Marqeta
A comprehensive overview
Marqeta Inc. has been making waves in the financial technology sector for over a decade, and it's time to shed light on what this company is all about. From its origins to its services, pricing, clients, values, and future plans, we'll provide a comprehensive look at Marqeta and answer any questions you may have.

Based in California, Marqeta has been valued at $4.3 billion and is expected to reach a worth of $10 billion by the end of 2021. This impressive growth is due to the company's unique product offering. The Marqeta stock has caught the attention of many in the business world, making it a highly sought after investment.

Marqeta sets itself apart from other fintech companies by offering card issuing services, bridging the gap between businesses. This has made it a popular choice among clients and has garnered interest from other financial firms seeking partnership opportunities. However, the success of Marqeta is not just a simple matter of offering unique services. Let's delve deeper into the company's background to fully understand its impact.



Marqeta: a journey of resilience and innovation

The success of Marqeta's early days was largely shaped by its founder's resilience. Jason Gardner, the CEO of Marqeta, demonstrated his dedication by reducing his salary by 40% to keep the startup afloat. This selfless act inspired two other top executives to follow suit, and four years later, Marqeta had grown to occupy a 16-story office building in Oakland, evidenced by its revenue doubling year over year.

Marqeta's business model was not without its challenges. After gaining sales experience, Jason turned his attention to the evolving usage patterns of debit cards and created a loyalty prepaid card that could be purchased after shopping at grocery stores or retailers, such as Jamba Juice, for a nominal fee of $50-$55. Although this earned Marqeta $6 million, the founder continued to pursue new ideas. In 2013, Marqeta introduced a Facebook-based product that offered gift cards for sending and exchanging at specific retailers, such as Olive Garden or Target. However, this business model was not as profitable as hoped and was dissolved within a year.

Unfazed by the setback, Jason turned his attention to a new business plan, which eventually became the Marqeta open API platform for customizing client interfaces and managing cash flows. Launched in 2014, this platform continues to serve the needs of various companies today.

These events have established Marqeta as a prominent issuer processor and a B2B company that connects tech-savvy startups with powerful financial service providers. By bypassing intermediaries, Marqeta is able to quickly deliver high-level, innovative products to both parties, which is a significant advantage over traditional banking.



The unique value proposition of Marqeta

Before introducing its services to the market, Marqeta conducted a survey on consumer behavior and the features they look for in digital-only banks. The results showed that 64% of users were willing to choose a non-traditional financial institution for their credit card needs. Based on this, Marqeta bank came up with the motto "you see a card, we see endless possibilities" and created three types of cards - physical, virtual, and tokenized. Among these, the tokenized card is the most innovative. It enables users to manage the lifecycle of their digital sync cards with Apple Pay or Google Pay securely through token generation within the card network (typically American Express, Visa, or Mastercard).

Compared to other players in the market, Marqeta stands out in terms of speed and cost of card program implementation. Rather than waiting for months or even a year for banks to review and approve card releases, Marqeta customers can have their requests handled and processed quickly. They also have greater access to manage their spending and other important metrics through the user-friendly dashboard. Additionally, users are provided with real-time funding and risk management services for a safer and more enjoyable digital banking experience.

These benefits have helped to foster strong customer loyalty and contributed to Marqeta's 2020 revenue of $290 million. With the current pandemic trends, its popularity is expected to continue to grow.



Uncovering the efficiency of Marqeta payment platform

Marqeta operates by utilizing a private sandbox, quick and touch-free payments, astute fraud monitoring, and a user-friendly interface. These elements work together to provide a seamless experience for Marqeta partners in managing the entire card lifecycle. Typically, a card issuing project with Marqeta will go through these steps:

  1. Development and Testing. This first phase focuses on creating the card, selecting the cardholder, and setting the PAN, PIN, and CVC.
  2. Issuance. This stage involves integrating with Visa, EdEx, and Mastercard, and issuing the virtual credit card.
  3. Core API Configuration. During this phase, the card verification mode is established and the card is configured. You can create an API funding source for an application or user API in the United States, without having to provide your bank account information.
  4. Customization. Here, you can create a logo, signature, and other graphics for your brand, and enable NFC and EMV-chip features.
  5. Tokenization as a Service. You can link your card to digital wallets and implement token technology through the app.
  6. Card Management. Activating the card via IVR, fulfilling it, and managing operations and balance in various countries and currencies are all done in this stage.
  7. Security Embedding. Finally, this step ensures that sensitive card data is securely stored and only accessible to you.



Marqeta's revenue model: how the issuer makes money

Marqeta generates revenue by operating on a similar payment fee structure model as that of Mastercard or Visa. The company takes a small cut from every transaction, typically ranging from 0.5% to 2%, with an average rate of 1%. This payment requirement is viewed as reasonable in the market, making Marqeta an attractive option for new clients.

Marqeta offers a cloud-based, open API platform for card issuance and transaction processing, enabling businesses such as DoorDash, Klarna, and Square to operate. The company earns revenue from exchange fees, which is the fee paid by the merchant bank to the card-issuing bank when a consumer uses an approved debit or credit card.

Thanks to its partnerships with issuing banks, Marqeta receives a higher percentage of the interchange charge than its competitors. The company's prospectus states, "Our partnerships with issuing banks ensure we get 100% of the interchange fees." This model favors the debit card business and generates revenue for Marqeta through interchange fees and issuer processing services.



