Pacific Mercantile Bank

What Pacific Mercantile Bank does

Pacific Mercantile Bank was a California-based commercial bank founded in 1999 and headquartered in Costa Mesa, originally traded on NASDAQ under ticker PMBC. In 2024, the bank was acquired by Banc of California (NYSE: BANC), a publicly traded commercial bank headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with $13.6 billion in total assets as of Q2 2024. Post-acquisition, the Pacific Mercantile Bank franchise was consolidated into the Banc of California charter and is no longer operating as a standalone institution; the entity is now referenced as a previously known name of Banc of California. The legal entity operating under the combined platform is Banc of California, routing number 122 238 200, FDIC-insured.

The combined platform operates across business banking (small business, middle market, and commercial), commercial real estate lending (construction, multifamily, warehouse), global treasury management, lending (asset-based, corporate asset finance, lender finance, affordable housing, small business), venture banking (startups, technology, life sciences, fund finance), and payment solutions (BancEdge merchant processing, business credit cards). The technology stack comprises digital banking platforms for personal and business online/mobile enrollment, dedicated portals for asset-based lending, HOA management, and treasury management, plus a third-party integration with Clearwater Analytics. The bank also offers specialty deposit products such as 1031 Exchange accounts and master deposit accounts.

The business model is asset-based, generating revenue primarily through net interest income on loans and securities, supplemented by non-interest income from deposit fees, payment processing (BancEdge), treasury management services, and loan origination fees. Go-to-market is hybrid: enterprise field sales for commercial and middle-market clients, inside sales via a client care center, and self-service digital enrollment for SMB and consumer segments. Customer segments span SMB, middle-market, commercial, industry-specific verticals (12+ niches including attorneys, healthcare, HOA, commercial aviation, franchisees), venture-backed startups, and personal banking consumers. The bank served businesses and individuals primarily in California with a stated national reach.

Name

Pacific Mercantile Bank

Legal name

Banc of California

Website

https://pmbank.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pacific Mercantile Bank was a Costa Mesa, California-based commercial bank founded in 1999 that was acquired by Banc of California in 2024. It served businesses and individuals with lending, deposit, and treasury services, and is now consolidated under the Banc of California charter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Banking

NAICS

Commercial Banking (52211), Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Offices of Bank Holding Companies (551111)

SIC

National Commercial Banks (6021), Commercial Banks, Nec (6029)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Deposits & Business Accounts (Operating, Savings, CDs) (FSABABAC)

Keywords

• Commercial banking services
• Business lending products
• Treasury management solutions
• Venture banking services
• Payment processing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Costa Mesa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Business Banking & Deposit Services: Business checking and deposit accounts generating fee income and float on deposits. Services include business checking accounts, business deposit accounts, and specialty deposit products such as 1031 exchange deposits and master deposit accounts.
2. Commercial Real Estate & Construction Lending: Tailored lending solutions for commercial property acquisition, construction, multifamily financing, and warehouse lending. Revenue generated through interest income and loan fees.
3. Corporate & Small Business Lending: Asset-based lending, corporate asset finance, lender finance, small business lending, and venture banking solutions including fund finance. Revenue from interest income and origination fees.
4. Global Treasury Management: Payables solutions, receivables solutions, information services, international banking, liquidity solutions, and fraud prevention services for business clients.
5. Payment Processing (BancEdge): Payment processing services for merchants, including online, in-person, and mobile payment acceptance. Revenue generated through transaction fees.
6. Venture Banking: Banking solutions for early-stage startups (Build@Banc), technology ventures, life sciences companies, and venture/private equity funds including fund finance.
7. Personal Banking: Personal checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, car loan payments, and online/mobile banking for individual consumers.
8. Specialty Deposit Products: 1031 exchange deposits and master deposit accounts providing compliant, dedicated deposit solutions for complex financial needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pacific Mercantile Bank, now part of Banc of California, provides a full suite of commercial and consumer banking products and services. Core offerings include business checking and deposit accounts, commercial real estate and construction lending, asset-based lending, global treasury management, venture banking, payment processing (BancEdge), and personal banking.

