Responding (Matching & Data)
Responding on incoming requests is at the core of Verification Of Payee
Not being able to respond to incoming VOP requests raises liability risks, but more importantly, questions from customers will come in because payers are not confident they are paying the right person or company.
SurePays responding service solves for this with 3 key components:
Connection to your data, through API, via a daily file delivery via SFTP where SurePay hosts your data or on-premise installation if required for data hosting and matching.
Matching algorithm to match an incoming VOP request to the accountholder data and send back a response.
Reachability through the EPC VOP scheme.
Supporting On-Premise Matching
For PSPs that want to retain full control over sensitive account holder data, SurePay offers the option to perform matching entirely in-house. Customers can integrate their own matching solution, or choose an on-premise matching module provided by SurePay.
This option is especially relevant for institutions operating under strict data protection, local bank secrecy or national security policies, as it ensures that account data never leaves the premises. Only the VOP result (Match, Close Match, No Match) is shared externally — never the underlying account information.
By combining on-premise matching with SurePay’s reliable routing engine, PSPs benefit from full compliance with the EPC Rulebook and IPR, without compromising on internal data control or operational efficiency
Data quality matters
When a VOP request comes in, the responder must match an IBAN to a name. But without correct internal data, names that follow a consistent format, clearly structured personal vs. business account records, or valid status indicators. This check can’t be executed reliably or matching quality will decrease.
And that’s not just a technical issue. Responding incorrectly (or not at all) may result in compliance risks, delayed payments, liability or reputational damage.
Visibility in the VOP ecosystem
Clean data alone isn’t enough. Responding PSPs must also be discoverable via the EPC Directory Service (EDS).
If your endpoint isn’t properly published, requesters simply won’t find you.
SurePay can help:
- Make sure your endpoint is visible and correctly entered in the EDS
- Act as fallback solution as a secondary responder
Conclusion: Matching is only possible if the data exists
VOP matching cannot happen in a vacuum. It relies on responders who maintain structured, up-to-date, and properly exposed account data. That includes:
- A complete dataset
- Smart internal logic to interpret it
- A working, published endpoint in the EPC Directory
Only then can matching logic do its job.
