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Katanox Expands Payment Services to the UK with FCA Approval
Hospitality platform aims to ease fragmentation and reconciliation burdens in UK travel sector
Katanox, a Dutch fintech firm serving the hospitality industry, has received authorization from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to offer payment services under the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2). This marks a strategic expansion for the company, which already holds a license to operate within the European Economic Area (EEA).
With the UK approval in hand, Katanox is positioning itself to address long-standing pain points in hotel and travel agency operations—particularly those related to payment processing and reconciliation. Industry players have long cited fragmented systems, virtual credit card (VCC) failures, and manual accounting processes as costly and inefficient.
An Industry Ready for Change
For many in the hospitality sector, managing bookings and partner payments often involves patching together incompatible systems. The reliance on VCCs has compounded the issue. These single-use cards are prone to errors at the point of check-in and often fail, contributing to service disruptions. One consultancy firm, Poppink TRVL Projects, found that up to a quarter of VCC transactions fail at check-in—a figure that signals the need for change.
By transitioning to bank-based payouts, Katanox offers an alternative that reduces failure rates and cuts down on the need for manual intervention. This shift has the potential to improve guest experiences while also streamlining operations for hotels and travel agencies.
Administrative Overhead Takes a Toll
A recent study conducted by Adyen highlights the inefficiencies facing the sector. According to the findings, 31% of hotels report that administrative tasks related to payment reconciliation hinder their ability to grow. The same study indicates that, on average, five employees per hotel spend approximately seven hours per week managing these processes.
This administrative burden often pulls focus from guest services and business development. Katanox aims to free up those resources by providing a unified platform that combines payments, reconciliation, and contracting.
Consolidating Financial Infrastructure
Rather than offering a single tool, Katanox provides an integrated platform that merges several core functions: direct contracting, rate integration, connectivity, and automated payouts. The goal is to reduce friction in both B2B transactions and guest-facing services.
This broader approach comes at a time when digital transformation in hospitality has become less about adopting isolated tools and more about simplifying entire workflows. In the fintech context, that means creating systems that are easier to monitor, more transparent, and compatible with evolving regulatory requirements.
Navigating Fragmentation with Regulatory Backing
The FCA license carries particular weight. For a firm like Katanox, it signals trustworthiness to prospective UK partners while also enabling a regulated framework for handling financial operations. It allows Katanox to hold funds, process payments directly, and offer custody-like services within the bounds of UK law.
Though the company has framed this move as part of a broader growth strategy, it also reflects a more subtle shift in hospitality finance. Fintech providers that can bridge operational and regulatory gaps are increasingly valued by businesses seeking reliable infrastructure amid tightening compliance standards.
Implications for the UK Travel Market
The UK remains a pivotal market for global travel. It hosts a high concentration of both legacy hotel groups and emerging travel platforms. Yet despite its size and influence, the industry has struggled with legacy systems that slow down reconciliation and make data management unnecessarily complex.
Katanox’s entry into this environment brings more than just another payments tool. It suggests a gradual move toward industry-wide simplification—an effort to consolidate how suppliers and buyers in hospitality manage financial flows.
By focusing on compliance, automation, and system integration, Katanox and similar players are making a case for how fintech can reduce friction in real-world business operations. Their progress will be worth watching as the UK's travel sector looks to rebuild efficiency post-pandemic and amid increasing digital expectations.
Conclusion
While Katanox's entry into the UK payments space may not reshape the industry overnight, it addresses several structural issues that have long gone unresolved. As hospitality firms continue seeking efficiencies, particularly in payment and reconciliation workflows, fintech-driven platforms like Katanox are emerging as viable partners—not just tools.
Whether the company’s approach will lead to widespread adoption remains to be seen. But with FCA approval now secured, Katanox is poised to deepen its role in reshaping how travel businesses handle their most critical financial interactions.