Marqeta's partnership ecosystem: clients and collaborations

Marqeta provides card-issuing services to a diverse range of global clients that operate in industries such as eCommerce, digital banking, finance management, on-demand delivery, and travel. A few notable clients include:

  • DoorDash: A San Francisco-based food delivery company that issued debit cards to its clients to improve order-related transactions. Thanks to Marqeta's technology, DoorDash was able to reduce fraud to less than 5%, which is a significant improvement.
  • Marqeta Card Instacart: A delivery company for US and Canadian customers that specializes in grocery delivery. Marqeta partnered with Square, a leader in financial services and digital payments, to develop a cash app solution that supports the debit card money transfer function for 6 weeks. The users have the option of virtual or plastic cards to quickly proceed with payments.
  • Kabbage: An Atlanta-based cash flow management company that offers consumer lending services and issued debit cards to its clients. This allowed Kabbage to provide its clients with the ability to execute retail deals.
  • Deserve: A Utah-based credit solution firm that uses machine learning to strengthen its position in the fintech industry. Thanks to Marqeta's contribution, Deserve has become a respected credit card service provider for other financial institutions, consumer brands, and universities.

Marqeta has also formed partnerships with companies such as CashFlows, Alviere, Visa, and Mastercard. In 2019, Marqeta suggested its services to the UK's BIN sponsorship provider CashFlows to increase their customers' card usage and develop advanced spend control tools. In 2022, Marqeta launched a partnership with Alviere, a company with a money transmitter license. The same year, Marqeta renewed its partnership with Visa, allowing the company to expand its marketing reach to 10 regions across the Asia-Pacific. Marqeta also formed a partnership with Mastercard in 2020, which contributed to the deployment of European fintech apps with the Twisto project as the test pilot in digital-first card programs under API technology.



Marqeta: a company built on humanity, diversity and sustainability

What sets Marqeta apart from other companies is its deep-rooted values and culture, in addition to its expertise in the field. A company's success relies on the dedication of its employees and the teamwork within the organization. So, let's delve deeper into Marqeta's culture and values.

Human-Centered Approach
At Marqeta, people come first in all aspects of the business. This is evident in the way the company responded to the pandemic, by providing a safe and flexible remote work environment for its employees. In addition to work-related Zoom calls, the team also engages in various online social activities, such as virtual Olympics or talent shows. This not only helps the team bond and get to know each other better, but also boosts morale and keeps employees engaged.

Cultural Diversity
Diversity is a key component of Marqeta's strategy, starting from the hiring process and extending to the company's leadership initiatives. The company recently took an active role in supporting nonprofit organizations, such as participating in food purchases for the homeless and struggling families. The company has also established the Oaklanders Supporting Oaklanders fund to support local communities. These efforts show that Marqeta is not just a financial technology leader, but also a responsible corporate citizen with a tangible social impact.

Simplicity, Trust, Scale, and Security
These four pillars form the foundation of Marqeta's payment ecosystem. Simplicity refers to the development of payment tools that are customized to the client's needs, without any redundant features. Trust is maintained through 99.99% uninterrupted delivery. Scale is facilitated by Marqeta's horizontal architecture, allowing the company to grow its product network with card programs. Security is ensured through Marqeta's Address Verification System and 3D Secure extra protection, forming high safety standards for digital fraud prevention. This makes Marqeta a reliable and trustworthy partner for clients.

Ecological Sustainability
Although Marqeta offers physical cards as part of its product line, the company is dedicated to promoting digital banking and eco-friendliness. Recognizing that 74% of plastic cards are not recyclable, Marqeta has found a solution by offering recycled plastic cards and working with environmentally friendly manufacturers. The increasing popularity of virtual cards among users shows that Marqeta is on the right track in promoting sustainable banking practices.


Marqeta's public debut: timing, investment and expectations

Marqeta, a leading fintech company, has yet to announce a specific date for its initial public offering (IPO). However, reports suggest that the process could take anywhere from two to three months after the completion of the S-1 form. The stock will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "MQ" and is estimated to reach up to $10 billion in the IPO.

After going public in June 2021, Marqeta made its first corporate investment in ConnexPay, a start-up specializing in handling billions of transactions for travel, marketplace, and commerce intermediary firms. As a result of this transaction, Marqeta was appointed to ConnexPay's board of directors.

Marqeta has also expanded its partnership with Klarna, a global retail bank, to 13 new European markets, including the UK, Germany, France, and Italy. In December 2021, the company announced a collaboration with First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) to further expand its network of partners and offer modern credit card systems to its customers.

The next key date for Marqeta is November 5, 2022, when its earnings report for 2022 is due. Currently, its share price is hovering around $11.26. Shareholders are optimistic about the company's growth potential.



The rise of Marqeta: how it became a game-changer in the financial industry

Marqeta's rise to power can be attributed to its innovative approach in the financial industry. By bypassing the traditional role of banks as intermediaries between businesses, the company positioned itself as the first modern card issuer tailored to both business and customer needs. This strategy allowed Marqeta to serve tech-enabled companies and bring unique value to the new economy.

Adopting a payment solutions API approach, Marqeta gained a significant advantage in the marketplace by saving time in product preparation and delivery to clients. The company's success can be seen in its $108 million revenue in Q1 and its 123% growth in 2021 compared to the previous year. It's no surprise that Marqeta was ranked 33rd on CNBC's Disruptor 50 list.

As the experts predict, Marqeta is expected to continue its growth in the future, solidifying its position as a game-changer in the financial industry.



Future prospects for Marqeta

With the company's current dominance in the market, the question on everyone's mind is what comes next. As the use of debit and credit cards, Marqeta's core business, is being called into question, it's natural to wonder about the company's ability to endure in the future. Our take on the matter is that, despite a potential decrease in card popularity among younger generations, Marqeta has the potential to continue thriving as a tech disrupter.

The company's commitment to innovation and adapting to market trends, combined with its ability to comply with regulatory technology, positions it well for continued success. We hope that Marqeta will maintain its status as a leading global card provider and only further solidify its reputation in the years to come. Time will tell!
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