Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Neo Gets Direct Access To Interac e-Transfer
Apr 8, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Activity | Payments And Money Movement
Control Of Payment Rail Starts To Open To Fintechs
On April 8, 2026, Interac announced that Neo Financial joins Interac e-Transfer as a participant, which means Neo now connects directly to a core Canadian payment rail instead of relying on an intermediary.
In September 2025, Interac announced expanded access for qualified payment service providers registered under the Retail Payment Activities Act and as money services businesses with FINTRAC. That control boosts product development and innovation. Neo can now design, launch, and iterate on payment features without routing through another institution.
Jeff Adamson, Co-founder, Neo Financial:
“Interac e-Transfer is central to how Canadians move money, and joining as a Participant means we now control how we build on it.”
See: Canada’s Payments Innovation Push Gains Speed
Interac e Transfer already operates at national scale with more than 1.6 billion transactions last year, nearly 300 financial institutions connected, and more than 20 million daily uses. Neo is now building on one of the most used payment layers in the country.
Neo is the second Canadian fintech to gain this level of access. Wealthsimple secured direct access to Interac in 2023, and also recently access to SWIFT for global wires.
Neo also has the scale and funding depth to benefit from it. The company has raised more than $650 million, and serves over one million customers. Total funding includes a $68.5M round in February that Neo raised to expand securitization.
Direct access changes how fintechs build. It reduces dependence on sponsor structures and gives operators more control over product, pricing, and speed. It does not solve trust or acquisition. But it gives serious fintechs a stronger base to compete.
Talking Point
More fintechs are moving closer to the infrastructure layer. That increases competition and gives operators more control over how they build. Why did it take so long?
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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