cardholders linked to Irish credit unions.
The project also covers 150,000 current accounts as Payac moves from legacy infrastructure to Enfuce's cloud-based card processing platform.
Payac supports about 180 credit unions across the island of Ireland in the community and industrial sectors. It provides current accounts and related debit card services for these institutions, many of which serve local communities that rely on branch-based and familiar financial services.
The migration marks a significant shift in payment infrastructure for the Irish credit union sector. It moves processing away from older systems and places card services for a large member base on a new platform designed to support day-to-day account and debit card activity.
Credit union shift
For credit unions, the change comes as member expectations for digital banking services continue to rise. At the same time, many institutions in Payac's network serve customers who may be less well served by mainstream banks, including people who value in-person support and continuity in basic financial services.
This has shaped the migration plan. The companies said the transition has been designed to prioritise continuity, accessibility and customer support as accounts and card services move to the new processing environment.
Seamus Newcombe, Chief Executive Officer at Payac, outlined the rationale for the change.
"Credit unions play a vital role in communities across Ireland, particularly for customers who may be underserved by traditional banking providers," said Seamus Newcombe, Chief Executive Officer at Payac.
"This migration is giving credit unions the technology and resilience they need to continue supporting their members through an increasingly digital financial landscape."
European expansion
For Enfuce, the partnership marks its first formal step into Ireland as it expands its footprint in Europe. Founded in 2016, the company provides card issuing and processing services for banks, financial technology firms and other financial institutions.
Its roots are in the Nordic market, and it operates under electronic money licences from regulators in Finland and the UK. Enfuce has positioned itself as a provider of cloud-based issuing and processing services for card programmes.
Denise Johansson, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Enfuce, said the Irish launch carries particular weight because of the role credit unions play in local communities.
"This partnership is a major milestone for Enfuce as we enter the Irish market and continue accelerating our growth across Europe," said Denise Johansson, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Enfuce.
"What makes this especially meaningful is the role credit unions play in people's everyday lives and local communities. Together with Payac, we are proving that community-focused financial institutions should not have to choose between personal relationships and world-class digital experiences."
Local importance
Credit unions have long held a distinct place in Ireland's retail financial system, particularly in smaller towns and among member-owned organisations with close links to their communities. For providers such as Payac, updating payments infrastructure has become part of a broader effort to maintain those relationships while keeping pace with changing consumer habits around cards, accounts and digital access.
The scale of this migration underlines that pressure. Moving 150,000 current accounts and more than 125,000 cardholders is a substantial operational task in a sector where reliability and trust are central, especially for members who rely on credit unions as an alternative to larger banking groups.