Skrill
A digital wallet and online payments brand operated by Paysafe.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Skrill is a United Kingdom-founded digital wallet and online payments brand operated within Paysafe Limited. The service began in 2001 under the name Moneybookers, offering users a way to send and receive money online through an account associated with an email address. Its original proposition addressed the need for an electronic alternative to bank transfers and card payments, particularly for internet commerce and cross-border transactions. The service expanded from a basic online wallet into a broader payments platform. Depending on market and product availability, Skrill users can fund accounts through payment cards, bank transfers and local payment methods, then use balances to pay participating merchants, transfer money to other Skrill users or withdraw funds. The brand has also offered multi-currency functionality, international remittances and payment-related services for digital businesses. Skrill's remittance product enables users to send money to overseas bank accounts using a bank card or other supported funding method. A major stage in the brand's development was its repositioning from Moneybookers to Skrill. The company announced the rebrand in 2011 and completed the transition in 2013, seeking a shorter and more internationally usable consumer identity. During the same period, the business participated in a series of payments-industry acquisitions and ownership changes. It acquired the Austrian prepaid-payment provider paysafecard in 2013, was acquired by CVC Capital Partners later that year, and became part of Optimal Payments in 2015. Optimal Payments subsequently changed its name to Paysafe, bringing Skrill into the Paysafe portfolio alongside Neteller and other payment brands. Skrill broadened its service range during the late 2010s. It introduced an international money-transfer service in 2018 and added a cryptocurrency service later that year, allowing eligible users to buy and trade supported cryptocurrencies through the platform. In 2019, it launched KNECT, a customer loyalty programme. The international-transfer offering was extended to users in the United States in 2020, subject to applicable market rules and product availability. The brand has maintained a strong presence in online and digitally native sectors, including ecommerce, online entertainment and gaming-related payments. It has also used sports and event sponsorships to build recognition, including relationships with the European Poker Tour, English football's National League, AC Milan and Leeds United. Today, Skrill is best understood as a consumer-facing digital wallet brand within Paysafe rather than as an independent payments group. Its positioning combines online checkout, peer-to-peer transfers, international money movement and selected financial services in one branded account, although the exact services available vary by country and regulatory environment.
History
Skrill originated in the United Kingdom in 2001 as Moneybookers, a digital wallet business created for online payments and electronic money transfers. Its model allowed customers to send and receive funds through an online account associated with an email address, providing an alternative to conventional bank transfers and card-based payments. The service was particularly suited to internet commerce and other online activities in which users needed a relatively quick way to move funds across borders. By 2007, Moneybookers had become one of Europe's prominent electronic-payment providers. Investcorp acquired the company in March of that year. The business later encountered reputational and operational issues. In 2009, it suffered a security breach that reportedly exposed personal information connected with almost 4.5 million customers. The incident was not discovered until 2015, according to the referenced account, and the reported data included names, email addresses, postal addresses and IP addresses. In 2010, Moneybookers also blocked a donation account operated by WikiLeaks, referring to the organisation's inclusion on Australian blacklists and American watchlists. The decision became a notable example of the compliance and political-risk questions faced by online payment intermediaries. The company began changing its identity from Moneybookers to Skrill in 2011. The rebrand was completed in 2013 and gave the business a shorter name intended for international consumer use. Its corporate scope expanded during the same period. Skrill completed the acquisition of paysafecard, an Austrian prepaid-payment provider, in February 2013. Later that year, CVC Capital Partners acquired Skrill in a transaction reported at approximately €600 million. Skrill then became part of a larger payments consolidation. In 2015, Optimal Payments acquired Skrill for approximately €1.1 billion. Optimal Payments already owned the competing Neteller wallet, and the transaction placed both brands under common ownership. Optimal Payments changed its name to Paysafe in November 2015. Skrill consequently became one of Paysafe's digital-wallet brands, alongside Neteller, while paysafecard and other payment products were also incorporated into the broader group structure. During the late 2010s, Skrill developed beyond its original wallet proposition. It launched international money transfer in February 2018, enabling users to send money overseas to bank accounts. In July of the same year, it introduced cryptocurrency functionality for buying and trading supported digital assets. In November 2019, the brand launched KNECT, a loyalty programme designed to reward customer activity. In June 2020, the international-transfer service was extended to US users. Marketing and partnership activity has been another part of Skrill's development. The brand sponsored the PokerStars-owned European Poker Tour for its eighth season in 2011 and again for its tenth season in 2013. In 2013, England's National League entered a one-year sponsorship arrangement under which its divisions used Skrill-branded names. Skrill later announced a four-year sponsorship deal with AC Milan in 2020 and a partnership with Leeds United in 2021. These relationships helped connect a financial-technology service with online gaming, football and international sports audiences. Skrill remains a Paysafe-operated brand focused on digital wallets, online checkout, person-to-person transfers, cross-border payments and selected cryptocurrency services. Its exact products, transaction limits and availability depend on jurisdiction, licensing and local payment infrastructure. The brand's corporate history reflects the wider payments industry's movement toward consolidation, multi-service platforms and branded wallets that combine funding, merchant payments and international money movement.
