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UK green fintech Tred winds up; blames APP fraud reimbursement rules

UK green fintech startup Tred is to wind down its business, blaming the shutdown on new reimbursement rules on authorised push payment fraud.

  4 4 comments

UK green fintech Tred winds up; blames APP fraud reimbursement rules

Editorial

This content has been selected, created and edited by the Finextra editorial team based upon its relevance and interest to our community.

Launched four years ago, the Leeds-based startup built a carbon tracking debit card and app, allowing users to monitor the environmental impact of their spending while providing personalised recommendations for reducing their carbon footprint.

In 2021, Tred secured £1 million through a Crowdcube raise, followed by an additional £600,000 crowdfunding round the next year.

The winding up comes just four months after the firm received investment from Stroud-based green energy firm Ecotricity, founded by millionaire Labour donor Dale Vince.

Explaining the decision, Tred co-founder Will Smith says: "Recent changes to financial regulations around Authorised Push Payment Fraud (APPF) have significantly impacted smaller disruptors like Tred, which we simply aren’t equipped to sustain."

Introduced in October, the new APP fraud rules pushed through by the UK's Payment System Regulator mandate all firms to reimburse fraud victims up to a maximum of £85,000.

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Comments: (4)

A Finextra member 

I'm sure the risks of APP reimursement were an issue - but I highly doubt this was a driving reason for the business ceasing. Still, a shame as the concept was admirable.

Ketharaman Swaminathan

Ketharaman Swaminathan Founder and CEO at GTM360 Marketing Solutions

Since I couldn't spot the keyword "risk" anywhere in the article, I'm guessing it's not the risk but the actual occurrence of APP Scam Reimbursement that did Tred in. In other words, Tred's customers got hit by APP Scams and the fintech had to fork out reimbursements. 

A Finextra member 

What a shame.

Yet another example of the disproportionate effects that broad-brush heavy regulation has on smaller, or niche, players. APP fraud reimbursement is tantamount to expecting financial service companies to foot the bill for a consumer's negligence/naivety. 

It is no surprise that burdens such as this might force smaller players out as well as setting unrealistic expectations of financial service companies, which will assuredly be cynically exploited.

 

Ketharaman Swaminathan

Ketharaman Swaminathan Founder and CEO at GTM360 Marketing Solutions

Oh, I totally forget about the "cynically exploited" angle. It's very much possible that Tred was hit by a wave of Friendly Fraud and had to fork out reimbursements under the new APP Scam rules. 

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