CULIANCE

What CULIANCE does

CULIANCE is a debit card network solution designed and marketed exclusively for credit unions, operating as a product brand within Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), a publicly traded fintech (NYSE: FIS). Founded in 1981 and operationally integrated into FIS infrastructure, CULIANCE delivers the electronic payments backbone that enables credit unions of varying sizes to issue and process debit cards at retail point of sale, in e-commerce checkout, and across a national surcharge-free ATM footprint. The platform is positioned as an affordable, service-oriented alternative to bank-oriented debit networks, reflecting alignment with cooperative finance operating principles rather than a horizontal payments competitor.

The product surface consists of four integrated components. The CULIANCE DebitEdge program handles point-of-sale debit transactions across more than 2 million retail locations. The CULIANCE On-demand program enables PIN-less debit transactions for e-commerce purchases. The CULIANCE ATM Network aggregates four surcharge-free ATM brands, CUHERE, CUHERE Select, MoneyPass, and Allpoint, providing members with cash access, balance inquiry, deposit, and transfer services at more than 80,000 locations. FICO Card Alert Service provides real-time fraud detection and is bundled at no incremental cost, contrasting with most network competitors that charge for similar tooling. The technology stack is FIS-powered, with CULIANCE itself functioning as the credit union-facing go-to-market and integration layer over the parent company's processing infrastructure.

CULIANCE generates revenue through transaction-based fees: interchange revenue share on debit card swipes, network and processing fees charged to credit unions, and rev-share from incremental transaction sources. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with monthly billing. Distribution is exclusively through FIS's enterprise field sales force, supported by digital content (product pages, e-books, an interactive ATM Locator) housed on the FIS global website. The customer base is exclusively US credit unions; no end consumers, banks, or non-financial verticals are served. Revenue is not broken out separately by FIS, so the specific economic contribution of CULIANCE as a standalone unit cannot be determined from public disclosure.

Name

CULIANCE

Legal name

CULIANCE (brand of Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.)

Website

https://culiance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CULIANCE provides debit card network services for credit unions under FIS, spanning POS processing at 2M+ retail locations, PIN-less e-commerce debit, and access to 80,000+ surcharge-free ATMs across multiple networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Debit Card Network Services

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Card Network Schemes (e.g., PIN-debit / EFT networks) (FSAMAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

EMV Chip, Magstripe & PIN Debit Acceptance (FSAMADAG), Integrated Payment Processors (PSP/Acquirer) (FSAMABAA)

Keywords

• Debit card network
• Payment processing
• Credit union services
• Electronic payments
• ATM network services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interchange Revenue: CULIANCE delivers high interchange revenue to credit unions for debit card transactions processed through the network, generating revenue based on transaction volume and approval rates.
2. Network and Processing Fees: Generates revenue from competitive fees charged to credit unions for network access, transaction processing, and optional program services.
3. Revenue from New Transaction Sources: Creates opportunities for credit unions to generate revenue from new sources of transactions through expanded payment acceptance capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CULIANCE provides credit unions with a comprehensive debit card network solution that processes electronic payments across point-of-sale, ATM, and online channels. The platform combines the DebitEdge POS program (2M+ retail locations), the On-demand e-commerce program (PIN-less online debit), a nationwide surcharge-free ATM network (80,000+ locations across CUHERE, CUHERE Select, MoneyPass, and Allpoint), and built-in FICO fraud prevention, all powered by FIS technology infrastructure.

Product overview

CULIANCE is a unified debit card network platform for credit unions, powered by FIS. The core CULIANCE Debit Payments Network encompasses two main programs: DebitEdge for point-of-sale transactions at over 2 million retail locations, and On-demand for PIN-less online/e-commerce debit transactions. The platform is complemented by the CULIANCE ATM Network, which integrates multiple surcharge-free ATM networks (CUHERE, CUHERE Select, MoneyPass, and Allpoint) providing access at more than 80,000 locations nationwide. Built-in fraud prevention is provided through FICO Card Alert Service. The CULIANCE ATM Locator tool enables members to find available surcharge-free ATMs. Together, these components deliver a comprehensive payments experience combining POS, online, and ATM services with fraud protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CULIANCE DebitEdge: POS transaction program enabling convenient transactions at more than 2 million retail locations
• CULIANCE On-demand
• CUHERE
• CUHERE Select
• FICO Card Alert Service

