UNICRE
UNICRE is Portugal's largest payment acquirer, processing €28.8 billion annually through its REDUNIQ network. It issues cards under UNIBANCO and serves SMBs, corporate employers, and e-commerce merchants with terminals, SoftPOS, e-commerce, BNPL, and benefit cards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersLisbon, Portugal
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What UNICRE does
UNICRE - Instituição Financeira de Crédito, S.A. is a Portuguese payment institution founded in 1974 and headquartered in Lisbon. It operates two core commercial brands: REDUNIQ, under which it runs the largest payment acceptance (acquiring) network in Portugal, and UNIBANCO, its card-issuing brand. The company is owned by a consortium of major Portuguese banks — Millennium BCP (31.16%), Santander Totta (21.86%), BPI (21.01%), Novo Banco (17.5%), and Caixa Económica Montepio Geral (3.84%) — and is supervised by Banco de Portugal and ASF as an IFIC. With a workforce of 251-500, UNICRE processed approximately €28.8 billion across nearly 600 million transactions in 2023 through its REDUNIQ network.
The company's product portfolio spans physical and digital payment acceptance: REDUNIQ Smart (Android-based payment terminals), REDUNIQ Soft (SoftPOS application converting smartphones into payment devices), REDUNIQ e-Commerce (online gateway), REDUNIQ Pay by Link (email/SMS/WhatsApp payment links), and Parcela Já (interest-free BNPL at terminal in 2-6 installments). Card issuing under UNIBANCO covers credit, debit, and prepaid products, including a 100% digital account. Employee benefit cards operate under the Ticket brand (Restaurant, Ensino, Educação) and gift cards under Cartões Oferta (Alegria, Shopping Lovers, Alegro). Infrastructure is hosted through a Kyndryl cloud partnership, and the company has integrated Open Banking via SIBS API Market for PSD2-compliant services.
UNICRE's revenue model combines transaction fees on acquired merchant volume, interchange and credit interest income from issued cards, subscription fees on terminal and value-added services (including REDUNIQ Easy fixed monthly pricing), and issuance/processing fees on Ticket benefit and gift cards. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, digital self-service onboarding, channel partnerships (notably with UACS covering thousands of trade and service association members), and vertical integrations such as Owllyo for tourism and the Mass Transit project with Metro de Lisboa. The company generates incremental data assets through REDUNIQ Insights, publishing periodic analytics on Portuguese retail performance.
UNICRE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNICRE
- Legal name
- UNICRE - Instituição Financeira de Crédito, S.A.
- Website
- https://unicre.pt
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- UNICRE is Portugal's largest payment acquirer, processing €28.8 billion annually through its REDUNIQ network. It issues cards under UNIBANCO and serves SMBs, corporate employers, and e-commerce merchants with terminals, SoftPOS, e-commerce, BNPL, and benefit cards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UNICRE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payment Acquiring Services
- NAICS
- Credit Card Issuing (522210)
- SIC
- Personal Credit Institutions (6141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Merchant Acquiring Banks & ISO/MSP Acquirers (FSAMABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Card-Present Acquirers (Retail & POS Focus) (FSAMABAC), Card-Not-Present / eCommerce Acquirers (FSAMABAD), Merchant Acquiring & Card Processing (PSPs) (CRAFALAB), Commercial & Corporate Card Schemes (FSAMAAAF)
Keywords
Where UNICRE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lisbon
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
UNICRE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payment Acquiring and Transaction Processing: UNICRE generates primary revenue through transaction processing fees charged to merchants for accepting card payments via REDUNIQ terminals and e-commerce solutions. The company processes billions in annual transaction volume (28.8 billion euros transacted in 2023), with fees typically calculated as a percentage of transaction value or per-transaction basis.
- Card Issuing (UNIBANCO Brand): UNICRE issues co-branded and proprietary payment cards under the UNIBANCO brand, including credit cards, prepaid cards, and benefit cards (Ticket Restaurant, Ticket Ensino, Ticket Educação). Revenue derives from interchange fees, annual/card fees, and credit interest.
- Employee Benefit Cards (Ticket): UNICRE issues Ticket benefit cards (Restaurant, Ensino, Educação) to employers for employee benefits. Companies receive TSU (Social Security) exemptions and 100% IRC deductibility, while UNICRE earns issuance and processing fees.
- Gift Cards (Cartões Oferta): UNICRE issues gift cards (Alegria, Shopping Lovers, Alegro) that can be used at partner merchants, generating issuance fees and maintaining float on unredeemed balances.
