What TeleCash Kommunikations-Service GmbH does

TeleCash Kommunikations-Service GmbH (legal entity: First Data GmbH) is a German payment service provider and acquirer founded in 1990 and headquartered in Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe. The company operates as the German-market brand of Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), following its 2019 integration into the Fiserv group, and serves more than 100,000 merchants with a deployed base of 250,000+ payment terminals. It holds a BaFin E-money Institution license and is an accredited girocard network operator within the Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft system, with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and TÜV Rheinland certifications underpinning its processing infrastructure.

The product portfolio spans stationary and mobile POS terminals (Clover Mini/Flex, Verifone V400c/V400m/T650p/T650c, Ingenico Move 3500/Desk 3500, CCV A920/Pad Next) supporting contactless NFC payments across girocard, SEPA direct debit, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, Diners, Discover, Union Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Online payment processing is delivered via the Internet Payment Gateway (IPG), Webshop integration, MOTO virtual terminal, and Payment Link. Value-added services include the Garantiertes Lastschriftverfahren (GLV) with the proprietary TeleCash Sperrdatei (TSD) blocklist, CARDS&emotions gift/loyalty cards, Cashpooling, E-Mobility solutions ('charge n' drive' / X-Pay) for EV charging stations, and YouLend merchant financing. Merchant-facing portals (Customer Care Center, Merchant Online Portal) handle billing, settlement, and reporting.

TeleCash generates revenue through a combination of terminal hardware sales and rentals (€9.99–€49.99/month), per-transaction processing fees (interchange, aggregator, and authorization components), IPG subscription fees, acquiring discount rates (Disagio), and ancillary service fees. Distribution is sales-led with direct field and inside sales supported by a partner/reseller program, a €100-per-referral customer program, and participation in the 'Deutschland zahlt digital' national initiative. Vertical coverage spans retail, gastronomy, healthcare, stadiums/arenas, pharmacies, bakeries, public transport (ÖPNV), government, and e-mobility — with operations in Germany and Austria and limited presence in Switzerland.

Name

TeleCash Kommunikations-Service GmbH

Legal name

First Data GmbH

Website

https://telecash.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

TeleCash is a German payment service provider and acquirer serving 100,000+ merchants with 250,000+ POS terminals, offering card acceptance, e-commerce, and value-added payment services under the Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV) corporate umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bad Vilbel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Terminal Hardware Sales and Rental: Merchants can purchase POS terminals outright (one-time hardware cost, higher variable transaction fees) or rent them monthly (monthly rental fee of €9.99–€49.99 depending on device, lower variable fees). Rental is the primary model mentioned on pricing pages. The 'Deutschland zahlt digital' program offers 12 months free terminal rental for new merchants accepting digital payments.
2. Transaction/Processing Fees: TeleCash charges per-transaction fees for each card payment processed. These include the ec-Interbankenentgelt (interchange fee paid to card-issuing banks), Konzentratorentgelt (aggregator fee for TeleCash's network services), and authorization fees (e.g., 1% authorization fee after the free DZD period). The GLV (guaranteed direct debit) offers lower per-transaction costs compared to girocard PIN transactions.
3. Internet Payment Gateway (IPG) Services: Monthly subscription and/or per-transaction fees for online payment processing through TeleCash's IPG platform, including virtual terminal (MOTO) and Payment Link services for card-not-present transactions.
4. Acquiring / Card Acceptance Services: TeleCash acts as an acquirer (merchant aggregator), enabling merchants to accept credit and debit card payments. Revenue comes from discount rates (Disagio) applied to each transaction, bundled with network services, authorization connections, and settlement. Cashpooling services reduce bank fees for merchants.
5. CARDS&emotions Gift/Loyalty Cards: Sale of branded gift, voucher, and loyalty cards to merchants, along with card design services. Cards can be ordered in small runs (starting at 60 cards) with standard motifs or fully custom-branded designs for larger volumes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TeleCash is a German payment service provider and acquirer that supplies merchants with POS card terminals (stationary, mobile, smartPOS/Clover), e-commerce online payment processing via its Internet Payment Gateway (IPG), and card acceptance/acquiring services for girocard, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and mobile wallets. It also offers value-added services such as guaranteed SEPA direct debit (GLV), gift/loyalty cards (CARDS&emotions), Cashpooling, and specialized solutions for e-mobility and public transport.

