Pidgin
Pidgin is a private fintech that provides an API-first instant payments platform connecting U.S. community banks, credit unions, and correspondent institutions to FedNow, RTP, and stablecoin rails, reaching 100+ FIs live and ~3,000 FIs via channel partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Pidgin does
Pidgin is a private fintech that operates an instant payments platform purpose-built for U.S. financial institutions, particularly community banks, credit unions, and the correspondent banking institutions that serve them. The platform provides a single API-first integration that connects FIs to multiple instant payment networks — the Federal Reserve's FedNow Service, The Clearing House's RTP Network, and stablecoin rails — enabling 24x7x365 real-time settlement across P2P, C2B, B2C, and B2B use cases. Pidgin differentiates architecturally by routing payments directly from originating FI to receiving FI without intermediary fund holding, keeping customer balances within FDIC/NCUA-insured institutions and eliminating counterparty risk associated with virtual wallets.
The platform's core technology stack is API-first and supports ISO 20022 messaging, smart settlement with intelligent reporting, customizable routing, and a Request for Payment (RFP) module that converts billing into recurring revenue for FIs. Pidgin has been an early certified FedNow service provider (one of only six) and was among the first to support live transactions on the network at its July 2023 launch. The company distributes primarily through channel partners — including United Bankers' Bank, Community Bankers' Bank, ICBA Payments, Corelation, Modern Banking Systems, and BMA Banking Systems — alongside direct enterprise sales.
Pidgin generates revenue through a hybrid model combining transaction-based processing fees (entry tier) with subscription and volume-based pricing for premium treasury services, RFP billing relationships, API integration fees, and white-label services. As of September 2025, the company reports 100+ FIs live on the platform and access to nearly 3,000 FIs through its channel ecosystem, with stated leadership in U.S. FI market share among instant payments providers. The company was developed under VSoft Corporation starting in 2019 and spun off as an independent entity in 2022 ahead of the FedNow launch.
Pidgin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pidgin
- Legal name
- Pidgin
- Website
- https://pidgin.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pidgin is a private fintech that provides an API-first instant payments platform connecting U.S. community banks, credit unions, and correspondent institutions to FedNow, RTP, and stablecoin rails, reaching 100+ FIs live and ~3,000 FIs via channel partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Pidgin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pidgin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction / Processing Fees: Financial institutions pay transaction-based fees for processing instant payments. Institutions start with transaction-based fees while building toward value-based pricing as customer adoption and capabilities mature.
- Enhanced Treasury Services: Pidgin enables financial institutions to monetize instant payments through premium treasury services including 'just in time' payments for commercial clients, real-time working capital optimization, and liquidity management — commanding higher fees than traditional offerings.
- API Integration and Partnership Revenue: Charging usage-based fees for system integrations with financial institutions, developing revenue-sharing partnerships with software vendors, and offering white-label services for fintech partners.
- Tiered Service Models: Volume-based pricing and service level agreements create revenue that grows with accountholders. Basic services drive adoption while premium features, guaranteed processing times, and enhanced support justify higher fees.
- Request for Payment (RFP) Services: RFP functionality transforms one-time transactions into recurring revenue opportunities. Institutions manage billing relationships with automated reconciliation and industry-specific customizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Basic / Entry Tier |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium / Enterprise Tier |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Volume-Based SLAs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels10 records
Pidgin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pidgin provides a unified, API-first instant payments platform that enables financial institutions to send and receive payments across multiple networks (FedNow Service, The Clearing House's RTP Network, and stablecoin rails) through a single integration. The platform supports four payment use cases (P2P, C2B, B2C, B2B), routes transactions directly between financial institutions without external intermediaries, and delivers ISO 20022 messaging, smart settlement, intelligent reporting, customizable routing, and Request for Payment (RFP) capabilities to community banks, credit unions, and correspondent banking institutions across the United States.
Product overview
Pidgin offers a unified instant payments platform with multi-network connectivity supporting FedNow Service, RTP Network, and Stablecoin rails. The core platform is built around four faster payments modules: Peer-to-Peer, Consumer-to-Business, Business-to-Consumer, and Business-to-Business, enabling financial institutions to offer comprehensive instant payment services to their account holders. The platform connects directly from financial institution to financial institution without middlemen, ensuring faster and more secure transactions. Pidgin's architecture is future-ready, supporting customizable routing options and smart settlement with intelligent reporting. Additional offerings include a Stablecoin functionality add-on for digital asset support, the Payments Professor education program, and multiple white papers covering instant payments strategy, FedNow adoption, and emerging trends.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pidgin Instant Payments Platform Unified instant payments platform providing financial institutions with multi-network connectivity across FedNow Service, The Clearing House RTP Network, and stablecoin rails. Supports P2P, C2B, B2C, and B2B payment flows, routes transactions directly from financial institution to financial institution without middlemen, and provides ISO 20022 messaging, smart settlement, intelligent reporting, customizable routing, and Request for Payment (RFP) capabilities via an API-first architecture. Targeted at U.S. community banks, credit unions, and correspondent banking institutions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 22% increase in digital payment adoption within six months of FedNow/RTP implementation (single community bank case study)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pidgin
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pidgin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Pidgin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- BMA Banking SystemsminorPartnership combines Pidgin's advanced payment infrastructure with BMA Banking Systems' extensive network and expertise in financial technology solutions to make faster payments accessible for more financial institutions.
