- Founded
- 2001-01-01 in London, United Kingdom
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Phone
- +44 870-2255040
Skrill is a global digital wallet and online payment platform that enables consumers and businesses to send and receive money, make online purchases, and transfer funds internationally. Founded in 2001 in the United Kingdom under the name Moneybookers, the company rebranded to Skrill in 2013 and has since grown into one of the leading e‑payment solutions worldwide. Skrill is now a wholly owned brand of Paysafe Limited, a publicly traded global payments platform, after being acquired by Optimal Payments in 2015 for €1.1 billion. The platform supports a wide range of payment methods including credit/debit cards, bank transfers, local payment options, and cryptocurrency trading. Skrill is particularly popular in the iGaming and online gambling sectors, but also serves e‑commerce, money transfer, and digital nomad users. With a presence in over 135 countries and an estimated 23 million active users as of 2025, Skrill processes multi‑billion‑dollar transaction volumes annually. The company is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, and operates as part of the Paysafe group, which collectively employs approximately 3,300 people. Skrill continues to expand its services through partnerships, loyalty programs (KNECT), and innovations such as instant bank withdrawals and Visa‑link instant transfers.
Detailed Review
History and Founding
Skrill was established on 27 July 2001 in the United Kingdom under the original name Moneybookers. It was founded as a digital wallet provider, initially competing with PayPal and Neteller. In March 2007, Investcorp acquired the company, and by 2009 it had become one of the top three e‑payment solution providers in Europe. A significant security breach in 2009 exposed the data of nearly 4.5 million customers, though the breach was not discovered until October 2015. In September 2011, the company announced a rebranding to Skrill, completing the transition in 2013. In February 2013, Skrill acquired Austrian prepaid payment provider paysafecard, and in August 2013 was itself acquired by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for €600 million.
Acquisition by Paysafe
In 2015, Skrill was acquired by Optimal Payments – the parent company of rival digital wallet NETELLER – for €1.1 billion. Later that year, Optimal Payments rebranded as Paysafe. Skrill now operates as one of Paysafe’s flagship digital wallet brands, alongside NETELLER and paysafecard.
Product & Service Expansion
In 2018, Skrill began broadening its offerings: it launched an international money transfer service in February 2018, a cryptocurrency service allowing users to buy and trade digital currencies in July 2018, and a customer loyalty programme called KNECT in November 2019. The money transfer service was extended to U.S. users in June 2020. In 2025, Skrill expanded its Visa partnership to enable instant withdrawals across 40 countries through Visa‑linked bank accounts.
Market Position and Regulation
Skrill handles a substantial share of cross‑border e‑commerce transactions in Europe (20% in 2024) and is a preferred payment method in the iGaming industry. Merchants using Skrill report a 22% increase in checkout conversions. The platform’s total transaction volume was projected to exceed USD 240 billion by end of 2025. Skrill USA, Inc. (NMLS ID: 935195) is registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and licensed as a money transmitter in various U.S. states. The Skrill Visa® Prepaid Card is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC.
Key Products
Skrill’s core offering is the digital wallet, which supports over 40 currencies and enables online payments, peer‑to‑peer transfers, and withdrawals to bank accounts. The Skrill Money Transfer service provides cross‑border remittances using a bank card. The Skrill Prepaid Card is a Visa‑branded card linked to the wallet for online and in‑store purchases. Skrill also offers a cryptocurrency service for buying, selling, and holding digital currencies. For merchants, the Skrill Payment Gateway accepts credit/debit cards, over 20 local payment methods, and 80+ banks globally. The KNECT loyalty program rewards users with points on transactions.
Key Products
Skrill Digital Wallet
Core e‑wallet allowing users to store funds, make online payments, send money to other users, and withdraw to bank accounts. Supports over 40 currencies.
Skrill Money Transfer
Cross‑border remittance service enabling users to send money to bank accounts overseas using a bank card. Available in multiple countries including the U.S.
Skrill Prepaid Card
Visa‑branded prepaid card linked to the Skrill wallet, usable for online and in‑store purchases. Issued by Community Federal Savings Bank in the U.S.
Skrill Cryptocurrency Service
Allows users to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others directly within the wallet.
Skrill Payment Gateway
Business‑facing solution for merchants to accept payments via credit/debit cards, 20+ local payment methods, and 80+ banks globally.
KNECT Loyalty Program
Points‑based rewards programme where users earn points on transactions and can convert them to wallet credit or other rewards.
Offices & Headcount
3300 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
Bruce LowthersChief Executive Officer (CEO)