- Terminal and Technology Services: Revenue from terminal rental/sales (REDUNIQ Smart, SoftPOS), monthly service fees, and value-added services such as analytics and BNPL functionality. REDUNIQ Easy offers fixed monthly pricing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | REDUNIQ Easy - Fixed monthly terminal plan |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Parcela Já - Interest-free installment at terminal |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ticket Benefits - Employer benefit card programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
UNICRE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNICRE provides payment acquiring and card issuing services through two main brands: REDUNIQ (the largest payment acquirer in Portugal, processing card transactions for merchants via physical terminals, SoftPOS, e-commerce gateways, and BNPL) and UNIBANCO (issuer of credit, debit, and prepaid cards). The company also issues Ticket benefit cards for employers (meal, education subsidies) and gift cards for consumers and businesses.
Product overview
UNICRE operates as a Portuguese financial institution and payment specialist with 50 years of experience, offering a comprehensive payment ecosystem through two primary brands: REDUNIQ (payment acceptance/acquiring) and UNIBANCO (card issuing). The REDUNIQ portfolio includes physical payment terminals (REDUNIQ Smart Android-based devices), mobile/softPOS acceptance (REDUNIQ Soft), e-commerce solutions, Pay by Link, and the BNPL offering Parcela Já. UNIBANCO provides credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, and digital accounts. UNICRE also offers employee benefit cards under the Ticket brand (meal, education subsidies) and gift cards. The company serves as the largest payment acquirer in Portugal through its REDUNIQ network, processing €28.8 billion in transactions in 2023.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- REDUNIQ: Main brand for payment acceptance solutions (physical stores and online commerce). Largest acquirer in Portugal.
- REDUNIQ Soft
- REDUNIQ Smart
- REDUNIQ Insights
- REDUNIQ e-Commerce
- REDUNIQ Pay by Link
- Parcela Já com UNICRE
- Ticket Restaurant
- Ticket Ensino
- Ticket Educação
- Cartão Alegria
- Cartão Shopping Lovers
- Cartão Alegro
Products and services
- REDUNIQ Payment Acceptance Network Primary brand for payment acceptance solutions covering physical stores (point-of-sale terminals) and e-commerce. The largest acceptance network operating in Portugal, processing nearly €28.8 billion in transactions in 2023.
- UNIBANCO Card Issuing Card issuing brand offering credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards under the UNIBANCO name. Includes UNIBANCO Life and UNIBANCO Atitude (eco-friendly) card variants, and UNIBANCO digital account (100% digital prepaid account).
- Cartões Ticket (Ticket Restaurant, Ticket Ensino, Ticket Educação)
Quantifiable outcome
- €28.8 billion transacted in 2023 — new all-time high
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use UNICRE
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
UNICRE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature8 records
UNICRE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- VisacoreUNICRE is one of five initial European launch partners for Visa's Intelligent Authorisation (VIA) platform. The solution offers 99.999% uptime and 96.3% average approval rate, using machine learning for real-time transaction analysis and optimized routing decisions via a single API connection.
- OwllyocoreReduniq (UNICRE brand) and Owllyo (tourism property management software) formalized a strategic technology partnership integrating REDUNIQ payment solutions into the Owllyo platform. The collaboration simplifies operations and invoicing for small tourism units and local accommodations (up to 30 rooms), supporting Portugal's tourism digitalization.
- UACS (União de Associações do Comércio e Serviços)flagshipUNICRE and UACS signed a strategic collaboration agreement to modernize payments in commerce and services. Thousands of UACS member businesses gain preferential access to REDUNIQ solutions including payment terminals, online digital solutions, and differentiated payment methods. Signed by Carla Salsinha (UACS President) and João Baptista Leite (UNICRE President).
- KyndrylcoreKyndryl extended its partnership with UNICRE to support migration of UNICRE's workloads to the cloud as part of its digital transformation. The agreement involves Kyndryl managing UNICRE's information systems and developing new services to enhance efficiency, automation, innovation, and security.
- SIBS FPS (SIBS API Market)coreUNICRE joined the Open Banking platform developed by SIBS FPS for the national banking community. Through SIBS API Market, UNICRE provides PSD2-compliant interfaces for Account Information Services (AISP), Payment Initiation (PISP), and Card-Based Payment Instrument Issuer (CBPII) services.
- Braza BankcoreIn partnership with Braza Bank, REDUNIQ became the first Portuguese acquirer to offer PIX, Brazil's primary digital payment method, enabling cross-border payment acceptance for merchants.
