Enfuce challenges the global payments industry to go beyond compliance with launch of Fortitude Pledge
Pledge is a direct commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 and comes as 63% of UK consumers believe financial institutions should go beyond current regulations to ensure money is not used to fund illegal activities.
LONDON, UK (13 MAY, 2025) – Issuer processing powerhouse Enfuce unveils the Fortitude Pledge, a bold new compliance and security standard, that aims to eliminate 100% of financial crime risks across all Enfuce-processed card transactions. Because aiming to stop 100% of human trafficking, money laundering, and terrorist financing is not optional—it’s essential. Anything less than full commitment means accepting the unacceptable and that’s a compromise the industry cannot afford.
With the launch of the Fortitude Pledge Enfuce is setting a powerful precedent—one that places human dignity and integrity first. More specifically, Enfuce is committing to:
- Screening 100% of transactions
- Flagging 100% of high-risk transactions
- Blocking 100% of prohibited transactions
- Reporting 100% of suspicious transactions
- Training 100% of employees in anti-money laundering (AML)/counter-terrorism funding (CTF) best practices
But Enfuce is not stopping there. Enfuce is calling on financial institutions, businesses and industry leaders to move beyond checkbox compliance and join the Fortitude Pledge to take a clear stand against financial crime. Because this isn’t just about policy, it’s about protecting people and tackling the root causes of financial crime by rethinking how payments systems can be used—and misused.
The announcement comes at a time when fraudsters are becoming faster, sharper, and harder to stop, with devastating consequences for our communities. Powered by AI and advanced technology, they’re automating scams and exploiting weaknesses across the digital payment landscape at an alarming pace. As the world leans deeper into card-based transactions, financial crime is no longer just easier to commit—it’s more sophisticated, more scalable, and more dangerous than ever before. Card identity theft losses have increased by 200% since 2021(1) and human trafficking alone has become a nearly £400 billion industry(2).
While the payment industry and financial institutions are uniquely positioned to tackle financial crime, current regulations don’t go far enough to fully eliminate the risk of illicit financial flows – and consumers are starting to take notice. New research conducted by CensusWide on behalf of Enfuce shows that 63% of UK consumers believe that banks should go ‘above and beyond’ compliance laws and regulation to ensure that money is not used to fund illegal activities. While expectations are rising, understanding remains low. Over half of UK adults are unaware that money from card transactions, not just cash, can be used to support criminal networks. Alarmingly, 70% of young people (25-34) still hold this misconception, despite being the most digital savvy generation(3) .
With the launch of the FortitudePledge, Enfuce commits to eliminating 100% of financial crime risks through all its card transactions, setting a new bold benchmark for the industry. In alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), the pledge goes beyond compliance and raises awareness on the impact of human trafficking, money laundering, and terrorist financing.
The Fortitude Pledge reinforces Enfuce’s position as a leader in fraud prevention and compliance, and underscores its mission to advance ESG in the payment space. From launching humanitarian ‘first-aid’ cards for refugees to promoting financial inclusion for marginalised communities, Enfuce’s dedication to building an inclusive financial system has been recognised by the prestigious UN Global Compact Network Finland’s SDG Ambition programme—the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. With this new pledge, Enfuce is taking inclusive finance and consumer protection to the next level, while challenging the industry to raise its standards for compliance, security, and transparency.
Monika Liikamaa, co-CEO and co-founder at Enfuce said: “Let’s be clear: financial crime won’t stop unless we take action. We need to recognise that each of us plays a role in the problem, and that every euro we spend—and how we spend it— can make a huge difference. That’s why we’re proud to be the first financial institution to focus on the UN’s SDG 16 with the launch of the Fortitude Pledge. We are not only leading by example, we are challenging the global financial sector to build a financial system that protects, empowers, and creates a safer world for all.“
Denise Johansson, co-CEO and co-founder at Enfuce added: “The only way to stop fraud and financial crime is through 100% commitment—anything less is not only ineffective, it means becoming part of the problem and allowing serious crimes to continue. That’s why we’re raising the bar higher than ever with the Fortitude Pledge. As global financial leaders, we have both the power and the responsibility to protect our communities – not just today but for generations to come- and we sincerely hope others will join us in our mission to create real change.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- UK Finance, Annual Fraud Report 2024
- Stop the Traffik, Annual Impact Report 2024
- CensusWide survey on 1000 UK residents
Media contacts:
For more information, please contact: enfuce@hardnumbers.co.uk
About Enfuce
Founded in 2016, Enfuce is a female-founded and led company with a unique vision: to bring the brightest minds and the best technology together to break down the barriers to prosperity. As a leading global card issuer and payment processor that merges innovation, security, and expertise to create modular, cloud-based payment processing capabilities, Enfuce is one of Finland’s most valuable scaleups, and is the first financial service provider in the world to be PCI-DSS certified while running its service in the public cloud. By focusing on collaboration, Enfuce is able to efficiently provide customers with cutting edge features – offering in-house experts and white labelled technology to help companies create scalable payment solutions with ease. Supporting debit, credit, prepaid, gift, fleet, and fuel card programmes in any form – for consumer, commercial, and B2B applications. Enfuce’s no-nonsense approach helps customers create bespoke payment solutions that are flexible, scalable, and secure.
Enfuce’s impact reaches far beyond the payments space. As a true force for good, Enfuce is committed to building a more equitable and sustainable future, with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles embedded at the core of its operations. This dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. Enfuce was selected by the UN Global Compact Network Finland to join the prestigious SDG Ambition programme, and its standout ESG leadership has earned international recognition—winning ‘Best ESG Campaign’ at both the 2024 UK Fintech Awards and the 2024 EU Fintech Awards, as well as the ‘Authentic ESG’ award at the 2023 FF Awards.
