How it works
DigiCheques sits on top of UK retail payment infrastructure. The token architecture is designed so that no bank details ever need to be exchanged, and no persistent payment path is created on either side of the transaction.
The transaction flow
Click.
The sender creates a DigiCheque
The sender enters an amount, names the recipient, and adds an optional message. They authenticate via their own bank using Open Banking — no bank details are entered into DigiCheques at any point. The DigiCheques platform generates a cryptographic token and a unique short-form claim URL. The payment instruction is held server-side. Nothing moves yet.
Boom.
The DigiCheque is delivered
The sender shares the claim URL by WhatsApp, text, email, or any digital channel. The URL is short, human-readable, and single-use. It cannot be reused once claimed. The recipient receives it as a link — no app required, no account to create. The sender's bank details are not visible in the URL or anywhere in the delivery chain.
Banked.
The recipient claims into their own account
The recipient clicks the link and enters their own bank account details to receive the funds. DigiCheques initiates the Faster Payments transfer. The money moves directly from the sender's bank to the recipient's bank — no intermediary holds the funds. The token is voided. The transaction is complete. Typically within seconds.
The infrastructure
DigiCheques does not build payment infrastructure — it builds on top of it. The underlying rails are UK Faster Payments, accessed via regulated banking partners. The DigiCheques platform provides the token layer, the claim flow, and the user experience that sits above those rails.
Payment rails
UK Faster Payments
Access via retail payment rails. Typical settlement time under 10 seconds.
Banking infrastructure
FCA-regulated EMI
Infrastructure partnership confirmed with an FCA-regulated Electronic Money Institution, pending DigiCheques authorisation.
Open Banking
Regulated access
Sender authentication and payment initiation via a regulated Open Banking provider.
Platform architecture
Cloud-based
Built on a major cloud platform. React Native mobile. Designed and led by an engineering team with direct experience of building greenfield banking platforms.
Regulatory status
FCA authorisation in progress
DigiCheques is seeking appropriate FCA authorisation under the Payment Services Regulations 2017. The authorisation process is underway in parallel with the technology build.
Safeguarding
PS25/12 compliant
Safeguarding architecture designed to comply with the FCA's updated safeguarding rules from the outset.
DigiCheques is seeking appropriate FCA authorisation under the Payment Services Regulations 2017. The authorisation process is underway in parallel with the technology build. Our infrastructure partner — an FCA-regulated Electronic Money Institution — has confirmed it will onboard DigiCheques commercially once authorisation is in place.
The token
A DigiCheque is a server-side payment instruction attached to a unique cryptographic token. The claim URL is the key to that token — it does not contain the payment details itself. When the recipient presents the URL, the server validates the token, verifies the recipient's identity, and initiates the Faster Payments transfer.
The token has a defined lifespan. Unclaimed DigiCheques expire and the funds are returned to the sender. A DigiCheque that has been claimed cannot be claimed again. A DigiCheque that has expired cannot be reactivated.
dgc.uk / X7·K9·P2
Domain
Short-form branded URL. Human-readable and typeable.
Reference
Unique alphanumeric token. Structured to resemble a cheque reference rather than a random string.
What it contains
A pointer to the server-side token only. No payment details, no bank information, no personally identifiable data.
What it does not contain
No sort code. No account number. No name. Nothing that could be used to initiate a payment independently.
On QR codes: DigiCheques does not lead with QR codes. The primary claim mechanism is the short URL — deliverable by any digital channel and claimable on any device with a browser. QR codes are available as a secondary option for physical contexts such as charity collection points and event displays, where a camera input is the most natural interaction.