Ace Cash Express
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersIrving, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Ace Cash Express firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ace Cash Express
- Legal name
- Populus Financial Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://acecashexpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ace Cash Express industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Financial Services
- SIC
- Personal Credit Institutions (6141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cash Advance (Online & Storefront) (FSAKAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Open-Loop Prepaid Cards (Network-Branded) (FSAMANAA)
Keywords
Where Ace Cash Express is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irving
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ace Cash Express business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Short-term Consumer Loans: ACE offers payday loans, installment loans, and title loans. Payday loans are small-dollar, short-term loans repaid on the borrower's next payday. Installment loans allow repayment over time in scheduled equal payments. Fees and interest rates vary by state and loan amount.
- Check Cashing: Check cashing services at store locations. ACE cashes most types of checks including payroll, personal, business, government, and insurance settlement checks. Fees vary by state and check type.
- Money Transfers: Domestic and international money transfer services through ACE locations
- Prepaid Debit Cards: ACE Elite Visa Prepaid Debit Card and Flare Account offerings providing card services to consumers
- Bill Payment: Bill payment services allowing customers to pay utility bills, credit cards, and other obligations at ACE store locations
- Money Orders: Money order issuance for customers who prefer this payment method
- Tax Services: Tax preparation services and lobby space for tax filing assistance
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Payday Loans - Short-term small-dollar loans |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Installment Loans - Repay over scheduled payments |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Title Loans - Secured short-term loans |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Check Cashing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ace Cash Express product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ace Cash Express is an alternative financial services provider that offers short-term consumer loans (payday loans, installment loans, and title loans) and complementary money services (check cashing, money transfers, bill payment, money orders, ATM access, and tax preparation) through more than 700 retail storefronts across 22 states and the District of Columbia, as well as through an online application portal with instant decision and instant funding to debit cards.
Product overview
Ace Cash Express, a brand of Populus Financial Group, operates as an alternative financial services provider offering a comprehensive suite of short-term consumer loans and money services. The product portfolio centers on three core loan products: Payday Loans (single-payment, short-term loans repaid on the borrower's next payday), Installment Loans (loans repaid over time in scheduled payments), and Title Loans (secured by vehicle titles). Supporting these are money services including check cashing, money orders, money transfers, bill payment, and ATM access. The company also offers card products through its parent company: the ACE Elite Visa Prepaid Debit Card, Flare Account, and Porte prepaid cards. A notable feature is Instant Funding, enabling approved borrowers to receive loan proceeds on debit cards within 30 minutes. The company operates over 700 stores across 22 states and the District of Columbia, serving consumers including those without traditional bank accounts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 400,000+ Google Reviews with 4.9-star rating demonstrates high customer satisfaction
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ace Cash Express
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ace Cash Express technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ace Cash Express partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Junior Achievement of DallascorePopulus Financial Group (parent company of ACE Cash Express) has partnered with Junior Achievement of Dallas since 2006. Populus volunteers teach JA in a Day program twice yearly at J.O. Davis Elementary School, providing hands-on financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship lessons to K-5 students. The ACE Community Fund has donated over $591,000 to JA in a Day program.
- MenzFitcoreACE Cash Express has supported MenzFit since 2008, contributing more than $95,000 through the ACE Community Fund. ACE hosts annual financial literacy workshops covering banking, budgeting, and credit basics for MenzFit clients. ACE also donates business suits to help participants present confidently in job interviews. Workshop success stories include participants purchasing their first homes.
- Humane World for AnimalsminorACE Cash Express raised $74,192 for Humane World for Animals through its Chip In For Charity and Porte #DoorToChange charitable giving programs. The funds support the More Than a Pet campaign, which expands access to affordable veterinary care, pet food, and pet-inclusive housing for families experiencing financial hardship. ACE expanded its relationship to become a More Than a Pet campaign sponsor.
