Payvalida
Payválida is a Latin American API-first payment processor enabling merchants to accept cash payments and local card/bank transfers across five LATAM countries, targeting the underbanked population via direct integrations with Efecty, BCP, Yape, Western Union, and Super24.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMedellín, Colombia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Payvalida does
Payválida is a Latin American payment processor (PSP) that provides an API-first gateway enabling merchants to accept cash payments and local card/bank transfers across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The platform's defining feature is direct API integration with the dominant in-person cash-collection networks in each market — Efecty in Colombia, BCP and Yape in Peru, and Western Union and Super24 in Guatemala — targeting the ~95 million underbanked LATAM consumers (roughly 70% of the regional population) who lack credit-card access. Primary customer segments are online gaming and betting operators, e-commerce merchants, and payment processors serving these verticals; cash-payment acceptance reduces chargeback exposure that is endemic in card-based gaming transactions.
The product surface centers on the Payválida Payment Gateway, supplemented by Payválida Wallet (stored value with load and payout capability), a merchant-configurable anti-fraud system, and a co-branded consumer credit card (Tarjeta Payválida AV Villas) launched in partnership with Banco AV Villas in Colombia. Supporting infrastructure includes KYC via Mati Colombia / Metamap, 3D Secure authentication via Netcetera, cloud hosting on AWS, and a Freshworks-based customer support stack. The company is PCI DSS v4.0 certified (valid through 2026) and maintains separate licensed operating entities in each country, headquartered in Medellín with regional offices in Lima, Quito, San José, Guatemala City, and Antiguo Cuscatlán.
Payválida earns revenue primarily via per-transaction processing fees and gateway service fees, with merchant-specific pricing agreed at contract signing. Distribution is API-direct supplemented by channel partnerships with regional PSPs and gaming platforms; go-to-market is a mix of API-led developer onboarding, enterprise field sales, and channel resellers. The company has operated for 12 years, is privately held with no disclosed external funding, and employs 51–100 people across its LATAM footprint.
Payvalida firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Payvalida
- Legal name
- Validda S.A.S.
- Website
- https://payvalida.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Payválida is a Latin American API-first payment processor enabling merchants to accept cash payments and local card/bank transfers across five LATAM countries, targeting the underbanked population via direct integrations with Efecty, BCP, Yape, Western Union, and Super24.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Payvalida industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Processing Services
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout) (FSAMACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Payment Gateways & Orchestration (BPAMAFAA), Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG), Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB), Marketplace & Platform Seller Payouts (FSAMAKAE)
Keywords
Where Payvalida is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Medellín
- HQ country
- Colombia
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Payvalida business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction Processing Fees: Payválida charges merchants transaction fees for processing payments. The company acts as a payment aggregator/gateway, collecting payments on behalf of merchants and transferring funds after deducting tariffs and applicable charges. Fees are agreed upon at contract signing and updated according to contract terms.
- Payment Gateway Services: Licensing of the Payválida platform technology for online payment processing. Merchants integrate via API and pay for the gateway services which include transaction validation, security certification, and fund transfer.
- Cash Payout Services: Processing of cash payouts to customers through Efecty's network in Colombia, generating fees for each payout transaction processed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Custom enterprise pricing based on merchant profile and transaction volume |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Payvalida product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Payválida operates a B2B payment gateway API that enables merchants to accept local cash payments, credit cards, bank transfers, and digital wallet transactions across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The core offering is a unified API integrating directly with the largest cash retail networks in each country (Efecty, BCP, Yape, Western Union, Super24), plus a digital wallet (Payválida Wallet) and a co-branded credit card with Banco AV Villas. The platform is PCI DSS v4.0 certified and primarily serves gaming, betting, payment processor, and e-commerce merchants seeking to reach the underbanked LATAM consumer base.