- 2020
US access to international transfers expands
[1]Skrill extends its international money-transfer service to users in the United States.
- 2019
KNECT loyalty programme launches
[1]Skrill launches KNECT, a loyalty programme for customers.
- 2018
International money transfer launches
[1]Skrill introduces a service for international transfers to overseas bank accounts.
- 2018
Cryptocurrency service launches
[1]Skrill adds functionality for eligible users to buy and trade cryptocurrencies.
- 2015
Optimal Payments acquires Skrill
[1]Optimal Payments acquires Skrill for approximately €1.1 billion, bringing the brand together with Neteller under common ownership.
- 2015
Optimal Payments becomes Paysafe
[1]Optimal Payments changes its corporate name to Paysafe, establishing the current parent-group context for Skrill.
- 2013
The Moneybookers-to-Skrill transition is completed
[1]The company completes its consumer-facing rebrand to Skrill.
- 2013
Skrill acquires paysafecard
[1]Skrill completes the acquisition of Austrian prepaid-payment provider paysafecard.
- 2013
CVC Capital Partners acquires Skrill
[1]CVC Capital Partners acquires Skrill in a transaction reported at approximately €600 million.
- 2011
Skrill rebrand is announced
[1]Moneybookers announces that it will adopt the Skrill name.
Products and positioning
A convenient, internationally oriented digital wallet and online payments service for consumers, merchants and digitally native businesses.
Digital wallet · 2001
Skrill Digital Wallet
Skrill's core account product stores and moves electronic funds for online payments and transfers. Users may fund wallets through cards, bank transfers or local payment methods, depending on jurisdiction. Balances can be used at participating merchants, sent to other Skrill users, withdrawn or converted where supported. The wallet is designed for multi-currency online use and functions as the central account around which Skrill's other services are organised.
International remittance · 2018
Skrill Money Transfer
Skrill Money Transfer enables customers to send funds across borders, including transfers to overseas bank accounts. The service extends Skrill from a merchant-payment wallet into a remittance product. Funding can include a bank card, while supported currencies, destinations, fees, limits and delivery methods vary by market and applicable regulation.
Cryptocurrency services · 2018
Skrill cryptocurrency service
Introduced in 2018, Skrill's cryptocurrency service allows eligible users to buy and trade supported cryptocurrencies through the Skrill environment. It adds a digital-asset use case to the wallet rather than positioning Skrill solely as a conventional payment account. Availability and supported assets are subject to country restrictions and product rules.
Loyalty programme · 2019
KNECT
KNECT is Skrill's customer loyalty programme, launched in 2019. It was designed to reward customer engagement and encourage continued use of Skrill services. The programme forms part of the brand's effort to build an ongoing customer relationship around its wallet rather than relying only on individual payment occasions.
Controversies
2010
WikiLeaks donation-account blocking
While still operating as Moneybookers, the company blocked a donation account associated with WikiLeaks. It cited WikiLeaks' inclusion on Australian blacklists and American watchlists. The action placed the payment provider in a politically sensitive dispute over sanctions, watchlists and the responsibilities of financial intermediaries.
2009
Customer-data security breach
A security breach reportedly exposed data relating to almost 4.5 million customers. The reported information included names, email addresses, home addresses and IP addresses. The incident was not discovered until 2015 according to the referenced history, making the timing of detection and disclosure a significant issue for the brand.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021Leeds United partnership
United Kingdom · International
Skrill announced a partnership with Leeds United, extending its football-marketing activity in England.
