THE FORBES FINTECH 50
PAYONEER NEW YORK CITY PAYMENTS
Enables third-party sellers and hosts on marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart.com and Airbnb to accept payments in foreign currencies. Has started lending to Amazon and Walmart sellers.
FUNDING: $270 million; latest valuation of $1 billion1
BONA FIDES: Four million customers in 150 countries; net profit margins north of 5%
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT: Yuval Tal, 54 CEO: Scott Galit, 49
PLAID SAN FRANCISCO PAYMENTS
Making its fifth—and, assuming its pending acquisition by Visa goes through, last—appearance on this list, Plaid connects payment apps like Square Cash and personal-finance apps like Acorns to users’ bank accounts to transfer and track funds.
FUNDING: $310 million; Visa agreed to pay $5.3 billion
BONA FIDES: 2,600 customers, including Venmo, Robinhood and Coinbase
COFOUNDERS: CEO Zach Perret, 32, and former CTO William Hockey, 30
PLASTIQ SAN FRANCISCO PAYMENTS
For a 2.5% fee, lets small businesses use a credit card to pay expenses (e.g., rent) for which cards usually aren’t accepted. Typical clients are restaurants, doctors’ offices and construction firms.
FUNDING: $140 million; latest valuation of $700 to $800 million
BONA FIDES: More than 50,000 customers; processing nearly $4 billion in transactions a year
COFOUNDER AND CEO: Eliot Buchanan, 30, started Plastiq after his attempt to pay his Harvard tuition with a credit card was rejected
PROPEL NEW YORK CITY PERSONAL FINANCE
Its Fresh EBT mobile app allows food-stamp recipients to check balances, clip store coupons and search job listings.
FUNDING: $18 million; latest valuation of $55 million1
BONA FIDES: Users doubled to 2 million in 2019
FOUNDER & CEO: Jimmy Chen, 32
RIPPLE SAN FRANCISCO BLOCKCHAIN & BITCOIN
Its blockchain-based global settlements network is used by some 300 institutions. It also lets companies make payments in XRP, the crypto created by its founders.
FUNDING: $293 million; latest valuation of $10 billion
BONA FIDES: Still holds $12 billion of XRP in escrow and has used XRP sales to fund expansion
COFOUNDERS: Chris Larsen, 59; Jed McCaleb, 45; Arthur Britto CEO: Brad Garlinghouse, 49
ROOFSTOCK OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE
Digital real estate marketplace enables investors to purchase single-family rental properties in 25 states.
FUNDING: $133 million; latest valuation of $550 million
BONA FIDES: Has sold $2 billion of real estate
COFOUNDER AND CEO: Gary Beasley, 54