“Can Skrill leverage its regulated EMI status across the UK, EU, and US — plus its dominant position in online gaming payments — to become the go-to digital wallet and money-transfer platform for under-banked and cross-border consumers globally?”
Founded in 2001 as Moneybookers, a UK-based online wallet, the company rebranded to Skrill in 2011 after obtaining FCA EMI authorisation and set its sights on the global digital wallet market. The 2015 acquisition by Optimal Payments (Paysafe) consolidated Skrill with NETELLER, creating a dominant payments brand in online gambling and gaming. Under Paysafe, Skrill expanded into money transfer, a Visa prepaid card programme, and crypto services, evolving from a pure wallet into a multi-product financial platform. The 2021 Paysafe NYSE listing and 2023 MiCA crypto licence mark Skrill's current phase as a regulated, multi-jurisdictional digital finance brand targeting consumers and gaming/entertainment merchants globally.
Skrill discloses Paysafe Payment Solutions Limited (in-house) as its banking provider, with Community Federal Savings Bank as its sponsor bank, according to the Embedded Finance Index 2026.
Skrill does not disclose a bank charter of its own; its banking services are provided through Community Federal Savings Bank.
Skrill processes payments through Skrill (self-operated).
Skrill's cards are issued through Community Federal Savings Bank (sponsor issuer, US prepaid card) on the Visa network.
Skrill uses Skrill (self-operated) for FX and cross-border payouts.
The Embedded Finance Index 2026 maps 6 layers in Skrill's stack: Payments / PSP (Skrill (self-operated)); Banking / BaaS (Paysafe Payment Solutions Limited (in-house)); Card issuing (Community Federal Savings Bank (sponsor issuer, US prepaid card)); Card network (Visa); Sponsor bank (Community Federal Savings Bank); FX & payouts (Skrill (self-operated)).
Skrill is founded in 2001 and headquartered in London, UK (also Dublin, Ireland; Miami, FL, USA).
Skrill has raised $2B in total (latest round: Merger / Acquisition, 2015).
Get a read on where your own stack stands against Skrill and the rest of its category — what they built versus bought, which providers they use, and where the gaps in your own strategy and competitive set actually are.