Kadmos
Kadmos is a Berlin-based fintech providing digital salary payment infrastructure for cross-border workers, primarily seafarers. Its platform combines an employer payroll portal, employee mobile app, multi-currency digital wallet, and global Visa debit card, serving 40+ enterprise shipping clients and now operating as a subsidiary of NYK Line.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Kadmos does
Kadmos is a Berlin-based fintech founded in February 2021 by MIT graduates Justus Schmueser and Sasha Makarovych, with a UK subsidiary (KDMS Payments Limited) holding FCA Electronic Money Institution authorization. The company operates an end-to-end digital salary payment platform for cross-border workers, with the maritime shipping industry as its anchor vertical — serving shipping companies, ship managers, and their international crews with an employer-facing web portal (Kadmos Company Portal), an employee mobile app, an EU-based multi-currency e-wallet (USD/EUR/GBP), and a Visa-branded global debit card. Specialist features include KadPay (free, instant wallet-to-wallet transfers between users), KadPos (a digital point-of-sale for onboard seafarer expense settlement up to 1,000 USD/EUR/GBP), a Business-to-Business Payments module (SWIFT and SEPA rails), and local wallet integrations such as GCash in the Philippines for Filipino seafarer payouts. The platform is delivered via direct enterprise sales, self-serve mobile onboarding of invited seafarers, and — post-acquisition — through NYK Line's MarCoPay platform in Manila.
The business model is transactional: employer onboarding is free, the app is free for employees, and Kadmos monetizes bank transfer fees (especially non-SEPA/SWIFT), ATM withdrawals (3 EUR/USD/GBP per withdrawal), and foreign exchange margins on currency conversion, with shipping companies optionally sponsoring employee transaction fees. The company is FCA-authorized as an EMI in the UK, GDPR compliant, and headquartered at Rosenthaler Straße 36, Berlin, with a UK regional hub and operations presence in Manila. To date Kadmos has raised approximately €37.3M in venture funding across a March 2022 seed led by Addition and a July 2022 Series A led by Blossom Capital; in June 2025 Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) acquired 100% of Kadmos Holding GmbH, integrating it with NYK's MarCoPay platform to pursue a global seafarer payroll franchise of all nationalities.
Kadmos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kadmos
- Legal name
- Kadmos Technologies GmbH
- Website
- https://kadmos.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kadmos is a Berlin-based fintech providing digital salary payment infrastructure for cross-border workers, primarily seafarers. Its platform combines an employer payroll portal, employee mobile app, multi-currency digital wallet, and global Visa debit card, serving 40+ enterprise shipping clients and now operating as a subsidiary of NYK Line.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kadmos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cross-border payroll payments
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contractor / Freelancer Payments (FSAMAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG), Digital Payments & Money Movement (ACH/SEPA/FPS, Bill Pay, P2P) (FSAGAAAF)
Keywords
Where Kadmos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Kadmos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bank Transfer Fees: Fees charged for bank transfers, particularly SWIFT international transfers and non-SEPA transfers. Free EUR payouts to SEPA countries and free GBP payouts to UK. Details available in-app pricing section.
- ATM Withdrawal Fees: Flat fee per ATM withdrawal: 3 EUR, 3 USD, or 3 GBP depending on wallet currency, in addition to any ATM operator fees
- FX Markup on Currency Conversion: Revenue generated from foreign exchange spreads when seafarers convert and transfer money to their home currencies. Kadmos offers market-leading FX rates as a differentiator, but still generates revenue through exchange rate margins
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Free transactions include KadPay wallet-to-wallet, EUR payouts to SEPA countries, GBP payouts to UK, and card purchases |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Employer onboarding is free |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kadmos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kadmos delivers an end-to-end digital salary payment platform that lets shipping companies pay seafarers and other cross-border workers instantly through a web application for employers and a mobile app for employees, backed by a multi-currency e-wallet and a global Visa debit card. The stack additionally provides KadPay for free instant wallet-to-wallet transfers between users, KadPos for digital onboard point-of-sale settlements on vessels, and a Business-to-Business Payments module over SWIFT and SEPA rails, all operated under FCA-authorized Electronic Money Institution status in the UK.
Product overview
Kadmos operates as a unified fintech platform offering end-to-end salary payment solutions for cross-border workers, primarily targeting the maritime industry. The core platform consists of the Kadmos Salary Payment Platform (employer web portal) and Kadmos Mobile App (employee interface) connected through an e-wallet system. The platform integrates a Visa debit card for global spending and ATM access. Key product modules include KadPay (free wallet-to-wallet instant transfers between users), KadPos (digital point-of-sale for onboard maritime expenses), Business-to-Business Payments (extending the platform to supplier/vendor payments), and local wallet integrations like GCash for Filipino seafarers. Following acquisition by NYK Line in 2025, the platform is being integrated with NYK's MarCoPay system to create a global salary payment solution for seafarers of all nationalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KadPay: Wallet-to-wallet instant payment solution allowing Kadmos users to transfer funds to each other instantly without transaction fees
- KadPos
- Kadmos Business-to-Business Payments
Products and services
- Kadmos Salary Payment Platform End-to-end digital salary payment platform for shipping companies to pay international seafarers globally, comprising an automated web application for employers, API integration with crewing software, real-time payment tracking, and supporting functions for employee onboarding and compliance.
- Kadmos Mobile App Employee-facing mobile application providing seafarers with access to their Kadmos e-wallet, salary viewing, international money transfers, FX services, debit card management, and onboard POS settlement features.
- Kadmos E-Wallet Digital multi-currency stored-value wallet allowing seafarers to hold balances in USD, EUR, and GBP (maximum balance 100,000 USD), perform instant transfers, convert currencies, and transact with other Kadmos users.