- Visa (Mass Transit)coreUNICRE partnered with Visa and transport operators on the Mass Transit project, enabling public transport access (Metro de Lisboa) using contactless payment cards, smartphones, or smartwatches without purchasing separate tickets.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
UNICRE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stripe: Global online payment processor with strong SMB and platform penetration in Portugal. Competes directly with REDUNIQ e-Commerce and Pay by Link for digital-native merchants.
- Adyen: Global payments platform providing unified online, mobile and in-store acquiring with advanced APIs. Directly competes with REDUNIQ e-Commerce for Portuguese enterprise and digital merchants, and is a structural threat in cross-border card acceptance.
- Redsys: Spanish card payment processor and acquirer serving the Iberian market. Closely comparable to UNICRE as a national acquirer/processor with a dominant domestic share, similar SMB focus, and proximity to Portugal via the Iberian payments ecosystem.
- EVO Payments: Specialised merchant acquirer with European and Latin American operations offering integrated POS and ecommerce solutions. Comparable in scope and SMB-to-mid-market merchant focus to UNICRE's REDUNIQ business.
- SIBS: Portuguese payment processor and operator of Multibanco/MB WAY; UNICRE integrates with SIBS FPS for Open Banking and depends on the SIBS rails. Most directly comparable domestic peer given overlapping national scope and technology partnership.
Broad incumbents
- Worldline: Largest European payment processor, providing acquiring, POS, and digital services across multiple countries. UNICRE is a co-launch partner with Worldline on Visa Intelligent Authorisation, and the two compete in the European acquiring market.
- Fiserv: Large US-headquartered payment processor with European acquiring footprint and Visa Acceptance Platform partnership. Co-launch partner with UNICRE on Visa Intelligent Authorisation; competes in European acquiring and merchant services.
- Nexi: Major European PayTech offering acquiring, card issuing and payment infrastructure across multiple countries. Comparable to UNICRE on the merchant acquiring and card issuing side at a European multi-market level.
Emerging players
- SumUp: European SMB-focused payment acceptance provider with SoftPOS products directly comparable to REDUNIQ Soft. Targets the same micro-merchant and independent retailer segment that is core to UNICRE's REDUNIQ customer base.
Regional players
- PagSeguro / PagBank: Brazilian acquirer and digital payments platform connected to UNICRE via the Braza Bank/PIX partnership. Comparable acquirer model in a different geography and a logical regional peer given UNICRE's growing Brazil cross-border ambitions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UNICRE social profiles
Digital presenceUNICRE compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
UNICRE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNICRE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
UNICRE subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
UNICRE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNICRE 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 UNICRE
What does UNICRE do?
UNICRE provides payment acquiring and card issuing services through two main brands: REDUNIQ (the largest payment acquirer in Portugal, processing card transactions for merchants via physical terminals, SoftPOS, e-commerce gateways, and BNPL) and UNIBANCO (issuer of credit, debit, and prepaid cards). The company also issues Ticket benefit cards for employers (meal, education subsidies) and gift cards for consumers and businesses.
Is UNICRE a public or private company?
UNICRE is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was UNICRE founded?
UNICRE was founded in 1974. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is UNICRE based?
UNICRE is headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, in the Europe region.
How does UNICRE make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Payment Acquiring and Transaction Processing is the primary driver. The others are card Issuing (UNIBANCO Brand), employee Benefit Cards (Ticket), gift Cards (Cartões Oferta) and terminal and Technology Services.
Who are UNICRE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stripe, Adyen, Redsys, EVO Payments and SIBS. Broad incumbents are Worldline, Fiserv and Nexi. SumUp is listed as an emerging player. PagSeguro / PagBank is listed as a regional player.
Does UNICRE have an API?
Yes. UNICRE adheres to the Open Banking platform developed by SIBS FPS for the national banking community. The SIBS API Market provides all interfaces under the Payment Services Directive (PSD2), including: Account Information Service (AISP) for accessing payment account information including balances and transactions; Payment Initiation Service (PISP) for initiating payment orders on behalf of customers; and Card Based Payment Instrument Issuer (CBPII) for validating fund availability. Quarterly performance SLA reports are published. The platform enables third-party providers to access customer account data and trigger payments with proper customer consent and authentication. Developer documentation is at www.sibsapimarket.com.
What industry is UNICRE in?
UNICRE's product category is Payment Acquiring Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMABAB, Merchant Acquiring Banks & ISO/MSP Acquirers, with a secondary code of FSAMABAC, Card-Present Acquirers (Retail & POS Focus). Its NAICS code is 522210 and its SIC code is 6141.