Ciss

What Ciss does

Ciss is a French IT services and SaaS company headquartered in Lyon, founded in 2001, that builds modular platforms and applications for payment acceptance, customer loyalty, data analytics, and digital onboarding. Its portfolio centers on four platforms — Boostore (all-in-one commerce and loyalty CRM), DioD (high-volume data centralization and monetization), mySafe (GDPR-compliant identity and SSO management), and Welcome onboard' (100% dematerialized contracting with e-signature) — supported by universal applications (myTerminal, myWallet), an API microservices suite (Send, Pay, Sign, Auth, KYC, plus Address, Authentication, Email, Establishment, Onboarding, SMS, Wallet, myLink), payment terminal hardware (Ingenico and other manufacturers), autonomous terminals and kiosks, and physical supports (PVC cards, NFC bracelets, secure gift cheques). The technology stack is API-first and open-source-centric: PHP 8/Laravel backend, Vue.js/Livewire frontend, MariaDB, RabbitMQ/Redis, deployed via Ansible/Jenkins on Tier III French datacenters (OVH, Online, Nerim) with PCI DSS self-certification and GDPR sub-processor status. Ciss also operates as an authorized agent of ACPR-licensed payment and e-money institutions (Ezyness, Hipay, Heoh), enabling regulated services such as third-party payment collection.

The business operates across multiple GTM motions simultaneously: direct enterprise sales to large French retailers, sports venues, and event organizers; a distributor network of seven named partners plus software publisher integrations (Orisha, Cashpad, Casio) for SMB and franchise reach; an API-first self-serve developer portal for ISVs; and direct-to-consumer SMB self-service via the Boostore commerce platform. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix: payment terminal hardware sales and recurring subscriptions (from €29.90/month including SIM and support), SaaS subscriptions for Boostore, DioD, and mySafe, usage-based pricing for API microservices, transaction fees earned as a PSP agent, and per-unit physical product sales. The company claims 25,000 cumulative clients across 25 years, including enterprise logos such as Fnac, Galeries Lafayette, Boulanger, Jouéclub, Worldline, Nature & Découvertes, Center Parcs, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, and Olympique Lyonnais, alongside a long tail of SMB retailers, bakeries, bars, and local commerce operators. Ciss is a privately held SAS with €100,000 registered capital, no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds, and a team of 1-10 employees, indicating a lean, capital-efficient operating model.

Name

Ciss

Legal name

Ciss SAS

Website

https://ciss.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ciss is a Lyon-based French IT services company that builds payment, loyalty, data, and digital onboarding platforms for retailers, sports venues, SMB merchants, and franchise networks across France, serving 25,000 cumulative clients over 25 years via SaaS, APIs, terminals, and a distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Processing Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Merchant-of-Record (MoR) & Payment Facilitation (PayFac) Infrastructure (FSAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unattended & Self-Service Payments (Kiosks, Vending, Parking, EV Charging) (FSAMADAE), Risk, Compliance & Controls for Embedded Finance (KYB/KYC/AML, Fraud, Disputes) (FSAGALAK)

Keywords

• Payment processing software
• Customer loyalty platform
• Payment terminal solutions
• Digital onboarding APIs
• Data management platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Payment terminal hardware sales and rental: Ciss sells and rents payment terminals (TPE) — fixed, portable, and mobile — from manufacturers Ingenico and others. Terminals are pre-configured and delivered ready to use, with a monthly subscription (from €29.90/month) including SIM, updates, repairs, and replacement. Standalone terminal purchase from €179.
2. Boostore SaaS platform subscription: Boostore is a subscription-based all-in-one commerce platform for loyalty, marketing, communication, and payment. Pricing is tiered based on business size and feature scope. Targets SMB retailers, franchises, and event organizers.
3. DioD data platform subscription: DioD (Data On Demand) is a SaaS platform for data centralization, analysis, and monetization. Revenue is generated via subscription based on data volume and use cases (inventory management, dashboards, billing, data monetization).
4. Microservices API (Send, Pay, Sign, Auth, KYC): Ciss offers modular API microservices — Send (SMS/email/postal), Pay (payment requests), Sign (e-signature), Auth (authentication), KYC (identity verification). Charged on a per-use basis with tiered pricing and volume discounts.
5. Physical support products: Ciss prints, personalizes, and secures physical supports — PVC loyalty/gift/cashless cards, NFC bracelets (disposable/reusable), key fobs, and secure gift cheques with holographic features. Sold as a per-unit product.
6. Payment processing as PSP agent: As an agent of ACPR-licensed Payment Service Providers, Ciss earns commissions on payment transaction flows processed through its terminals and platforms for merchants.
7. mySafe authentication and data management SaaS: mySafe is a subscription SaaS for single sign-on (SSO), digital vault, and GDPR compliance management. Offered as a standalone subscription or bundled with Boostore.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ciss develops and sells modular SaaS platforms (Boostore for CRM/loyalty, DioD for data valorization, mySafe for GDPR/SSO, Welcome onboard' for digital onboarding) and universal applications (myTerminal, myWallet) for payment acceptance, customer engagement, and data management. The company also distributes payment terminals from leading manufacturers, manufactures physical supports (PVC cards, NFC bracelets, secure gift checks), and offers modular API microservices (Send, Pay, Sign, Auth, KYC) for integration into third-party systems. As an ACPR-licensed agent of payment institutions, Ciss provides regulated payment and e-money services to merchants.