Product overview
Payválida is a unified payment platform operating across five LATAM countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador). The core offering consists of the Payválida Payment Gateway (Pasarela de Pagos), which processes online and offline payments through direct integrations with major cash payment store networks (Efecty, BCP, Yape, Western Union, Super24), local credit cards, and bank transfers. The platform is complemented by the Payválida Wallet for digital fund storage and faster transactions, the Sistema Antifraude for fraud detection, and a co-branded credit card (Tarjeta de Crédito Payválida AV Villas) in partnership with AV Villas bank. With 12 years of operation, Payválida targets the gaming, betting, and digital commerce sectors, focusing on the 95M underbanked consumers in LATAM who cannot pay via cards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Payválida Wallet: Digital wallet service allowing customers to load funds for faster future transactions.
Products and services
- Payválida Payment Gateway (Pasarela de Pagos) Core payment processing platform providing online and offline payment collection services for merchants across LATAM, with direct integration to the largest cash payment store networks (Efecty, BCP, Yape, Western Union, Super24), local credit cards, and bank payments. Targeted at gaming, betting, payment processor, and e-commerce merchants.
- Payválida Wallet Digital wallet product allowing customers to load funds for faster future transactions; powers cash payouts using Efecty's network in Colombia. Includes KYC verification via Mati Colombia SAS (Metamap).
- Payválida AV Villas Credit Card (Tarjeta de Crédito Payválida AV Villas) Co-branded credit card product issued in partnership with Banco AV Villas in Colombia, providing exclusive benefits for Payválida users and extending Payválida's payment methods.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reach 95M underserved consumers in LATAM who cannot pay via cards
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Payvalida
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Payvalida technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability1 record
Feature6 records
Payvalida partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- EfectycoreDirect API integration with Efecty cash payment network in Colombia. Consumers make cash deposits at Efecty retail locations which credit to merchant accounts through Payválida's platform. Efecty is a key component of Payválida's cash payment infrastructure serving the Colombian market.
- BCP (Banco de Crédito del Perú)coreIntegration with BCP payment network in Peru enabling local cash payments and bank transfers through the BCP retail banking network.
- YapecoreIntegration with Yape mobile payment platform in Peru, one of the most widely used digital payment apps in the country, enabling additional payment acceptance options for merchants.
- Western UnioncorePartnership with Western Union in Guatemala for cash payment processing. Western Union's extensive retail network enables consumers to make cash deposits for online purchases and gaming transactions.
- Super24coreIntegration with Super24 retail network in Guatemala for cash payment acceptance. Provides additional retail cash deposit points for consumers in the Guatemalan market.
- AV Villas (Banco AV Villas)strategicCo-branded credit card partnership with Banco AV Villas in Colombia. Payválida offers the Tarjeta de Crédito Payválida AV Villas providing exclusive benefits for cardholders.
- ColombiaFintechminorMember of ColombiaFintech association, the Colombian fintech industry association supporting innovation and collaboration in financial technology.
- Guatemala FintechminorMember of Guatemala Fintech association, the Guatemalan fintech industry association.
- ASAFINTECHminorMember of ASAFINTECH association, a Latin American fintech association supporting the industry across the region.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreCloud infrastructure provider for data processing and storage. AWS servers in USA handle the primary data processing and storage for Payválida's services (ID 20-359-3941).
- Netceteracore3D Secure (3DS) validation services for credit card transactions. Netcetera (CHE-123.456.789) based in Switzerland provides the 3DS authentication layer for secure card transactions.
- Mati Colombia SAS (Metamap)strategicKYC (Know Your Customer) identity verification provider for wallet registration. Mati Colombia SAS (Metamap) handles identity verification and validation for Payválida Wallet users.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Payvalida competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- dLocal: dLocal is a LATAM-focused cross-border payment processor enabling global merchants to accept local payment methods across emerging markets. Like Payvalida, it solves the underbanked/coverage problem in LatAm for gaming, e-commerce, and digital services, making them the most direct comparable.
