Outcomes
- Accounts and real-time payments powered by ClearBank’s Agency Banking solution
- Guardians can open accounts in hours, compared to the industry average of up to 75 days
- Instant spending and balance information deliver enhanced transparency for guardians and those in their care
- Clear and easy-to-use digital tools for guardians support greater financial independence and inclusion
In the Netherlands, over 350,000 individuals live under legal guardianship – people who, due to financial vulnerability, addiction, cognitive challenges, or systemic disadvantage, are deemed unable to manage their finances independently. Their road to recovery, resilience, and financial freedom depends on effective, transparent support, complemented by modern tools to match.
This is where Aegis, a Dutch organisation supporting guardians, set out to innovate. With the help of Orenda’s embedded finance platform and ClearBank’s real-time Agency Banking solution, the firms developed and built Modura.
The result is a scalable, secure, and intuitive platform that empowers guardians and uplifts the people in their care.
The challenge: Complex systems, delayed benefits
For vulnerable citizens, even the smallest act of financial independence – like buying groceries – was bureaucratically cumbersome.
When financial caretakers need to open a new bank account for their clients, the onboarding time frame of traditional banks could last up to 30 days. Then, informing all relevant organisations to ensure funds would flow into the correct guardian’s managed bank account could take another 30 to 45 days.
“That meant that the total time required for guardians to gain access to their clients’ funds and actively manage their finances could be as long as 75 days. That was way too long, especially given the fact that for people in financial distress, urgency is crucial,” comments Anton van den Ham, Director at Aegis.
Guardians also lacked integrated tools for managing multiple accounts, tracking expenses, or automatically enabling small, safe transactions for those under their care. These safeguards were important to enable financial freedom, while maintaining checks and balances that ensure only legitimate transaction were being made – for example, to prevent third parties attempting to defraud citizens with cognitive challenges.
The solution was originally developed in collaboration with NBBI, a Dutch association that supported guardians through education, resources and industry collaboration. Recognising inefficiencies in traditional banking processes, NBBI explored how to create a solution purpose-built for guardians and the people they support. Following the merger of NBBI, Horus and NBPM, this work now continues under Aegis.
Building a partnership for change
Examining how to bring its vision of helping its members gain access to a better payment solution, Aegis worked with a consultancy to find the right partners. That led it to Orenda, an embedded finance technology provider offering the platform capabilities needed to build a tailored, multi-account solution from the ground up.
This included a tailored onboarding process, provision of IBANs in the end user's name, and granular control for guardians. It also wanted to offer scheduled and batch payments, as well as the ability for guardians to order Visa-issued debit cards for individuals under their supervision.
Orenda collaborated with the consultancy and Aegis to bring the new platform, Modura, to life – a custom-built, digital-first solution that supports guardians and enables vulnerable individuals to reclaim agency over their financial lives.
To power the underlying accounts that hold the guardian and end user funds, and deliver real-time payments, Orenda selected ClearBank.
“We chose ClearBank because of their modern infrastructure, collaborative approach, and ability to support innovative payment experiences at scale. Their technology and team aligned closely with the ambition we had for this project,”
From the outset, they demonstrated a clear understanding of the operational and regulatory requirements involved, while still maintaining the agility and pace you’d expect from a modern fintech partner. What particularly stood out was their API-first architecture, transparency throughout the delivery process, and willingness to work closely with us to solve challenges collaboratively. We were looking for a partner that could combine reliability, scalability, and innovation, and ClearBank consistently delivered across all three.”
The solution: Modura – powered by Orenda and ClearBank
Modura is a standalone, non-profit institution offering a financial platform designed specifically for guardianship use cases. Built by Orenda and underpinned by ClearBank’s infrastructure, combining accounts and connectivity to SEPA, Modura includes:
- A Control Account for guardians, offering oversight and permissioned management of individual users.
- An Allowance Account for the end-user, enabling daily purchases with a Visa debit card, overseen by the guardian who can set specific limits or monitor payments.
- Multi-account visibility across all individuals in a guardian’s care.
- Real-time payments and settlement through ClearBank’s API-first infrastructure.
- Comprehensive compliance and safeguarding aligned with the needs of public-sector stakeholders.
Every element was co-designed to balance oversight and empowerment, ensuring guardians can support their wards while progressively introducing them to independent financial habits.
"From our very first conversations, it was clear that ClearBank took our organisation, our clients, and the guardianship and budget management sector seriously. Many of the individuals we support are in vulnerable financial situations and rely on professional financial management and protection to help maintain stability and independence,”
“The introduction of direct debit functionality is another example of that commitment. It enables clients to participate more fully in everyday banking services, while allowing guardians and budget managers to manage finances more efficiently. We quickly recognised in ClearBank a partner that understands the importance of serving this group and the social responsibility that comes with it. Together, we are helping ensure that people who need additional financial support have access to modern, reliable, and inclusive financial services."
The impact: Independence, with safety
With over 170 guardians already onboarded, Modura is proving that embedded financial technology can drive societal transformation. By combining Orenda’s expertise with ClearBank’s banking infrastructure, Modura is delivering significant benefits, including:
- Guardians can open Control and Allowance accounts in minutes, not weeks
- Vulnerable citizens gain real-time access to their funds, within safe, pre-set limits
- A platform that promotes financial education and progressive autonomy
For ClearBank and Orenda, this project represents more than a technological achievement. It’s a clear demonstration of how partnerships across fintech, banking, and government can solve real-world problems.
“We’re building with purpose – to improve lives every day through embedded finance,” comments Josh Vittori, CEO of Orenda
