Payment orchestration provider BR-DGE has announced a partnership with American Express aiming to improve the Open Banking capabilities for merchants. Per the press release, BR-DGE’s Partnership Program brings together more than 300 payment providers and technology solutions to enable merchants to optimise their payments stack, access up-to-date payment innovations, and benefit from payment orchestration.

The collaboration with American Express is set to improve the merchant and consumer experience of payments by providing an Open Banking solution that is both ‘frictionless’ and secure. Open Banking for merchants and what the BR-DGE, AmEx partnership entails American Express is enabling real-time Open Banking payments for brands via its payment solution Pay with Bank Transfer, complementing BR-DGE’s activity in travel and retail. Pay with Bank Transfer enables customers to pay online in a simple, efficient, and secure manner, and as the payments are made instantly from their account, merchants can reduce transaction costs, drive conversion, and decrease fraudulent activity.

By leveraging BR-DGE’s independent payment orchestration platform and network of payment innovators, partners are empowered to acquire new merchants, retain customer relations, expedite merchant onboarding, and gain access to marketing and sales resources. The collaboration is set to support American Express as it looks to speed up the adoption of Pay with Bank Transfer and provide merchants with access to payment orchestration products through BR-DGE. The announcement details that BR-DGE’s platform aims to change online payments for merchants by providing an extensive range of payment options through a single point of integration, with the platform looking to support the payment needs of both merchants and consumers.

Commenting on the collaboration, Tom Voaden, Head of Partnerships at BR-DGE said that following the growth of Open Banking as a payment method within the UK and Europe, American Express’ brand and proposition are set to help drive consumer’s confidence in tech and increased adoption. Furthermore, the spokesperson believes that by collaborating with payment and technology providers in the industry like American Express, BR-DGE can provide a platform that lets merchants select the most appropriate payment solutions at speed and build a payment stack that supports their growth ambitions. Adding on this, Charlotte Wise, Director, of International Open Banking payments at American Express advised that the partnership with BR-DGE brings together the American Express expertise and the technology of a dynamic fintech player, enabling a simplified experience for merchants looking to have payment options integrated for their customers.

Based on the information provided in the press release, the news highlights BR-DGE’s ongoing growth following a threefold increase in merchant acquisitions in 2022, with merchants of the likes of Travel Counsellors and Kenwood Travel joining the platform. .