DNA Payments and ETABS Forge Alliance to Unify UK Retail Operations

LONDON, UK – May 20, 2026 – In a significant move to streamline UK business operations, leading payments provider DNA Payments has announced a strategic partnership with E-Trading and Business Services Ltd (ETABS), the creator of a specialized retail and trade platform. The collaboration promises to deliver a deeply integrated payment solution for retail, trade, and warehousing businesses, aiming to eliminate the long-standing operational headaches caused by fragmented systems.

The partnership combines DNA Payments' extensive omnichannel payment infrastructure with ETABS's AI-enhanced TABS platform, which is deeply entrenched in the UK's tool and hardware merchant sector. For thousands of businesses juggling busy trade counters, complex inventories, and both in-store and online sales, this integration offers the prospect of a single, unified system for managing everything from stock control to the final transaction.

A Unified Front Against Fragmentation

For years, merchants have grappled with the challenge of disconnected systems. A point-of-sale terminal from one provider, an e-commerce checkout from another, and accounting software that requires manual data entry have created data silos and administrative burdens. This fragmentation is a major pain point, particularly for high-volume businesses where time spent on reconciliation is time lost from core commercial activities.

Simon O'Brien, Co-Founder of ETABS, highlighted this common frustration. "Our customers - particularly in the tool and hardware trade - run high-volume operations across tills, trade counters and online stores, and they've told us for years that fragmented payments cost them time at every reconciliation," he said. The new partnership is designed to directly address this issue. "Partnering with DNA Payments lets us close that loop. TABS merchants now get unified payments alongside unified stock, sales and accounts - one platform, one source of truth, one provider relationship to manage."

ETABS's TABS platform has already gained traction by unifying ePOS, stock control, warehouse management, and e-commerce, with direct integrations to major trade suppliers like Toolbank, Draper, and Sealey. By embedding DNA Payments' capabilities, the platform now extends this unified approach to the critical final step of the sale, providing merchants with complete transaction visibility across every touchpoint.

Strategic Synergy in a Competitive Market

This collaboration is more than just a technical integration; it represents a savvy strategic move within the competitive UK fintech landscape. DNA Payments has established itself as one of the UK's largest independent payment companies, reporting approximately £11 billion in annual transaction volumes across 65,000 customers. Its rapid growth has been fueled by a series of acquisitions and a substantial £100 million investment from Alchemy Partners in 2021, signaling a clear ambition for market dominance.

However, this aggressive growth strategy has come at a cost, with the company focusing on expansion over immediate profitability. This partnership with ETABS represents a highly targeted approach to market penetration. Instead of a generic, one-size-fits-all solution, DNA Payments is leveraging ETABS's deep vertical expertise to gain a strong foothold in the specialized and lucrative tool and hardware sector. It’s a prime example of the growing trend of fintechs forming strategic alliances to conquer specific industry verticals.

Colin Neil, CEO of DNA Payments, framed the decision as a direct response to market needs. “We’ve listened to our customers and partners through the years to ensure we deliver a payments platform that fits into their business model, regardless of size, scale or application, which means partnering with ETABS to help their merchants benefit from unified payments is a no-brainer,” Neil explained. He added that DNA Payments' agility allows it to support diverse sectors "without the hassle, meaning one provider for all their merchants’ needs."

The Technology Behind the Integration

At its core, the partnership provides a seamless flow of data between business operations and payment processing. DNA Payments brings a robust suite of solutions, including support for the latest payment methods across a range of touchpoints, from unattended terminals to tap-and-pay devices. For merchants, this means a single view of every transaction, whether it occurs at the till, the trade counter, or the online checkout.

Crucially, the integration also addresses the complex and critical issue of security. DNA Payments is fully compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the mandated set of rules for protecting cardholder data. The company utilizes Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) for in-person payments and ensures its online payment gateways are 3DS v2 Compliant for secure customer authentication. By partnering with a compliant provider, merchants can simplify their own security obligations, as DNA Payments assumes responsibility for data security once it enters its environment. This focus on security, combined with a unified management portal, is designed to reduce both risk and administrative workload for businesses.

Tapping into Broader Industry Shifts

This alliance between two UK-based technology firms reflects several powerful trends shaping modern commerce. Firstly, it underscores the relentless push towards truly omnichannel retail. Today’s consumers expect a consistent experience whether they are shopping in-store or online, and businesses that successfully blend these physical and digital channels are seeing superior sales growth. This partnership provides the technological backbone necessary to deliver that seamless experience.

Secondly, it highlights the move away from disjointed legacy software towards fully integrated platforms that provide a single 'source of truth'. As ETABS's AI-enhanced platform demonstrates, businesses are increasingly leveraging advanced technology to optimize everything from inventory forecasting to customer service. Integrating payments into this ecosystem is the logical next step in creating a highly efficient, data-driven operation.

The collaboration also serves as a testament to the vitality of the UK's domestic tech sector, with two homegrown innovators joining forces to build solutions tailored specifically for the challenges and opportunities within the UK market. By combining vertical-specific software with a powerful, scalable payments engine, the partnership between DNA Payments and ETABS is poised to set a new standard for operational efficiency in the UK's demanding retail and trade sectors.