The Payments Knowledge Forum

What The Payments Knowledge Forum does

The Payments Knowledge Forum (PKF) is a UK-based, non-profit industry association founded in 1986 (originally as the EBUG User Group) that serves as an independent, vendor-neutral forum for payments system users. Its membership is drawn from financial institutions, retailers, payments processors, and consultants who exchange practical information about payment systems through annual conferences (historically in London, most recently in London and Leeds), regional networking events, and an archive of recorded webinars covering topics such as P2PE validation, tokenization, contactless ATMs, cloud deployment, and data-centric security. The organization is run by a volunteer Executive Committee comprising senior representatives from across the payments ecosystem, with current leadership drawn from Diebold Nixdorf (Chairman), Mastercard (Vice-Chairman & Treasurer), and other major vendors and consultancies; Jim Tomaney serves as the sole Director of Operations.

The PKF operates on a sponsorship-funded model — there are no membership fees and participation is free for qualifying payments system users who apply by email. Activities are funded by corporate sponsors (including HPE, IR, Omnipayments, and comforte in 2024) that typically exhibit at events. The organization maintains a digital presence through its website (thepkf.org), a Facebook page, a password-protected presentation library, and a webinar archive, but does not operate a traditional software product, API, or technology platform. Its primary "products" are membership services, live events, and recorded content — all delivered as community infrastructure rather than commercial offerings.

The PKF has documented international reach, with delegates from 23+ countries (including the UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Croatia, Czech Republic, South Africa, and Nigeria) at its 2015 conference, and prior annual attendance of 160+ attendees at its 2013 event. The organization competes implicitly with vendor-affiliated industry bodies and standards organizations, but positions itself explicitly as the only vendor-independent user forum in the UK/EU payments space. It does not disclose financial information and operates on a lean, volunteer-driven cost structure.