Product overview

Banc of California operates as a multi-product banking platform offering comprehensive financial services across business banking (small business, middle market, and commercial), commercial real estate lending, global treasury management, venture banking, payment solutions, and personal banking. The platform architecture consists of core product lines (business banking, real estate banking, treasury management, venture banking) with multiple sub-products including specialized lending (asset-based, corporate asset finance, lender finance, small business lending), payment processing (BancEdge), business credit cards, and specialty deposit products (1031 Exchange, Master Deposit Account).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BancEdge: Payment processing and merchant services brand offering online, in-person, and mobile payment acceptance solutions, as well as business credit cards with cashback features.
• Build@Banc

Products and services

• Small Business Banking Flexible banking and credit solutions designed for small businesses at various stages of growth, offering checking accounts, deposit accounts, and lending options.
• Middle Market Banking Strategic banking, treasury, and credit services designed to help mid-sized companies scale their operations.
• Commercial Banking Advanced lending and treasury expertise tailored for complex commercial banking needs.
• Commercial Real Estate Banking Tailored lending solutions to acquire, build, and expand commercial properties, including construction banking and multifamily financing.
• Construction Banking Innovative capital solutions for developers building across various sectors.
• Multifamily Real Estate Banking Flexible financing solutions for multifamily property portfolios.
• Warehouse Lending Rapid, flexible warehouse funding with direct access for commercial real estate investors.
• Global Treasury Management Innovative tools to optimize liquidity, streamline payments, and protect business assets, including payables, receivables, information services, international banking, liquidity, and fraud prevention solutions.
• Asset-Based Lending Working capital financing using business assets as flexible collateral, delivered through a dedicated ABL portal.
• Corporate Asset Finance Strategic financing for essential business assets.
• Lender Finance Flexible financing enabling lenders to fund originations and portfolio growth.
• Small Business Lending Loans and credit solutions tailored to elevate small business growth.
• Affordable Housing Lending Flexible funding that supports the development and preservation of affordable communities.
• Venture Banking Tailored banking solutions to fund innovation, fuel growth, and scale ventures including startups, technology, life sciences, and fund finance.
• Build@Banc Early-stage banking built to support startups from seed to scale.
• Fund Finance Strategic credit and banking options built for venture and private equity funds.
• Technology Banking Innovative banking solutions for growing tech and disruptive ventures.
• Life Sciences Banking Flexible capital for biotech, medical devices, and healthcare innovators.
• BancEdge Payment Processing Payment processing platform enabling acceptance of payments online, in person, or on the go through the BancEdge portal and gateway.
• Business Credit Card Business credit card with cash back rewards and spending control features.
• Personal Banking Smart, secure banking solutions for personal finance management including checking, savings, online and mobile banking, and debit/credit cards.
• 1031 Exchange Deposits Compliant, dedicated deposit accounts to keep exchange proceeds secure for real estate investors.
• Master Deposit Account Consolidated deposit account solution to strengthen liquidity control.
• Business Checking Account Business checking account with flexible access via online and mobile banking tools.
• Business Deposit Account Business deposit account for managing business funds.

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• First Citizens BancShares: Acquirer of Silicon Valley Bank's venture banking franchise; now a major player in the same venture/startup banking segment where Banc of California's Build@Banc competes.

Direct peers

• Customers Bancorp: Mid-cap commercial bank with overlapping SME, middle-market, CRE, and specialty lending franchises, including commercial banking products comparable to Banc of California's suite.
• CVB Financial: Ontario, California-based community/commercial bank with overlapping middle-market and CRE lending franchise, directly competing in the Southern California relationship banking market.
• TriCo Bancshares: Northern California regional bank (Tri Counties Bank) with similar mix of business banking, commercial lending, and CRE exposure; serves overlapping geographic and customer segments.
• Pacific Premier Bancorp: California-headquartered commercial bank of comparable size (~$20B+ assets) with similar SME, middle-market, and CRE lending focus, making it a closely matched competitor in the bank's core market.
• Western Alliance Bancorporation: Growth-oriented regional bank with comparable business mix (middle-market, CRE, specialty verticals including venture banking via acquired Bridge Bank); closely aligned on strategy and product portfolio.
• Pinnacle Financial Partners: Tennessee-headquartered commercial bank with strong middle-market and CRE lending franchise, comparable in product mix and relationship-banking go-to-market even though geographically distinct.
• Heritage Commerce Corp: California-focused community bank (Heritage Bank of Commerce) providing business banking, lending, and treasury services to SMEs and middle-market clients in overlapping California markets.

Regional players

• Bank of Marin Bancorp: Northern California-focused community commercial bank serving SMEs, professionals, and nonprofits — comparable relationship-banking model though smaller scale and narrower geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• Live Oak Bancshares: North Carolina-based bank with niche specialization (veterinary, healthcare, small business lending) that mirrors Banc of California's vertical-industry banking approach, though at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pacificmercbank
• Facebookfacebook.com/BancOfCalifornia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/banc-of-california
• Instagraminstagram.com/bancofcal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Mercantile Bank