GoCardless has agreed to be acquired by Dutch payments firm Mollie in a deal valuing the business at over $1 billion, marking a significant liquidity moment for its founders. Co-founded in 2011 by Hiroki Takeuchi, Tom Blomfield, and Matt Robinson, the London-based company serves more than 100,000 businesses and processes over $130 billion in payments annually. Takeuchi, who became sole CEO in 2015, said the transaction reflects long-term conviction rather than an exit, noting that the vast majority of the consideration is being rolled into equity in the combined business.
The deal follows a challenging but pivotal period for GoCardless, which recently reached profitability after years of heavy investment, even as broader fintech valuations compressed following the rise in interest rates. Takeuchi’s leadership arc has also been closely watched in the UK tech ecosystem since a 2016 cycling accident left him paralyzed; he returned to work within months and continued scaling the business through its global expansion. Blomfield, who left GoCardless in 2013 and later co-founded digital bank Monzo, is believed to retain a stake and stands to benefit from the transaction. Once completed, the merger is expected to create a payments platform serving more than 350,000 businesses across Europe and beyond.