- Alex's Lemonade Stand FoundationminorACE Cash Express raised over $85,000 for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation during its annual fundraising event in 2025. The foundation supports childhood cancer research and family aid.
- INFiN AllianceminorACE Cash Express is a proud member of INFiN, the national trade association for the financial services industry.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ace Cash Express competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Check Into Cash: Check Into Cash operates a multichannel payday, installment and title loan business plus check cashing and prepaid debit cards, directly competing with ACE on store footprint, product mix, and target underbanked consumer.
- Speedy Cash: Speedy Cash offers payday loans, installment loans, title loans, and money services online and through ~400 US storefronts; product mix and target customer (underbanked, short-term liquidity needs) closely mirror ACE.
- Green Dot Corporation: Green Dot is a leading bank holding company focused on prepaid debit cards, cash deposit, and banking-as-a-service for underbanked consumers; directly comparable to ACE's ACE Elite Visa Prepaid, Flare Account, and Porte card products.
- Advance America: Advance America is one of the largest US storefront payday and installment lenders, operating ~1,300 locations across ~20 states with a near-identical product set (payday, installment, title loans, prepaid cards) and customer base as ACE Cash Express.
- QC Holdings: QC Holdings operates the QC Financial and Quik Cash store brands offering payday, installment, and title loans in multiple US states; comparable to ACE on physical retail distribution of short-term consumer credit.
- World Finance: World Finance (World Acceptance Corp.) is one of the largest US installment lenders serving subprime consumers across 16+ states; comparable to ACE's installment loan product and underbanked customer profile, though more installment-focused than payday.
- Check `n Go: Check `n Go is a multi-store payday, installment, and title lender operating in 25+ states, with overlapping prepaid card and money services offerings and a near-identical GTM to ACE.
Emerging players
- Dave: Dave is a digital cash advance app offering small-dollar advances on upcoming paychecks plus banking services; directly competes with ACE's online payday loan product for younger, mobile-first underbanked consumers.
- MoneyLion: MoneyLion is a digital-first consumer finance platform offering Instacash advances, RoarMoney banking, and credit-building products; competes with ACE's online payday loan funnel and prepaid card franchise, particularly with mobile-native underbanked borrowers.
Broad incumbents
- FirstCash Holdings: FirstCash is the largest US pawn operator (owner of Cash America and FirstPawn) and a major short-term/long-term consumer lender via its credit services products; competes with ACE across the underbanked short-term credit market but with a broader retail footprint and product set.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ace Cash Express social profiles
Digital presenceAce Cash Express financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ace Cash Express leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ace Cash Express subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Ace Cash Express funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ace Cash Express M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ace Cash Express
What does Ace Cash Express do?
Ace Cash Express is an alternative financial services provider that offers short-term consumer loans (payday loans, installment loans, and title loans) and complementary money services (check cashing, money transfers, bill payment, money orders, ATM access, and tax preparation) through more than 700 retail storefronts across 22 states and the District of Columbia, as well as through an online application portal with instant decision and instant funding to debit cards.
Is Ace Cash Express a public or private company?
Ace Cash Express is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Ace Cash Express founded?
Ace Cash Express was founded in 1968. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Ace Cash Express based?
Ace Cash Express is headquartered in Irving, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ace Cash Express make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Short-term Consumer Loans are the primary driver. The others are check Cashing, money Transfers, prepaid Debit Cards, bill Payment, money Orders and tax Services.
Who are Ace Cash Express's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Check Into Cash, Speedy Cash, Green Dot Corporation, Advance America, QC Holdings, World Finance and Check `n Go. Emerging players are Dave and MoneyLion. FirstCash Holdings is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ace Cash Express have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ace Cash Express.
What industry is Ace Cash Express in?
Ace Cash Express's product category is Consumer Financial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAMAC, Cash Advance (Online & Storefront), with a secondary code of FSAMANAA, Open-Loop Prepaid Cards (Network-Branded). Its SIC code is 6141.