DRUO Secures Seed Funding Led by GPT Ventures to Scale Direct-Debit Payments Network

• DRUO is a global direct-debit payment network enabling businesses to accept payments directly from bank accounts.
• The company connects 10,000 financial institutions and services almost 1 million users in the United States and Latin America.
• The seed round led by Global PayTech Ventures positions DRUO to expand to over 30 countries in 2026 and drive further user adoption.

MIAMI, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Global direct-debit payment method DRUO has secured seed funding to scale its global proprietary network and increase service availability for more merchants and end users. The round was led by Global PayTech Ventures (GPT) and marks a milestone moment in DRUO's rapid growth, positioning the Miami-based powerhouse to expand its network to several countries in 2026.

Despite modern innovation, the global payments infrastructure still relies on complex, 50-year-old systems. With up to 12 intermediaries involved in every transaction, individuals and businesses are forced to give up 3–5% of their revenue in fees while navigating fraud risks and operational friction. But the real cost is exclusion: Complexity and fees limit access to the global payment system for billions of businesses and consumers.

DRUO's proprietary global debit network enables businesses to accept payments directly from bank accounts, even internationally. By connecting directly with financial institutions, this new infrastructure substantially reduces transaction costs to 0.5%, improves fraud protection by up to 25x compared to traditional pull payment systems, and expands coverage to any customer with a bank account.

"We're giving the world a radically better way for businesses to accept payments," says DRUO CEO Alejandro Pinzon. "We removed almost a dozen middlemen and built a new system to replace an antiquated process. DRUO gives merchants what they never had — secure, near-free payments. It now works with more than 1 billion bank accounts."

DRUO is already the preferred payment method for almost 1 million end users across several countries including the United States, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. Its proprietary network enables direct charges to more than 1 billion bank accounts across approximately 10,000 financial institutions. In September, DRUO reached approximately $294 million USD in total transaction volume processed since its 2022 launch, including $57.8 million USD in Q3 2025 alone, representing 188% year-over-year growth.

The growing demand for DRUO is rooted in its breakthrough solution to a fundamental gap in the global payments system: The ability to charge any bank account directly, even internationally. Although this capability should be elemental, it hasn't previously been available at scale. DRUO is the first to make global direct-debit payments a reality. By cutting fees, fraud, and complexity out of the equation, DRUO is making businesses more profitable overnight.

DRUO's commitment to driving economic growth by evolving the payments acceptance market  — along with its planned global expansion — recently captured the attention of Global Paytech Ventures, which led the seed round.

"DRUO's direct-debit network creates a new category in the global payments system," says Javier Perez, Founder and Managing Partner of GPT and former President of Mastercard Europe and Latin America. "By eliminating the friction associated with charging bank accounts directly, DRUO reduces the complexity and cost of accepting payments. DRUO's end-to-end network powers every step of the payment journey, ensuring safer and faster transactions for all. The brilliance of DRUO lies in its utter simplicity: Direct, secure access to the source of funds."

DRUO is expected to be available in Europe in 2026 as it continues expanding its global network. The seed funding will primarily be invested in building out DRUO's global infrastructure and accelerating access to DRUO for both merchants and consumers. "Partnering with GPT is both an enabler and a validation of our vision to redefine global payments. Their paytech ecosystem expertise and global reach make them the perfect partner for this next stage," says Alejandro Pinzon.

About DRUO

DRUO is a direct-debit payment method that enables businesses to get paid directly from bank accounts. The company's proprietary international debit network allows merchants to accept payments from 3x more customers while substantially reducing incurred fees and fraud risk. DRUO is creating the backbone of a new, inclusive financial ecosystem that's built for driving global commerce.

About Global Paytech Ventures

Global PayTech Ventures (GPT) is a venture capital firm focused on groundbreaking paytech platforms with global potential. Founded and led by Javier Perez, former President of Mastercard Europe and Latin America, along with his sons Daniel and Kristofer Perez, GPT brings unparalleled industry expertise and a powerful network to help next-generation payment companies scale worldwide.

Press contact
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SOURCE DRUO