Product overview

TeleCash from Fiserv is a comprehensive payment solutions provider offering a multi-channel portfolio of card terminals (POS), E-Commerce online payment solutions, and value-added services. The core product portfolio spans (1) POS terminals — including stationary terminals (e.g., V400c, Desk 3500, CCV Pad Next, CCV Base Next), mobile terminals (e.g., V400m, Move 3500, CCV A920), and smartPOS devices (Clover Mini, Clover Flex) — all supporting contactless NFC payments via card, smartphone (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), and smartwatch; (2) E-Commerce solutions comprising the Internet Payment Gateway (IPG), Webshop, Payment Link, MOTO Virtual Terminal, and PayPal integration; (3) card acquiring services accepting girocard, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners, Discover, Union Pay, Maestro, and V PAY; and (4) value-added services including the CARDS&emotions loyalty/gift card program, Garantiertes Lastschriftverfahren (GLV) guaranteed direct debit, Cashpooling, and the Customer Care Center (CCC) and Merchant Online Portal (MOP) merchant portals. The portfolio is anchored by Clover smartPOS terminals with a proprietary app market and is supplemented by specialized solutions such as vending terminals, E-Mobility (charge n' drive), and YouLend merchant financing. TeleCash serves over 100,000 merchants across diverse industries including retail, gastronomy, healthcare, stadiums, public transport, government, and E-charging stations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CARDS&emotions: Gift card and voucher program for customer loyalty and gift card solutions
• charge n' drive
• Clover
• X-Pay
• Internet Payment Gateway (IPG)
• Garantiertes Lastschriftverfahren (GLV)
• Kunden werben Kunden

Products and services

• Clover Mini A compact smartPOS terminal designed for stationary use at point-of-sale locations, featuring contactless NFC payment acceptance, an app marketplace, and optional cash register integration.
• Clover Flex An ultra-mobile smartPOS terminal for table-side and on-the-go payment acceptance with NFC contactless support, built-in tipping functionality, and access to the Clover app ecosystem.
• V400c Stationary Terminal High-speed stationary POS payment terminal with modern technology designed for fixed checkout locations, supporting contactless NFC, PIN, and signature authentication.
• V400m Mobile Terminal A versatile mobile POS terminal with electronic signature capture, suitable for healthcare, retail, and on-site service environments.
• CCV A920 Mobile Terminal An Android-based mobile terminal for individual requirements, suitable for stadiums, events, and mobile service use, supporting contactless and PIN-based payments.
• CCV Pad Next Stationary Terminal A modern stationary POS terminal designed to modernize the checkout area, suitable for stadiums, retail, and fixed sales locations with seamless connectivity.
• Move 3500 Mobile Terminal A mobile entry-level terminal for contactless NFC payments, suitable for restaurants and mobile service use.
• Desk 3500 Stationary Terminal A compact stationary terminal that processes payments in seconds, suitable for bakeries, retail, and fixed POS locations with optional cash register integration.
• Internet Payment Gateway (IPG) An online payment gateway enabling merchants to accept card payments, SEPA direct debit, and digital wallets in online shops and apps, with developer documentation and integration support.
• MOTO Virtual Terminal A virtual payment terminal accessible via computer, tablet, or smartphone enabling merchants to accept remote card-not-present payments by phone or mail order without additional hardware.
• Payment Link A feature allowing merchants to send secure payment links to customers for online payment acceptance, suitable for advance payments, pre-orders, and takeaway services.
• Card Acceptance and Acquiring Service Merchant acquiring service enabling acceptance of girocard, GLV, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners, Discover, and UnionPay, with discount rates (Disagio), settlement, and unified reporting.
• Automaten Terminals (Vending Terminals) Payment terminals specifically designed for integration into vending machines, parking meters, and self-service kiosks, supporting contactless, PIN, and NFC-based payments for unattended environments.
• CARDS&emotions Gift and Loyalty Cards A gift card and loyalty card program enabling merchants to issue branded gift cards, discount cards, and bonus cards for customer retention and revenue generation, with customizable designs.
• Garantiertes Lastschriftverfahren (GLV) Guaranteed SEPA direct debit procedure backed by the TeleCash Sperrdatei (blocking file) that protects merchants against payment defaults and chargebacks at lower transaction costs than standard girocard.
• charge n' drive E-Mobility Solution A turnkey payment solution for EV charging station operators featuring X-Pay terminals that control multiple charging points, reducing hardware investment while supporting all major card and mobile payment methods and digital receipts.
• Cashpooling Service A service that bundles daily transactions from multiple POS terminals into a single bank file for combined cash register cutoff, reducing bank fees and streamlining accounting processes.
• YouLend Business Capital Financing Merchant financing service offering business capital loans between €1,000 and €500,000 for small businesses, accessible through the TeleCash platform for liquidity needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% of Germans expect digital payment options in stores
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV)coreTechnology or IntegrationTeleCash is a brand operated by First Data GmbH, which is part of the Fiserv, Inc. group (NASDAQ: FISV). Fiserv is a globally leading payments and financial technology company. This is a parent-subsidiary relationship: TeleCash leverages Fiserv's global payment infrastructure, technology platform, and brand to serve the German market. As stated: 'TeleCash is now part of Fiserv.' The relationship is vertical (Fiserv owns and operates TeleCash/First Data GmbH).
• Integrators of Public Transport Operators (ÖPNV Integratoren)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFor public transport (ÖPNV) payment deployments, TeleCash works with integrators who equip transport operators with ticketing systems and POS terminals. TeleCash provides its terminals while integrators handle system integration with ticket printers and transport IT infrastructure. This is a co-delivery relationship serving transport operators.
• Clover (Fiserv-owned brand)coreTechnology or IntegrationClover is the smartPOS terminal brand sold and supported by TeleCash in Germany. Available models include Clover Mini (stationary) and Clover Flex (mobile). Clover devices run a proprietary OS with an app marketplace, enabling TeleCash to offer extended business management features (customer management, tipping, time tracking, loyalty) beyond core payment processing. As a Fiserv-owned product line, Clover terminals are deeply integrated into the TeleCash product portfolio.
• Terminal Hardware Manufacturers (Verifone, Ingenico, CCV)coreTechnology or IntegrationTeleCash distributes POS terminals from third-party manufacturers including Verifone (V400c, V400m, T650p, T650c, P400, P630), Ingenico (Move 3500, Desk 3500, Lane 5000), and CCV (A920, Base Next, Pad Next). These terminals run TeleCash's payment software and connect to its processing network. TeleCash also sells or integrates these devices with its acquiring and IPG services.
• Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft (German Banking Industry)coreTechnology or IntegrationTeleCash is accredited as a network operator in the girocard system of the Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft (German Banking Industry). This accreditation enables TeleCash to process girocard (formerly EC-Cash) transactions on behalf of merchants — a fundamental capability for operating as a payment service provider in Germany. The girocard system includes the Positories: Bundesverband deutscher Banken (BdB), Bundesverband öffentlicher Banken (VÖB), Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken (BVR), and Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband (DSGV).
• Deutschland zahlt digital (National Initiative)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTeleCash participates in the 'Deutschland zahlt digital' (DZD) initiative, a national program launched by the German financial industry to promote cashless payments among small and medium businesses. TeleCash enrolls new merchants into the program, offering 12 months of free terminal rental and transaction fees. This partnership provides TeleCash with access to a government/industry-backed marketing pipeline for customer acquisition among previously cash-only merchants.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Concardis (Worldline Germany): Former rival German merchant acquirer that merged into Worldline; offers girocard acquiring, POS terminals, and online payment acceptance to German SMBs, directly competing with TeleCash's core merchant services book.
• SumUp: European mobile POS specialist serving German SMBs with simple, low-monthly-fee card readers and an integrated payment gateway — the most direct head-to-head competitor in TeleCash's primary retail and gastronomy segments.
• CCV Group: German-headquartered payment terminal manufacturer and acquirer whose A920, Base Next, and Pad Next terminals are sold through TeleCash. Provides competing end-to-end POS/terminal services to the same German SMB market.
• payone (Shopify subsidiary): German PSP offering POS acquiring, e-commerce payment gateways, and omnichannel payment services. Now part of Shopify's Shop Pay Installments and European payment stack, but historically a direct TeleCash competitor in DACH.

