Alex Mackenzie (Ryft)
Overview
Alex Mackenzie is a prominent figure in the fintech industry, best known as a co-founder of Ryft, a payments technology company. Ryft, founded in 2021 alongside Sadra Hosseini, offers automated payment solutions designed to facilitate complex transactional flows for digital platforms and marketplaces. Ryft's cutting-edge technology has empowered businesses by automating compliant payment processing and enabling seamless multi-party transaction handling. The company has been recognized for its innovative approach, which positions it as a competitive alternative to other payment giants like Stripe and Adyen.
Recent Developments
In recent years, Alex Mackenzie and Ryft have made significant strides in the fintech landscape:
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April 2025: Ryft raised £5.7 million in a Series A funding round led by EdenBase. This funding is earmarked for scaling Ryft's international operations and enhancing its technology to better support acquiring banks and marketplaces (source).
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2024 Achievements: Ryft partnered with American Express, Visa, and became a Mastercard Network Enablement Partner, enhancing its regulatory compliance and expanding its market presence (source).
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2023 Milestone: The company achieved profitability just two and a half years post-launch, showcasing rapid growth by tripling its gross merchandise value annually (source).
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Innovation and Compliance: Throughout 2023 and 2024, Ryft focused on achieving full FCA authorization and refining its payment platform to offer features like delayed payouts and real-time transaction splits (source).
Personal Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Alex Mackenzie |
| Born | Unknown, London, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Co-Founder & Managing Director at Ryft |
| Known For | Co-founding Ryft, a fintech payments company |
| Education | Studied at Reading University |
Early Life and Education
Alex Mackenzie was born in London, UK. Details of his early life are sparse, but he pursued higher education at Reading University. This academic background laid the foundation for his venture into the technology and payments sectors. Early in his career, Mackenzie worked in tech-related roles that honed his skills in operations and technology management, eventually directing him toward entrepreneurship and the co-founding of Ryft.
Career and Notable Achievements
Alex Mackenzie's professional trajectory is marked by his successful ventures in the fintech industry:
- 2019: Mackenzie co-founded Butlr, an app designed to facilitate mobile ordering and payments for venues, which quickly scaled to over a million users during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2021: Butlr was acquired by OrderPay. This exit enabled Mackenzie to leverage his experience and insights into launching Ryft later that year.
- 2021-present: Ryft quickly garnered attention for its innovation in payment technology, gaining notable partnerships and achieving significant funding rounds.
Current Work and Impact
As of 2025, Alex Mackenzie serves as the Co-founder and Managing Director of Ryft. Under his leadership, Ryft continues to disrupt the fintech sector by providing cost-effective, compliant solutions that challenge existing market leaders. Ryft’s ability to automate complex payment processes and cater to the unique needs of marketplace transactions has positioned it as an industry frontrunner.
Conclusion
Alex Mackenzie has made a significant impact on the fintech industry through his leadership at Ryft. His ability to drive innovation and strategic partnerships has not only enhanced the company's market position but has also contributed to broader advancements in payment technology. As Ryft continues to expand globally, Mackenzie's role and influence in shaping the future of digital payments remain pivotal. With an eye toward future technology enhancements and geographical growth, Ryft under Mackenzie's direction is well-positioned to redefine payment solutions on a global scale.