Outcome. The source confirms the partnership but does not state its commercial results.
- 2020AC Milan sponsorship
Italy · International
Skrill announced a four-year sponsorship agreement with AC Milan, using a prominent football relationship to support international brand visibility.
Outcome. The announced term was four years; later performance details are not specified in the reference material.
- 2013European Poker Tour sponsorship renewal
Europe
Skrill again sponsored the European Poker Tour during its tenth season, continuing its association with online gaming payments and international events.
Outcome. The source records the renewed sponsorship but does not provide campaign performance figures.
- 2013English National League naming sponsorship
United Kingdom
Skrill entered a one-year sponsorship agreement with England's National League. The competition's divisions were presented under Skrill-branded names during the arrangement.
Outcome. The agreement lasted one year according to the reference material.
- 2011European Poker Tour sponsorship
Europe
Skrill sponsored the PokerStars-owned European Poker Tour for its eighth season, aligning the wallet with an internationally active online and live poker audience.
Outcome. The sponsorship relationship was repeated for the tour's tenth season in 2013.
Brand decisions
2018
Expand into international transfers and cryptocurrencyProduct launchBackground
Skrill aimed to increase the range of financial tasks performed within its wallet.
Action taken
The brand launched international money transfers and later added cryptocurrency buying and trading functionality.
Aftermath
Skrill's proposition expanded from online payments toward remittances and selected digital-asset services.
2015
Join Optimal PaymentsM&ABackground
Payments companies were consolidating complementary wallet, prepaid and merchant-payment capabilities.
Action taken
Optimal Payments acquired Skrill and its related business for approximately €1.1 billion.
Aftermath
Skrill became part of the group that was renamed Paysafe, alongside Neteller and other payment brands.
Reported acquisition value. €1.1 billion (2015 acquisition)
2013
Acquire paysafecardM&ABackground
Skrill sought to broaden its payments portfolio beyond its digital-wallet service.
Action taken
Skrill completed the acquisition of Austrian prepaid-payment provider paysafecard.
Aftermath
The deal expanded the group into prepaid payment products before later ownership changes.
2011
Adopt the Skrill brandStrategyBackground
Moneybookers operated in an increasingly international digital-payments market and sought a shorter consumer identity.
Action taken
The company announced a transition from Moneybookers to Skrill, completing the rebrand in 2013.
Aftermath
The Skrill name became the principal consumer brand and continued after subsequent acquisitions and integration into Paysafe.
Recent events
Skrill appoints Paulo Dybala as brand ambassador[3]
Reported:
Skrill signed a two-year deal with Paulo Dybala to represent the digital payments brand worldwide. His first appearance for Skrill was planned for a campaign promoting the Skrill Prepaid Mastercard.
Skrill partners with Coinbase to offer cryptocurrency services[4]
Reported:
Skrill partnered with Coinbase to provide cryptocurrency access to Skrill digital wallet customers across 37 U.S. states and territories.
Luckbox agrees payment partnerships with Skrill, NETELLER, ecoPayz and Trustly[5]
Reported:
Real Luck Group Ltd. and its Luckbox subsidiary announced signed agreements with Skrill, NETELLER, ecoPayz and Trustly to offer customers payment options in more than 100 countries.
Skrill Money Transfer launches in the U.S.[6]
Reported:
Paysafe announced the U.S. launch of Skrill Money Transfer. U.S. customers can use the service to transfer money for free to recipients in Mexico, India, and nearly 20 other Asian and European countries.
Skrill launches Skrill Knect[7]
Reported:
Skrill launched Skrill Knect, a loyalty programme offering customers points for eligible transactions that can be exchanged for rewards. The programme launched in 30 European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands and Bulgaria.
Sources8 sources
- 1Skrillen.wikipedia.org
- 2Skrill official websiteskrill.com
- 3Skrill任命保罗·迪巴拉为品牌大使finanznachrichten.de
- 4Skrill与Coinbase合作提供加密货币服务coinspeaker.com
- 5Luckbox与Skrill、NETELLER、ecoPayz及Trustly达成支付合作finanznachrichten.de
- 6Skrill Money Transfer在美国推出crowdfundinsider.com
- 7Skrill推出Skrill Knectfinanznachrichten.de
- 8Skrill announces Paulo Dybala as brand ambassador | Yogonet Internationalyogonet.com
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