eMerchantPay

Company History

eMerchantPay was founded in 2011 by Jonas Reynisson, who remains CEO and Chairman. The company's official founding year is listed as 2011 on its website, though some public profiles indicate the business may have roots dating back to 2002. Initially based in Bishops Stortford, England, the company later moved its headquarters to 1 London Bridge, London. Over the past decade, it has grown from a small payment processor to a global merchant acquirer with around 350 employees.

Business Model

eMerchantPay operates as both a payment service provider and a merchant acquirer, meaning it can process transactions directly with card schemes in multiple regions. This dual role reduces the need for merchants to work with multiple providers. The company generates revenue through transaction fees, gateway charges, and value-added services such as fraud prevention and analytics. Its target market is medium to large enterprises across e-commerce, retail, travel, digital goods, and iGaming, with a particular focus on high-risk verticals like iGaming where dedicated risk analysts and compliance support are provided.

Products and Platforms

The core product suite includes Online Payments (gateway, hosted checkout, and API integration), Point-of-Sale Payments (contactless, chip-&-PIN, and digital wallet terminals), Pay-by-Link, and Recurring Billing. The platform supports over 50 payment methods including Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, bank transfers, and digital wallets. eMerchantPay also offers Global Acquiring with local and cross-border processing in 150+ currencies, and Risk & Fraud Management tools for real-time anti-fraud scoring, chargeback mitigation, and dispute handling. Payments Reporting and Analytics provide transaction-level insights to optimise billing and cash flow. Pre-built integrations with major e-commerce platforms reduce development time for merchants.

Market Position and Regulation

eMerchantPay holds a Payments Institution licence from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and is a principal member of Visa Europe and Mastercard Worldwide. This regulatory standing, combined with its direct acquiring capabilities, gives it a competitive edge over many pure payment gateways. The company competes with other full-stack payment processors such as Stripe, Adyen, and Worldpay, but differentiates through its focus on high-risk industries and consultative service model. In 2025, it was named “Payment Acquirer of the Year” at the Brit Fintech Awards, and in 2026 it won two categories (personal payments and hospitality) at The FinTech Awards.

Recent Developments

In September 2025, eMerchantpay announced a strategic partnership with Propel Finance to finance card payment terminals for merchants. In August 2024, it collaborated with Novalnet to strengthen its US operations. The company continues to expand its global footprint, leveraging its London headquarters and a team of around 350 employees. eMerchantpay has also been active in thought leadership, publishing insights on digital goods and payment trends.