Products and services

• CULIANCE Debit Payments Network A comprehensive debit card network solution for credit unions that delivers convenient, reliable electronic payments at the point of sale, ATM, and online, powering the CULIANCE DebitEdge and On-demand programs with fraud prevention tools.
• CULIANCE DebitEdge Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Transactions enabled at more than 2 million retail locations
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FIScoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCULIANCE is a product powered by FIS, a major global financial technology company. FIS provides the underlying technology infrastructure and corporate branding for the CULIANCE debit card network solution for credit unions. The partnership enables CULIANCE to leverage FIS's scale, technology, and industry relationships to serve the credit union market.
• MoneyPasscoreTechnology or IntegrationMoneyPass is part of the CULIANCE ATM network, providing surcharge-free ATM access to credit union members at MoneyPass ATM locations as part of the broader CULIANCE network ecosystem.
• AllpointcoreTechnology or IntegrationAllpoint is integrated into the CULIANCE ATM network, offering surcharge-free cash withdrawal and other ATM services to CULIANCE member credit unions at Allpoint locations.
• CUHEREcoreTechnology or IntegrationCUHERE is a branded surcharge-free ATM network available through CULIANCE, specifically serving credit union members with fee-free access to cash withdrawal and ATM services.
• CUHERE SelectcoreTechnology or IntegrationCUHERE Select is an enhanced tier of the CUHERE surcharge-free ATM network available through CULIANCE, offering additional location access for credit union members.
• FICOcoreTechnology or IntegrationFICO provides the Card Alert Service integrated into CULIANCE's fraud prevention toolkit. This service identifies and reports fraud in real-time, enabling credit unions to take immediate action to prevent losses at no additional cost to CULIANCE customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Fiserv: Fiserv is a major financial technology incumbent that competes with FIS for credit union core, debit, and merchant relationships. Its ownership of Shazam makes it a direct parent of one of CULIANCE's closest PIN-debit competitors.
• Mastercard: Mastercard operates the other dominant open-loop card network and competes with CULIANCE for debit routing of credit union card transactions, particularly for those credit unions whose issuers sit on the Mastercard debit side.
• Visa: Visa operates one of the two dominant open-loop card networks and competes with CULIANCE on debit acceptance for credit union issuers, both through Visa Direct/debit products and partner platforms like Elan.
• Elan Financial Services: Elan, a Visa solutions partner, provides credit and debit card services specifically to credit unions. It competes with CULIANCE for credit union debit programs while leveraging the Visa network.
• Jack Henry & Associates: Jack Henry provides core processing and payments services to credit unions and community banks, including debit processing. It competes for the same credit union IT and payments wallet and bundles debit alongside core.

Direct peers

• CO-OP Solutions: CO-OP (Cooperative Solutions) is the dominant shared-services network for U.S. credit unions, providing debit processing, ATM networks, and fraud services. It is the closest direct competitor to CULIANCE's PIN-debit, ATM, and credit-union-issuer go-to-market.
• Jeanie Network (Worldpay/FIS): Jeanie is a PIN-debit network originally operated by Worldpay (now part of FIS). It is a direct adjacency to CULIANCE within the FIS family and a comparable alternative for issuers evaluating PIN-debit routing.
• NYCE Payments Network: NYCE is a PIN-debit and ATM network providing point-of-sale debit acceptance and surcharge-free ATM access. It overlaps directly with CULIANCE's core PIN-debit routing and ATM aggregation capabilities.
• Shazam (Fiserv): Shazam, owned by Fiserv, is a PIN-debit and ATM network serving community banks and credit unions. It competes directly with CULIANCE on signature-debit/PIN-debit routing, ATM access, and fraud for the same issuer segments.
• PULSE (Discover Financial Services): PULSE is a PIN-debit network owned by Discover Financial Services. It competes with CULIANCE on debit transaction routing and ATM acceptance, serving a mix of community banks, credit unions, and other issuers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/fisglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/FIStoday
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fis

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 CULIANCE