At Kroo, we’re committed to making money management simpler and more transparent. This year, we were part of a major milestone for UK banking: the first commercial Variable Recurring Payment (cVRP) using Visa’s new A2A (Account-to-Account) technology, alongside Visa, Tink and Utilita. It’s an important step toward a smarter, more flexible way to handle recurring payments.
What are Variable Recurring Payments (cVRPs)?
cVRPs are essentially the next step forward from Direct Debits. Instead of giving a company ongoing permission to take money whenever they choose, cVRPs let you set the rules.
You decide spending limits
Control how the payment works
Receive real-time visibility
Adjust or cancel permissions instantly.
It’s a modern, open-banking-powered way to manage recurring bills with far more transparency and choice.
Why this wasn’t possible before
Although open banking made instant payments possible, it lacked the shared standards and consumer protections needed to support recurring payments at scale. There was no consistent commercial model, no trustmark, and no clear dispute process.
Visa A2A changes this by combining instant open-banking payments with Visa-level protections and standardised rules across the industry. It’s the framework that finally makes cVRPs practical for everyday use.
How the first transaction worked
For the first live cVRP:
Tink initiated the request and confirmed funds.
Kroo authenticated and approved the customer’s payment instantly.
Visa handled the risk and protection framework.
Utilita demonstrated how customers can set up and manage their payment mandate in real time.
The result was a smooth, instant recurring payment, without the delay, uncertainty or lack of visibility common with traditional Direct Debits.
Why it matters
For customers, this means more control and clearer visibility over recurring bills, with the confidence of Visa’s protections if something goes wrong. For businesses, it brings faster settlement, fewer failed payments and easier reconciliation. And for the industry, it offers a scalable route to finally bring open banking into everyday financial life.
What’s ahead
Visa plans to expand A2A payments across subscriptions, ecommerce, household bills and more. With the first commercial transaction complete, broader adoption of cVRPs is expected to follow.
At Kroo, we’re proud to be helping shape the future of recurring payments and look forward to bringing more innovative and customer-focused payment experiences to the UK.