Broad incumbents

• Worldline: Pan-European payments giant owning Ingenico (POS hardware) and Concardis (German acquiring). Competes head-on with TeleCash in Germany via terminal distribution and merchant services at much larger scale.
• Nexi: European acquiring powerhouse with growing German presence via Netpay and partnerships. Provides comparable card acceptance, POS, and digital payment solutions across verticals including retail and hospitality.
• Verifone: Global POS terminal manufacturer whose T650C, T650P, V400c, and V400m devices are distributed by TeleCash. A potential competitor and substitute supplier whose vertical integration could challenge resellers like TeleCash.
• Ingenico (a Worldline company): Global POS terminal maker whose Desk 3500 and Move 3500 are sold by TeleCash. As part of Worldline, directly competes with TeleCash through combined hardware, software, and acquiring offerings.
• Adyen: Global unified commerce payments platform serving enterprise merchants with card acquiring, POS, and online payment infrastructure. Pulls larger and digital-native German merchants away from traditional acquirers like TeleCash.

Emerging players

• Stripe: Online-first payments platform expanding into in-person Tap-to-Pay and Terminal (POS hardware) globally. Disrupts TeleCash's IPG and POS franchises by offering developers-first unified APIs and increasingly competing on the merchant side in DACH.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC82x8aC9oXCa1pJuEgyEA5w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telecash

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 TeleCash Kommunikations-Service GmbH