Name

The Payments Knowledge Forum

Legal name

The Payments Knowledge Forum

Website

https://thepkf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pitlessie

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Payments Knowledge Forum is an independent, non-profit association that facilitates the exchange of practical, mutually useful information among payments system users. It delivers free community membership to financial institutions, retailers, payment processors and consultants, and operates annual user conferences in London, regional networking events (e.g., Leeds), and an on-demand archive of webinars on payment systems topics. The organization is funded primarily through event sponsorship and has no vendor affiliation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Payments Knowledge Forum Community (Free Membership) Free non-profit industry association membership enabling financial institutions, retailers, payments processors and payments consultants to exchange practical information about payment systems, with access to events, presentations and networking.
• Annual User Conferences Annual multi-day user conferences featuring presentations from payments industry speakers, networking sessions and exhibition space, attended by delegates from financial institutions, retailers and payments processors.
• Leeds Networking Events Regional evening networking events for payments professionals featuring presentations from industry speakers (e.g., Leeds 2024 with Jim Tomaney and Tim Mattos).
• Webinar Archive Online archive of recorded webinars on payment systems topics including P2PE validation, testing, tokenization, contactless ATMs, and data-centric security, available on the PKF events page.
• Conference Presentations Access Password-protected access to presentation materials from PKF annual conferences and networking events, available to registered delegates.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Diebold NixdorfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDave Smith from Diebold Nixdorf serves as Chairman of the 2024-25 Executive Committee, demonstrating a core leadership role in the organization.
• MastercardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichard Gorman from Mastercard serves as Vice-Chairman & Treasurer of the 2024-25 Executive Committee.
• Hyosung TNSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnton Godfrey from Hyosung TNS serves as a Committee Member. Jim Tomaney, who has been associated with Hyosung TNS as Principal Advisor, is Director of Operations.
• IRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrew Pickles from IR serves as a Committee Member. IR is also a 2024 sponsor for the Leeds networking event, providing IR Transact solutions for payments ecosystem monitoring.
• OmnipaymentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraig Lawrance from Omnipayments serves as a Committee Member. Omnipayments is a 2024 sponsor offering global payments solutions supporting up to 10,000 transactions per second.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHPE is a 2024 sponsor showcasing their HPE GreenLake Flex Solution for Payments. HPE has been a key player in the payments industry for over 50 years with NonStop technology.
• comforteminorGTM or Marketing Partnercomforte is a 2024 sponsor providing data protection and tokenization services. They have formed a partnership with ACI Worldwide and have over 500 customers worldwide.
• VendorcomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVendorcom is a Payments Knowledge Partner representing key stakeholders in the cards & payments industry in Europe with nearly 100 members. Primary aims include promoting innovation and knowledge sharing.
• The PaypersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Paypers is a Media Partner providing news and intelligence for professionals in the global payment community, with products aimed at merchants, payment services providers, processors, and financial institutions.
• RBR (Retail Banking Research)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRBR Bulletin is a Media Partner - an international subscription newsletter focused on self-service banking, branch automation, cards and payments, valued by senior executives in over 100 countries.
• Payments Cards & MobileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayments Cards & Mobile is a Media Partner with 18+ years experience reporting on card payments, POS terminals, issuing and acquiring, and mobile payments technology.
• Bandwidth RecruitmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBandwidth Recruitment is a Payments Knowledge Partner - an independent provider of permanent, contract and interim staff specializing in the cards & payments sector.
• Banking TechnologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking Technology is a Payments Knowledge Partner and definitive source of news and analysis of the global fintech sector, attracting around 80,000+ unique monthly visitors.
• Mobile Payments WorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMobile Payments World is a Media Partner - a digital newsletter monitoring developments in mobile payments, commerce, NFC and mobile money transfer globally.
• IBS IntelligenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIBS Intelligence is a Media Partner - the definitive source of independent news, research and analysis of the banking technology space worldwide.
• Global Banking & Finance ReviewminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Banking & Finance Review is a Media Partner covering news, videos, analysis and opinion from the world of banking, finance, wealth management, trading and business technology.
• Digital Currency CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital Currency Council is a Media Partner - the bitcoin industry's leading trade group providing education and outreach for digital currency and blockchain technology.
• IR (as sponsor/partner)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerIR is a 2024 sponsor offering IR Transact - a solution that simplifies management of modern payments ecosystems, powered by Prognosis, monitoring and managing multiple vendor solutions across on-prem and cloud deployments.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ATM Industry Association (ATMIA): Global non-profit trade association representing the ATM industry with members across financial institutions, vendors, and processors. Highly comparable in structure and mission — vendor-inclusive independent body focused on knowledge exchange — and directly relevant given PKF's ATM-adjacent content (e.g., contactless ATMs).
• NACHA: US payments association governing the ACH network and providing industry education, rules, and thought leadership. Comparable as an independent, user-driven payments industry body, though much larger and rule-making rather than community-focused.
• Secure Technology Alliance (formerly Smart Card Alliance): Multi-industry association focused on smart cards, payments, identity, and security technology. Comparable as an independent industry body educating payments professionals, with similar webinar/content-driven engagement models aligned with PKF's archived webinar library.
• The Payments Association (UK): UK-based payments industry association representing payments companies, fintechs, and ecosystem participants. Closely comparable in mission — independent industry body serving payments professionals — though operating at a larger scale and more formalized structure than PKF.
• Vendorcom: European cards & payments industry association with ~100 members, focused on innovation and knowledge sharing among stakeholders. Directly comparable as a Payments Knowledge Partner of PKF and serving a similar user-driven, vendor-inclusive role in the payments ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Money 20/20: Largest global payments and fintech event series operated by Informa. Comparable as a payments industry convening platform but vastly larger and broader in scope, audience, and sponsor scale — represents the kind of well-funded incumbent that PKF's smaller programming competes against.
• UK Finance: UK trade association representing the banking and finance industry across retail, commercial, and payments. Comparable as an independent, member-funded industry body serving financial institutions but operating at significantly greater scale and with formal regulatory engagement.

Others

• Payments Cards & Mobile: B2B media outlet covering cards, payments, POS, issuing/acquiring, and mobile payments technology for 18+ years. Listed as a PKF media partner and adjacent ecosystem enabler rather than a direct community competitor.
• Bandwidth Recruitment: Independent specialist recruiter for the cards & payments sector, listed as a Payments Knowledge Partner of PKF. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor — strengthens the payments community PKF serves.

Emerging players

• Merchant Risk Council: Global membership organization focused on payments fraud, risk, and e-commerce optimization. Comparable as a community-driven payments industry association but focused narrowly on fraud/risk rather than the broader payments systems remit PKF covers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ThePKF
• Xx.com/The_PKF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-payments-knowledge-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Payments Knowledge Forum