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UATP, MICA to bring credential-less multi-tender payment solution to merchants

Thursday, February 19, 2026 — 17:26:30 (UTC)

UATP Partners with MICA to Bring Credential-less Multi-Tender Payment Solution to Merchants

UATP is a global payment solution owned and operated by the world's airlines and accepted by thousands of merchants for air, rail and travel agency payments. UATP connects airlines to Alternative Forms of Payment which can expand reach and generate incremental sales globally. UATP offers easy-to-use data tools, DataStream(SM) and DataMine(SM), which provide comprehensive account details to Issuers and Corporate Subscribers for accurate travel management. UATP is accepted as a form of payment for corporate business travel worldwide by airlines, travel agencies and Amtrak; UATP accounts are issued by: Aeromexico, APG Airlines, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Air Niugini, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Delta Air Lines, EL AL Israel Airlines, Etihad Airways, Frontier Airlines, GOL Linhas aereas inteligentes S.A., Hahn Air; Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas Airways, Shandong Airlines, Transavia Airlines, TUIfly GmbH, Turkish Airline, United Airlines, and WestJet. AirPlus International issues the UATP-based Company Account for: British Airways and Lufthansa German Airlines. (PRNewsFoto/Universal Air Travel Plan, Inc.)

Feb 19, 2026, 10:24 ET Solution gives merchants greater payment flexibility and streamlined operations at the network level, powered by Mica's patented technology.

WASHINGTON and AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UATP, the global network that helps organizations simplify payments and expand their payment options, has partnered with credential-less payments infrastructure provider Mica to launch multi-tender payment capabilities for merchants. Powered by Mica's patented payment technology and delivered through UATP's global payment platform, the new network solution enables merchants to intelligently allocate a single booking across multiple payment types in one transaction, while keeping settlement and reconciliation streamlined.

The solution brings together multi-tender orchestration, card authentication, intelligent payment routing, processing and automated reconciliation within a single, network-level payment flow. Merchants can combine cards, account-to-account payments, vouchers, coupons, loyalty currencies, and other stored-value instruments in one transaction, improving booking allocation and simplifying back-office operations.

The multi-tender payment solution incorporates patented credential-less tokenization and payment technology, which eliminates stored credentials entirely, removing a primary target for fraud and account takeover attacks. Unlike traditional tokenization, this approach generates ephemeral, single-use keys that cannot be intercepted or reused, enabling secure and flexible payment experiences across channels. This expands UATP's Ceptor capabilities to all channels including in-store, in-airport and in-flight purchases. The partnership solves a growing demand for payment optimization across retail and travel verticals alike. By operating at the network-level, UATP gives merchants a way to modernize their payment stack without disrupting existing acquiring, gateway, or settlement relationships.

"Merchants want to expand payment choice without adding complexity or cost," said Ralph Kaiser, President and CEO of UATP. "Our proven infrastructure, combined with Mica's technology, helps merchants adopt new payment models efficiently, even in the most complex business environments. By delivering multi-tender and credential-less capabilities as a network solution, we enable merchants to orchestrate multiple forms of payment within a single transaction, while keeping settlement, reporting, and reconciliation fully streamlined across the UATP platform."

The rule-based network capabilities allow merchants to decide how to allocate a basket total across various tenders, such as loyalty currencies, stored value, or alternative methods, before routing any remaining balance through card or account-based rails. With this flexibility, merchants can accept a broad range of payment forms, including stablecoin, account-to-account transfers, and traditional methods, all through a single platform optimized for online, in-app, and in-person use.

"Merchants have been forced to choose between payment flexibility and fraud protection. With Mica's credential-less tokenization and multi-tender payments technology now available through UATP's global network, they no longer must compromise. We are eliminating credential exposure that fuels massive payment fraud, with a more powerful payment experience with multi-tender orchestration, something legacy payment systems simply cannot deliver." said Mike Ward, CEO of Mica.

Because the capabilities are delivered through UATP's network, merchants maintain their existing acquiring, gateway, and settlement relationships while gaining access to new multi-tender orchestration and credential-less tokenization and payment technology. The solution will help drive payment innovation across the ecosystem as multi-tender adoption grows.

Media Contacts: UATP: Wendy Ward, CMO, UATP, wward@uatp.com Mica: Christopher Loughlin, CGO, Mica, christopher.loughlin@mica.io

About UATP UATP is one of the largest global and most secure closed-loop networks, simplifying payments in complex industries. We make it easy for businesses to make or accept any type of payment; open new markets, drive growth, and reduce costs for Issuers, Merchants, vendors, agents, aggregators, and more. UATP is continually innovating to connect companies to new forms of payment (AFPs), and our easy-to-use data tools, DataStream® and DataMine®, provide comprehensive account details to Issuers and Corporate Account Holders. Our team has decades of experience with the ever-changing payments landscape, and our reliable and proven technology ensures our global customers get more from every payment experience. Learn more at uatp.com.

Accepted as a form of payment for corporate business travel worldwide by airlines, travel agencies, and Amtrak®; UATP accounts are issued by: Aeromexico; AERTiCKET; Air Canada (TSE: AC); Air China; Air New Zealand (ANZFF.PK); Air Niugini; AirPlus International a wholly owned subsidiary of SEB Kort; Akbar Travels; American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL); APG Airlines; APG Pay; Austrian Airlines; BCD Travel; China Eastern Airlines (NYSE: CEA); ConnexPay; Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL); EL AL Israel Airlines; Ethiopian Airlines; Etihad Airways; Fareportal; Flight Centre Travel Group; Frontier Airlines; GOL Linhas Aereas inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL and Bovespa: GOLL4); Hahn Air; High Point Travel; Hopper; Japan Airlines (9201:JP); JetBlue Airways; LATAM Airlines; MakeMyTrip; Qantas Airways (QUBSF.PK); Shandong Airlines; Sichuan Airlines; Southwest Airlines; Sun Country Airlines; TUIfly GmbH; Turkish Airlines (ISE: THYAO); United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL); Wego; WestJet; Wings Global Travel and W2 by GO7.

About Mica

Mica is building the infrastructure for how commerce moves value. Designed as modern payment infrastructure at the network layer, Mica can dramatically enhance or replace legacy card-based rails with a credential-less, multi-tender transaction model built for the realities of digital and physical commerce. The platform enables secure, flexible transactions across channels while preserving existing acquiring, gateway, and settlement relationships—allowing merchants and networks to modernize without disruption.

Mica offers patented credential-less tokenization and payment services extensible via APIs. Within a single payment rail Mica can support on-line, in-app, P2P and in-store use cases across any form of value; debit, credit, loyalty, crypto, closed loop, stablecoins, etc. By removing structural constraints embedded in traditional payment systems—rigid tender models, credential exposure, and operational friction—Mica gives merchants, networks, and platforms the ability to orchestrate how value is exchanged with greater intelligence, control, and scale. Learn more at www.mica.io.

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Source: Company press release.

Categories: Partnership