- MonexminorPidgin collaborated with Monex on a white paper exploring emerging trends in global instant payments, including real-time settlements, AI in payment processes, and global faster payments trends. Represents a thought leadership collaboration in the payments space.
- ICBA PaymentscorePidgin partnered with ICBA Payments, the payments subsidiary of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), to offer instant payments to the nation's community banks. This partnership provides Pidgin access to ICBA's extensive network of community bank members through trusted industry association channels.
- Corelation Inc.corePidgin became a preferred partner with Corelation, a fintech offering next-generation core processing solutions. The partnership enables more credit unions to offer real-time payments through Pidgin's payments ecosystem. Pidgin participated in Corelation's annual client conference (May 2026) as a preferred partner.
- Modern Banking SystemscorePartnership with Modern Banking Systems, a leading provider of core bank processing solutions, to enable more community financial institutions to offer real-time payments to their account holders. Extends Pidgin's reach through Modern Banking Systems' existing core banking customer base.
- Community Bankers' Bank (CBB)coreCommunity Bankers' Bank extended Pidgin to its network of independent community banks in the Fifth Federal Reserve District and contiguous states. CBB serves nearly 150 demand deposit account client banks, enabling them to embrace faster payments and gain competitive advantage.
- United Bankers' Bank (UBB)coreUnited Bankers' Bank, the nation's first bankers' bank, extended Pidgin to its network of more than 1,000 community banks across the West Coast to the Great Lakes and South Atlantic. This partnership was recognized with American Banker's 2025 Innovation of the Year award. UBB serves as a key distribution channel making Pidgin accessible to thousands of community banks.
- VSoft CorporationcorePidgin was developed and rolled out to pilot clients in 2019 under parent company VSoft Corporation. In 2022, Pidgin was spun off as a separate company as it ramped up for the FedNow Service launch. VSoft remains the parent corporation of Pidgin.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pidgin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alacriti: Alacriti is a direct competitor offering an instant payments platform (Orbipay) with FedNow and RTP connectivity for banks and credit unions, targeting the same community bank segment as Pidgin with similar multi-rail aggregation.
- Finzly: Finzly provides real-time payments infrastructure (FedNow, RTP, ACH, wire) to community banks and credit unions via a unified API platform, competing directly with Pidgin for the same mid-sized FI customer base.
Broad incumbents
- ACI Worldwide: ACI Worldwide is a large incumbent payments processor offering FedNow and RTP connectivity through its UP Payments platform, with broader real-time, electronic, and wholesale payment capabilities competing across FI tiers.
- Jack Henry & Associates: Jack Henry is a major core banking and payments provider offering JHA PayCenter with FedNow and RTP integration, bundling instant payments with core processing for community and mid-sized banks and credit unions.
- FIS (Fidelity National Information Services): FIS is a global fintech incumbent offering RTP and FedNow connectivity within its broader core banking and treasury platforms, competing with Pidgin for FI instant-payments mandates at the largest institutions.
- Fiserv: Fiserv is a major payments and core banking vendor providing real-time payment capabilities (including FedNow connectivity via Clover and Carat platforms) to banks and merchants nationwide.
- Finastra: Finastra is a large incumbent banking software provider offering FedNow and real-time payments solutions integrated with its core and digital banking platforms, serving global FIs including community institutions.
Emerging players
- Orum: Orum provides instant payments infrastructure via a single API for ACH and RTP, primarily serving fintechs and neobanks — adjacent to Pidgin's FI focus but operating in the same instant-payments connectivity space.
- Modern Treasury: Modern Treasury provides real-time payment operations software for instant money movement, overlapping with Pidgin's RTP/FedNow capabilities but focused primarily on fintechs and treasury teams rather than FIs.
Others
- Effectiv: Effectiv is a fintech fraud and compliance automation platform that integrates with Pidgin for real-time transaction monitoring. It is an enabling technology partner in Pidgin's ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pidgin social profiles
Digital presencePidgin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pidgin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pidgin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pidgin 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 Pidgin
What does Pidgin do?
Pidgin provides a unified, API-first instant payments platform that enables financial institutions to send and receive payments across multiple networks (FedNow Service, The Clearing House's RTP Network, and stablecoin rails) through a single integration. The platform supports four payment use cases (P2P, C2B, B2C, B2B), routes transactions directly between financial institutions without external intermediaries, and delivers ISO 20022 messaging, smart settlement, intelligent reporting, customizable routing, and Request for Payment (RFP) capabilities to community banks, credit unions, and correspondent banking institutions across the United States.
Is Pidgin a public or private company?
Pidgin is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Pidgin founded?
Pidgin was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pidgin based?
Pidgin is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pidgin make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Transaction / Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are enhanced Treasury Services, API Integration and Partnership Revenue, tiered Service Models and request for Payment (RFP) Services.
Who are Pidgin's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alacriti and Finzly. Broad incumbents are ACI Worldwide, Jack Henry & Associates, FIS (Fidelity National Information Services), Fiserv and Finastra. Emerging players are Orum and Modern Treasury. Effectiv is listed as an others.
Does Pidgin have an API?
Yes. Pidgin provides developer-friendly APIs that enable financial institutions to build integrations, white-label services, and usage-based fee structures. The platform's API infrastructure allows institutions to create revenue streams through system integrations, revenue sharing partnerships with software vendors, and white label services for fintech partners.