Abstract: An apparatus for collecting funds can include a payment processor configured to receive, from a user device, a request to collect funds for a specified purpose. The payment processor can transmit, to the user device, an authorization code for payment authorization and a link to share with one or more contributors through which funds can be collected for the specified purpose in a virtual account associated with the specified purpose and a user of the user device. In response to receiving a request from a merchant-side processor for payment, the payment processor can determine that the merchant-side processor is requesting payment for the specified purpose, request the user device to authorize payment to the merchant-side processor using the authorization code, and instruct a financial institution-side processor to transfer a requested amount to the merchant from the virtual account.