Twikey and Ximedes strengthen payment security in public transport
Fraud in digital ticketing is a daily challenge for public transport operators across Europe. As subscription-based tickets and cashless payments become the norm, the need for secure, automated payment processes is rising.
This is where the new partnership between Ximedes and Twikey comes in. By combining expertise in ticketing and fare collection with payment automation, this collaboration has one specific goal: to create a comprehensive protection against payment fraud while delivering a smoother experience for both operators and passengers.
Why Twikey? Choosing the right payment partner
When Ximedes set out to strengthen its payment infrastructure, specifically for its customer koveb, the public transport company of the city of Koblenz in Germany, the criteria were clear. They needed a partner capable of preventing fraud in recurring payments, automatically handling failed transactions, and increasing the payment success rate. Twikey stood out for its reliable payment workflows and intelligent automation, particularly its ability to manage failed payments through retries, reminders, and, when necessary, cancellations.
Twikey’s payment orchestration platform is now being integrated into Ximedes’ ticketing system for clients beyond koveb. This will result in all ticket payments being processed through Twikey’s platform before collection via SEPA Direct Debit (subscription payments via other methods like credit cards or PayPal are also possible). In turn, this ensures that every transaction is monitored, validated, and, if something goes wrong, automatically followed up on, without burdening PTO staff with manual interventions.
Fraud prevention: the heart of our collaboration
At the core of this collaboration is a multi-layered security system that systematically verifies SEPA Direct Debit mandates for account existence, activity status, and available funds. Combined with advanced payment collection and active blocklist management, this creates multiple barriers against fraudulent transactions.
The results speak for themselves. In Koblenz, koveb faced a pressing challenge. "A major problem we had was fraud cases with the Deutschland-Ticket," said Christian Mund, Head of Finance, IT, and HR at koveb. Within the first days after launch, dozens of fraudulent transactions were automatically blocked, including a couple of attempts to buy a very large amount or Deutschland-Tickets, which would have led to a large financial loss.
What makes this possible? The solution doesn't just process payments; it actively monitors them. When a payment fails or appears suspicious, automated follow-up actions kick in immediately.
How it works: behind the scenes
When a customer signs on for an e-mandate (which authorizes the merchant to collect recurring payments), Twikey can automatically verify whether the IBAN and the name of the customer match. In addition, Twikey's extra fraud features do a multitude of extra checks on the account to verify if there is a risk of non-payment.
When a customer is securely signed on, payments can still sometimes fail to go through. In that case, Twikey offers fallback options like a secure pay page or a QR code to help the customer pay in other ways. Twikey recognises distinct types of failure (e.g. the account is closed, the input was incorrect, there’s been a duplication, etc.) and reacts accordingly, without the need for manual intervention.
Navigating Europe's evolving payment landscape
The partnership between Ximedes and Twikey arrives at a critical juncture for European payments. The changes with new upcoming payment methods like Wero in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and other countries, in combination with PSD2 compliant Payment Initation, will redraw the payment landscape drastically. Secure Direct Debits will be part of that environment as one of the most cost effective payment options.
Public transport operators must rely on flexible future-proof low risk payment methods. They need to connect with multiple banks and payment providers to allow this. The Ximedes-Twikey partnership delivers exactly that: a unified platform capable of adapting to regional payment preferences while maintaining the highest security standards. This isn't just about solving today's challenges, it's about positioning PTOs for tomorrow's opportunities.
Why this partnership delivers results
The Ximedes-Twikey partnership distinguishes itself by combining deep domain knowledge in both fare collection and payment orchestration, creating a solution that understands the unique challenges of public transport.
Rather than treating payments as a bolt-on feature, we've architected a seamless integration between ticketing software and financial systems. This proactive approach to fraud prevention and payment automation reflects a deeper commitment: we're not just vendors, we're partners invested in the long-term success of European public transport.
Looking ahead
As European mobility continues its digital transformation, Ximedes and Twikey are committed to developing new features and setting new standards for secure, automated payments in public transport.
The future of fare collection is cashless, frictionless, and, thanks to partnerships like this, far more secure.
Ready to transform your payment processes? Discover how secure, automated payments can strengthen your ticketing environment. Contact the teams at Ximedes and Twikey to learn more about our joint solution.