Product overview

Ciss is a data agency offering a modular platform-plus-applications architecture spanning customer relationship management, payment processing, and digital transformation. The core platform portfolio includes Boostore (all-in-one CRM and loyalty platform), mySafe (GDPR-compliant identity and data management), DioD (large-volume data valorization), and Welcome onboard' (digital contracting and onboarding). Supporting applications include myTerminal (universal point-of-sale transaction app) and myWallet (digital wallet for kiosks). The offering extends to API microservices (Send, Pay, Sign, Auth, KYC, plus dedicated APIs for address, authentication, email, establishment, onboarding, SMS, wallet, and myLink), physical products (custom PVC cards, NFC wristbands, NFC keychains, and secure gift checks), and hardware terminals (banking terminals, autonomous terminals, and interactive kiosks). All solutions are API-first and designed for interoperability with third-party payment terminals (Ingenico, Pax, Verifone, Sunmi) and payment service providers (Ezyness, Hipay, Heoh).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Boostore: Customer relationship management platform for proximity commerce, combining loyalty, marketing, and communication tools.
• DioD
• mySafe
• Welcome onboard'
• myTerminal
• Send
• Pay
• Sign
• Auth
• KYC

Products and services

• Boostore All-in-one SaaS platform combining loyalty programs, multi-channel marketing campaigns (SMS, email, push, social, postal), online/mobile storefronts, and payment acceptance for SMB retailers, franchises, and event organizers.
• DioD (Data On Demand) Data and Information On Demand platform for collecting, centralizing, and valorizing large-volume data. Supports real-time dashboards, asset inventory, collaborative databases, dynamic billing, and data monetization through partner ecosystem sharing.
• mySafe Subscription SaaS for centralized personal data management providing single sign-on (SSO), secure digital vault, and automated GDPR compliance for organizations managing customer, employee, and partner data.
• Welcome onboard' Digital onboarding platform for 100% dematerialized online contracting, managing secure registration, dynamic forms, document uploads, consent validation, and electronic signature with comprehensive customizable back-office.
• myTerminal Universal application that centralizes all commerce transactions including payment processing, loyalty, donations, tips, gift cards, and cashless operations. Installs on web browsers, payment terminals, mobile phones, computers, and cash registers. Available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
• Send API Universal API for sending multi-channel messages including SMS, emails, push notifications, and postal mail including registered mail. Automatically manages GDPR compliance, unsubscribe lists, and sending time restrictions.
• Pay API Payment request API that generates intelligent payment links supporting single or recurring payments via card or bank transfer with optimized payment page and automatic channel selection (email, SMS, QR code, ticket).
• Sign API Electronic signature API supporting simple, advanced, or qualified signature levels. Automatically archives signature proofs for the full legal duration with timestamp, security, and full traceability.
• Auth API (Authentication) Authentication solution and API for services and terminals enabling secure OAuth token generation for API call and device identification, identity verification, and access control.
• KYC API Regulatory information and document collection API for identity verification and compliance with Know Your Customer requirements.
• Banking payment terminals (TPE) Banking payment terminals (TPE) available in fixed, portable, and mobile configurations supporting all payment methods including card, QR code, and digital wallets with integrated loyalty and communication features. Pre-configured with Ciss software stack.
• Autonomous payment terminals Autonomous terminals supporting loyalty programs, card and gift check management, and payment. Available with or without printer in fixed or mobile configurations for merchants without full POS infrastructure.
• Interactive kiosks and automates Interactive kiosks and vending machines for reception areas. Configured for ordering, information, payment, or data collection with customizable branding and robust hardware for high-traffic environments.
• Custom PVC cards and NFC supports Physical supports printed, personalized, and secured by Ciss including custom PVC loyalty/gift/cashless cards with QR code or NFC chip, disposable and reusable NFC wristbands for events, NFC keychains for recurring use, and secure gift cheques printed on protected paper with holographic strip.
• Born'Truck mobile kiosk solution Mobile billetterie, cashless, and donation kiosk solution housed in a fully autonomous 100% mobile truck. Designed for event venues and locations without fixed infrastructure; the organizer arrives on site, opens the shutters, and plugs in as needed, with everything pre-installed and connected.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000 clients served over 25 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IngenicocoreTechnology or IntegrationPartenaire Premium of Ciss. Manufacturer of Telium, Tetra & Axium terminal ranges. Ciss pre-configures and sells Ingenico terminals with its software stack (myTerminal, Boostore) integrated.
• PaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationConstructeur Partenaire. Android terminal manufacturer. Ciss integrates its software platform with Pax Android terminals for loyalty, payment, and communication use cases.
• VerifonecoreTechnology or IntegrationManufacturer of VX & Engage terminal ranges. Ciss integrates its solutions with Verifone terminals for payment acceptance and customer engagement.
• EzynesscoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment Service Provider (PSP) / E-money Institution, ACPR-licensed. Ciss acts as agent for Ezyness, enabling regulated payment and e-money services for its merchant clients.
• HipaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment Service Provider (PSP) / E-money Institution, ACPR-licensed. Ciss operates as an agent of Hipay for payment acquisition and e-money services.
• HeohcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment Service Provider (PSP) / E-money Institution. Ciss acts as agent for Heoh. Additionally, Heoh provides donation/tip collection terminals that integrate with Ciss cashless and payment platforms.
• Association du PaiementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for the French payment ecosystem. Ciss is an active member contributing to payment modernization working groups.
• Réunion TelecomminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner deploying Ciss solutions in the Réunion and Indian Ocean region.
• AvemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner of Ciss, deploying terminal and software solutions to SMB retailers.
• SimaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner of Ciss, serving retailers in the French Antilles.
• Gest-magminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner for Ciss solutions targeting retail management and point-of-sale.
• Bar DistributionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner of Ciss for bar and hospitality sector solutions.
• YurplanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner specializing in event and ticketing solutions for Ciss.
• JDC OccitanieminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner of Ciss in the Occitanie region.
• OrishacoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware publisher partner. Ciss integrates its loyalty, payment, and data services with Orisha's retail and commerce software platform.
• Fédération Nationale des Centres-Villes (FNCV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiss is partner of FNCV, sharing a common ambition to support and revitalize French city-center commerce. Partnership combines digital tools with local action to provide field actors with tailored solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Worldline: European payment processor and Ingenico terminal manufacturer. Comparable acquirer/PSP and terminal ecosystem; already a Ciss partner/customer, but operates at much larger scale across B2B and B2C markets.
• Stripe: Global payment infrastructure API platform with payment processing, terminal hardware (Stripe Terminal), and embedded finance capabilities. Comparable on API-first architecture and modular services approach (Pay, KYC, Auth equivalents).
• Square (Block): Integrated POS, payment processing, and small-business commerce platform. Closely comparable product architecture to Boostore + myTerminal + payment terminal bundle, though much larger and US-anchored.
• Verifone: Global payment terminal manufacturer with integrated commerce software stacks. Overlaps with Ciss on terminal hardware and merchant services, but at enterprise global scale rather than French SMB focus.

Regional players

• Mollie: European payment service provider offering multi-method acquiring and integrations for SMB and mid-market merchants. Comparable payfac/adapter model focused on European retailers rather than French-only.

Direct peers

• SumUp: European mPOS and payment acceptance provider targeting SMB retailers with terminals, processing, and CRM/loyalty tools. Directly competes with Ciss's TPE and Boostore offerings for the French SMB segment.
• Easytransac: French PSP providing payment terminals, online acquiring, and merchant services to SMBs in France. Direct head-to-head competitor in the French SMB market segment that Ciss serves.
• Zettle (PayPal): Mobile POS, payment terminal, and small-business commerce platform under PayPal. Closely comparable to Ciss's myTerminal + Boostore + payment terminal stack for SMB retail and hospitality.
• HiPay: ACPR-licensed French PSP/e-money institution. Ciss acts as an agent of Hipay for payment acquisition, making them partners/collaborators while also serving overlapping French merchant and e-commerce markets.

Others

• Ingenico (a Worldline brand): Premium terminal manufacturer partner of Ciss providing Telium, Tetra, and Axium ranges. Comparable ecosystem technology stack and integration model, though operating as a hardware/infrastructure supplier rather than direct software competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CissFR
• Facebookfacebook.com/societeCISS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c.i.s.s.
• Xx.com/Societe_CISS

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ciss