- Kadmos Visa Debit Card Global Visa debit card linked to the Kadmos e-wallet enabling in-store and online purchases, ATM cash withdrawals worldwide, contactless payments via Google Pay, and access to market-leading FX at point-of-sale.
- KadPay (Wallet-to-Wallet Instant Payments) Instant, zero-fee peer-to-peer payment feature enabling any Kadmos user to send and receive funds from another Kadmos user instantly via QR code or payment link, primarily designed for onboard crew transfers.
- KadPos (Digital Point-of-Sale for Maritime) Digital point-of-sale solution for the maritime industry allowing seafarers to settle onboard ship expenses via QR code or Kadmos user tag and allowing shipping companies to issue mass pay requests for onboard purchases, with transactions capped at 1,000 USD/EUR/GBP.
- Kadmos B2B Payments Business-to-Business Payments module enabling shipping companies and other enterprises to make supplier, vendor, agency, and other corporate payments alongside employee salaries from a single Kadmos Company Portal using SWIFT and SEPA payment rails.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced administrative costs through payment automation and removal of intermediaries
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kadmos
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kadmos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature7 records
Kadmos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- MarCoPay (NYK subsidiary)coreMarCoPay is NYK's financial services platform in Manila offering loans and insurance for Filipino seafarers. With EMI license from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, it is the only digital-salary payments provider for Filipino seafarers. Kadmos will integrate with MarCoPay to expand beyond Filipino seafarers to all nationalities.
- NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha)flagshipJapanese shipping company NYK acquired 100% of Kadmos Holding GmbH on June 12, 2025, with completion expected within weeks. Kadmos to be integrated into NYK's existing MarCoPay platform in Manila. NYK aims to unify Kadmos and MarCoPay to create the world's leading digital-salary payments provider for seafarers of all nationalities.
- The Mission to SeafarersminorKadmos partnered with The Mission to Seafarers to sponsor the WeCare Financial Wellbeing course. The course educates seafarers on financial wellbeing topics including money management, investing, and financial stability. Launched through United Marine Training Centre in Philippines with 12 qualified trainers.
- GCashcoreFirst local wallet integration allowing Kadmos to leverage GCash's 60+ million user network covering 83% of Filipino adult population. Enables companies to pay Filipino seafarers via GCash for faster salary disbursements and family support. Gentenox used this integration to reduce payment processing time significantly.
- NSB GroupcoreGerman shipping company NSB Group (headquartered in Buxtehude with offices in Singapore, Philippines, Korea, and China) chose Kadmos to digitalize and automate salary payments for seafarers. Managing fleet of over 70 ships with 1,700 seafarers.
- Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM)coreCSM, a global ship management company with over 40 years of experience and 15,000 employees on land and sea, partnered with Kadmos to automate and digitalize seafarer salary payouts. CSM provides crews with EU-based e-wallets and worldwide debit cards.
- International Maritime Employers' Council (IMEC)minorKadmos joined IMEC as affiliate member, gaining access to organization bringing together international shipping companies employing approximately 300,000 seafarers globally, with over 250 member companies in UK and Philippines.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kadmos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Remitly:
- Wise (TransferWise): Global cross-border payments platform offering multi-currency accounts and low-cost international transfers to consumers and businesses. While not focused on maritime payroll, Wise's Business product competes for the FX and cross-border payout layer that Kadmos wraps with seafarer-specific UX.
Direct peers
- Deel: Global payroll and contractor payments platform serving employers paying cross-border workers. Like Kadmos, Deel addresses employer-side payroll compliance and cross-border payments to international workers, though Deel focuses on remote tech workers rather than seafarers.
- Remote: Global HR and payroll platform for international contractor and employee payments with built-in multi-currency wallets. Comparable business model to Kadmos in serving employers paying cross-border workers, with overlapping employer-side value proposition around compliance and FX optimization.
- MarCoPay: NYK's Filipino seafarer financial services platform offering loans, insurance, and salary payments with a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas EMI license. Now being integrated with Kadmos post-acquisition, it is the most direct functional peer — both specialize in seafarer payroll in the same maritime vertical.
- Papaya Global: Global payroll and Employer of Record platform handling cross-border worker payments in 160+ countries. Similar in providing employer-side payroll infrastructure with built-in payment rails, though focused on knowledge-worker verticals rather than maritime.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kadmos social profiles
Digital presenceKadmos compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Kadmos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kadmos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Kadmos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kadmos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kadmos
What does Kadmos do?
Kadmos delivers an end-to-end digital salary payment platform that lets shipping companies pay seafarers and other cross-border workers instantly through a web application for employers and a mobile app for employees, backed by a multi-currency e-wallet and a global Visa debit card. The stack additionally provides KadPay for free instant wallet-to-wallet transfers between users, KadPos for digital onboard point-of-sale settlements on vessels, and a Business-to-Business Payments module over SWIFT and SEPA rails, all operated under FCA-authorized Electronic Money Institution status in the UK.
Is Kadmos a public or private company?
Kadmos is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Kadmos founded?
Kadmos was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kadmos based?
Kadmos is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Kadmos make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bank Transfer Fees are the primary driver. The others are ATM Withdrawal Fees and FX Markup on Currency Conversion.
Who are Kadmos's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Remitly and Wise (TransferWise). Direct peers are Deel, Remote, MarCoPay and Papaya Global.
Does Kadmos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kadmos.
What industry is Kadmos in?
Kadmos's product category is Cross-border payroll payments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAKAC, Contractor / Freelancer Payments, with a secondary code of FSAMAIAG, Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services. Its NAICS code is 541214.