Revolut launches PayTo in Australia to fight bill shock

Revolut has launched PayTo for customers in Australia, adding a real-time payment option alongside card payments and bank transfers in its local app.

PayTo is an account-to-account payment method developed by NPP Australia and positioned as a digital alternative to traditional direct debits. Users authorise a PayTo agreement and manage it in the Revolut app, with the option to pause, resume, or cancel recurring payments.

The feature targets everyday uses such as topping up a Revolut account and paying recurring bills, including digital subscriptions and gym memberships.

Subscription controls

The launch comes as consumers and regulators in Australia focus on subscription spending and billing transparency. PayTo agreements appear in-app, giving users a consolidated view of merchants authorised to take payments from their account. Revolut is highlighting this as a way to reduce the risk of forgotten recurring charges.

Customers can change a PayTo agreement with a tap, including pausing payments for a period, resuming them, or cancelling the agreement entirely. This reduces the need to contact a merchant or visit a bank branch to stop a recurring debit.

Fraud concerns

PayTo also ties into efforts to reduce scams and unauthorised payments. Under the model described by Revolut, agreements are authorised directly in the app, and funds cannot be withdrawn without the customer's explicit, authenticated consent.

Revolut is linking PayTo to its existing security features, including disposable cards, two-factor authentication, biometric authorisation, and custom security settings.

Each new PayTo agreement is accessible in the Revolut app and stored by NPP Australia in an encrypted database, which Revolut describes as an additional layer of security around payment permissions.

Real-time funding

Revolut is also pitching speed and certainty. PayTo payments occur in real time and provide instant confirmation, both for adding money to a Revolut account and for ongoing auto-payments once an agreement is in place.

The company says this can reduce uncertainty around "pending" transactions and improve a customer's view of their available balance.

How it works

Set-up begins by selecting PayTo as a payment option either in the Revolut app or on a merchant platform. Users then provide account details via BSB and account number or by using PayID, according to Revolut.

Authorisation is completed through the customer's non-Revolut mobile banking app or online banking. The customer receives an authorisation request from their bank to review and approve. After approval, they return to the Revolut app, select "Add Money," and use the PayTo agreement to add funds or set up auto-payments.

Once active, the agreement can be managed through an online banking portal or banking app, with Revolut also offering in-app controls to view and edit agreements.

Local expansion

Revolut has more than 70 million customers globally and more than 1 million in Australia, according to the company. The PayTo launch adds a payment rail designed for the Australian market, where NPP infrastructure underpins several real-time payment services.

Matt Baxby, Chief Executive Officer of Revolut Australia, said the product supports the company's push to simplify payment management.

"At Revolut, we believe that managing your money should be simple, secure and stress free," said Matt Baxby, CEO of Revolut Australia. "The launch of PayTo is a significant milestone in our mission to become the ultimate financial super-app. By giving our customers the ability to see, manage, and cancel their payment agreements in real-time, we are putting the power back into the hands of our customers."

Revolut plans further growth in Australia as it adds more localised product features to its app.