- Kushki: Kushki is a LATAM payment infrastructure provider offering a unified payments API across multiple Andean and Central American countries. It overlaps directly with Payvalida in API-first local payment method coverage for merchants targeting underbanked LatAm consumers.
- EBANX: EBANX processes cross-border payments for merchants wanting to sell into Brazil, Mexico, and broader LATAM via local payment methods. It directly competes with Payvalida's cross-border LATAM acceptance value proposition, particularly for gaming and digital merchants.
Broad incumbents
- PayU (LatAm): PayU is a large, established global payment processor with deep LATAM presence (Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, etc.). It competes with Payvalida on gateway and processing services but operates as a broad incumbent across many verticals and products rather than specializing in cash/underbanked acceptance.
- MercadoPago: MercadoPago is the dominant consumer-facing payments and wallet franchise in LATAM, offering online checkout, QR, and POS. While much larger and consumer-led, it competes with Payvalida for merchant payment acceptance in Colombia, Peru, and the broader region.
- PagSeguro: PagSeguro (part of PagBank) is a major Brazilian PSP with multi-country LatAm ambitions. It overlaps with Payvalida on online gateway and payment processing services for merchants, though PagSeguro is far broader and consumer/SMB-led.
Regional players
- Conekta: Conekta is a Mexico-focused online payment gateway offering API-first acceptance and local methods (OXXO, SPEI, cards). It is comparable to Payvalida's API/multi-method gateway model, but geographically focused on Mexico rather than the Andean/Central American footprint.
- Clip: Clip is a Mexico-based payments provider offering card acceptance and POS devices for SMBs. It shares payment-processing DNA with Payvalida but serves a different geography and a more SMB/cash-replacement emphasis.
- Wompi (Bancolombia): Wompi is the Bancolombia-backed payment gateway focused on Colombia with broader LATAM ambition. It is comparable as a gateway competitor in Payvalida's core Colombian market, particularly for merchants needing local card and bank payment acceptance.
Emerging players
- Belvo: Belvo is a LATAM open-banking and instant-payment infrastructure provider enabling account-to-account flows. It is comparable as a LATAM fintech infrastructure layer serving merchants and fintechs, adjacent to Payvalida's gateway on the A2A side.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Payvalida social profiles
Digital presencePayvalida compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Payvalida financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Payvalida leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Payvalida subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Payvalida funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Payvalida M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Payvalida
What does Payvalida do?
Payválida operates a B2B payment gateway API that enables merchants to accept local cash payments, credit cards, bank transfers, and digital wallet transactions across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The core offering is a unified API integrating directly with the largest cash retail networks in each country (Efecty, BCP, Yape, Western Union, Super24), plus a digital wallet (Payválida Wallet) and a co-branded credit card with Banco AV Villas. The platform is PCI DSS v4.0 certified and primarily serves gaming, betting, payment processor, and e-commerce merchants seeking to reach the underbanked LATAM consumer base.
Is Payvalida a public or private company?
Payvalida is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Payvalida founded?
Payvalida was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Payvalida based?
Payvalida is headquartered in Medellín, Colombia, in the Latin America region.
How does Payvalida make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Transaction Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are payment Gateway Services and cash Payout Services.
Who are Payvalida's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are dLocal, Kushki and EBANX. Broad incumbents are PayU (LatAm), MercadoPago and PagSeguro. Regional players are Conekta, Clip and Wompi (Bancolombia). Belvo is listed as an emerging player.
Does Payvalida have an API?
Yes. Payválida provides an API for payment processing, enabling merchants to accept local pay-ins across LATAM countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The platform supports cash payments via store networks, local credit cards, bank payments, and digital wallet functionality. Technical documentation and plugins are available. Developer documentation is at payvalida.com/desarrolladores/#plugins.
What industry is Payvalida in?
Payvalida's product category is Payment Processing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMACAA, Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout), with a secondary code of BPAMAFAA, Payment Gateways & Orchestration. Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6199.