GoCardless founders in line for major payday as fintech sells for nearly 1bn

"The founders of UK fintech GoCardless are set for a significant financial windfall after the payments company agreed to be acquired by Dutch rival Mollie in a deal valued at €1.05bn (£920m). The transaction is expected to deliver a major payday for GoCardless chief executive Hiroki Takeuchi, as well as fellow co-founder Tom Blomfield, one of Britain's most prominent technology entrepreneurs and a co-founder of digital bank Monzo. Founded in London in 2011 by Takeuchi, Blomfield (pictured) and fellow Oxford graduate Matt Robinson, GoCardless has grown into one of Europe's leading account-to-account payments platforms, serving more than 100,000 businesses and processing over $130bn of transactions annually."

"The deal comes nearly a decade after Takeuchi suffered a life-changing cycling accident in London that left him paralysed from the waist down. He returned to work within months and has since led the company through rapid international expansion. "I owe a lot to GoCardless as a company, to our investors, and to our team," Takeuchi said following the announcement. "We're not doing this to exit the company - we're doing this because we believe in the future of the combination." More than 90 per cent of the deal consideration will be paid in shares, with the remainder in cash. Takeuchi will remain with the combined group in a senior leadership role once the transaction completes, which is expected by mid-2026, subject to regulatory approvals."

GoCardless agreed to be acquired by Dutch payments rival Mollie for €1.05bn (£920m). The transaction will deliver a major payout to founders including chief executive Hiroki Takeuchi and co-founder Tom Blomfield. GoCardless, founded in London in 2011, serves more than 100,000 businesses and processes over $130bn of transactions annually. Takeuchi, who returned to lead the company after a cycling accident left him paralysed, will remain in senior leadership. More than 90% of the consideration is in shares. The deal is expected to complete by mid-2026 pending regulatory approvals. The valuation is below the 2022 price tag, and the company recently returned to profitability despite a 2024 pre-tax loss of £34.5m.

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