Signature Payments
- Founded
- 1997-01-01 in Burbank, California
- Headquarters
- Westlake Village, California
Signature Payments is a privately held payment technology company that provides end-to-end merchant services, payment gateway solutions, and high-risk credit card processing. Founded in 1997 and originally operating as Signature Card Services, the company rebranded to Signature Payments in August 2020 to reflect a strategic shift toward a technology‑driven, omnichannel platform. Headquartered in Westlake Village, California, the firm serves a broad spectrum of clients — from small businesses and special‑risk merchants to multinational retailers and technology partners. The company’s core offering is its proprietary gateway platform, TUNL, which enables PCI‑compliant payment integration across physical point‑of‑sale terminals, mobile devices, and e‑commerce channels. Signature Payments also provides cash‑discount programs, multi‑currency processing, eCheck, tap‑and‑go payments, and value‑added services such as merchant cash advances and gift‑card/loyalty programs. Leveraging an industry‑leading network of banking partners, the firm boards merchants across diverse verticals, including high‑risk segments like adult entertainment and subscription billing. With a team of 11–50 employees, Signature Payments emphasizes flexible, customizable technology paired with human‑first support. As a registered ISO/MSP of NorthAB, LLC, the company processes billions in annual transaction volume while maintaining a focus on speed, scalability, and regulatory compliance.
Detailed Review
History & Evolution
Signature Payments began as Signature Card Services in 1997, operating out of Burbank, California. The company rebranded to Signature Payments in August 2020 to reflect its transformation from a traditional card processor into a technology-driven SaaS business. The rebrand included the introduction of a robust API layer and the TUNL gateway, marking a commitment to becoming more developer-friendly. The company is now headquartered in Westlake Village, California, and employs between 11 and 50 people.
Business Model
Signature Payments generates revenue through transaction processing fees, gateway subscription charges, and value-added services such as merchant cash advances and cash discount programs. The company acts as a registered ISO/MSP of NorthAB, LLC, which provides access to enterprise-grade banking infrastructure. It serves both low/mid-risk merchants seeking growth tools and high-risk merchants requiring specialized underwriting and compliance support. Its "human-first" customer service model aims to differentiate it from larger, less responsive processors.
Products & Platforms
The core product is the TUNL Gateway, a PCI-compliant platform that supports virtual terminals, mobile SDKs, e-commerce plugins, and full API integration. Signature Payments also offers point-of-sale hardware-agnostic solutions for retail, restaurant, and unattended environments; eCommerce hosted payment pages and shopping cart plugins; and specialized high-risk merchant processing for industries such as adult entertainment, CBD, nutraceuticals, and subscription billing. Additional products include cash discount/surcharge programs, multi-currency processing, eCheck/ACH acceptance, merchant cash advances, gift card and loyalty programs, and business analytics with next-day funding options.
Market Position & Compliance
Signature Payments is not a household name but has earned a solid reputation among payment partners and ISO resellers. Clients value the flexibility to mix payment methods, the developer-friendly API, and the ability to serve high-risk verticals that larger processors often avoid. The company maintains strong regulatory compliance, including PCI DSS Level 1 validation, EMV chip-and-PIN support, and fraud detection tools. Its banking partnerships enable fast merchant boarding across diverse risk profiles, often with same-day or next-day settlement options.
Key Products
TUNL Gateway
Proprietary PCI‑compliant payment gateway for omnichannel integration (POS, mobile, e‑commerce, API).
High‑Risk Merchant Processing
Tailored underwriting and processing for CBD, adult, subscription, and other high‑risk verticals.
POS & Terminal Solutions
Support for physical terminals, EMV, tap‑and‑go, and unattended payment environments.
eCommerce & Mobile Payments
Hosted checkout, shopping‑cart plugins, and mobile SDKs for online/app payments.
Cash Discount / Surcharge
Program enabling merchants to offset credit‑card processing costs via surcharging.
Multi‑Currency & eCheck
Cross‑border processing and ACH/eCheck acceptance.
Merchant Cash Advance
Capital funding for merchants based on processing volume.
Gift Card & Loyalty
Stored‑value and reward programs with real‑time reporting.
Business Analytics & Next‑Day Funding
Data dashboards and accelerated settlement options.
Offices & Headcount
30 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
- Charles Hogan
President