In an industry riddled with overcharging, under-servicing, and a lack of innovation, APEXX emerged as one of the game-changers, offering a comprehensive solution to address merchant payment needs while remaining provider agnostic. This disruptive platform has garnered industry acclaim, earning prestigious awards such as the ‘Most Disruptive Payment Solution’ at the Payments Awards, solidifying its position as a trailblazer. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, APEXX not only secured $10 million in Series A funding but also established partnerships with renowned enterprises like Ryanair, Avon, PayPal, and the PayPal Commerce Platform (PPCP).

But how can APEXX rise above the hurdles presented by the aftermath of a worldwide pandemic and achieve its mission of becoming the foremost merchant-centric payments provider of the future?

Sanjay Agarwala, London Associate at Payments Consulting Network, recently caught up with Toreson Lloyd, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder at APEXX Global, to talk about APEXX Global’s approach to offering merchants access to multiple acquirers and other payment orchestration layer benefits.

APEXX Global is one of the earliest businesses to offer a payment orchestration platform, offering merchants routing to a plethora of payment providers to offer merchants dynamic, optimised acceptance and cost. The merchant does not have to perform multiple integrations to each different acquirer and can have routing optimised at the transaction level.

Torenson shared his insights about the importance of the independence of payments orchestration layers and the future in terms of merchant adoption of this model.

S: Could you offer a concise overview of your business at a high level?

T: APEXX Global was established in 2016 as one of the earliest payment orchestration platforms. We are headquartered in London with offices in London, India, and New York. We service merchants globally, accepting transactions in Europe, MEA, Asia, Australia, and North and South America. APPEXX has 130 staff around the world, and we process billions of USD in payments monthly.

S: What specific payment services do you provide merchants and not-for-profit organisations?

T: We are focused on global cross-border e-commerce merchants. We can offer such merchants and not-for-profit organisations comprehensive payment services, including card acquiring services (payments processing and settlement) for all major and regional card schemes, as well as local (alternative) payment methods and Buy-Now-Pay-Later solutions. Our direct connection to 14 global BNPL players, with three out of the 10 largest global acquirers, including two within the top four, ensures a wide range of options. We also offer an enterprise-level gateway to facilitate seamless payment processing.

S: Are there any industry sectors or client types that you focus on for merchant services?

T: We specialise in providing payment solutions tailored for various sectors, travel, Retail, and Digital (e.g., car parking apps, online media, FX money remittance)

S: What do you see as your key strengths with respect to merchant services?

T: Our key strengths include our proprietary enterprise-level gateway, that we are truly independent of scheme and acquirer, and so are truly agnostic in terms of our routing choices, picking the best for our merchants being our only incentive. Our tokenisation is also independent. We are truly global, and lastly, we can provide consolidated reporting across all payment providers. We also have more volume on our platform than any other Payment Orchestrator, which gives us access to more data to analyse how acquirers are performing per channel and region.

“We also have a fast-growing platform than any other Payment Orchestrator, which gives us access to more data to analyse how acquirers are performing per channel and region.” Toreson Loyd, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder at APEXX Global

S: What industry changes or trends do you see occurring over the next 2-3 years that will have a major impact on your business and/or your clients?

T: We will continue to see localised payment methods being favoured by consumers – APMs will continue their growth in terms of share of wallet. I also believe we will continue to see a huge volume of Visa and Mastercard cross-border requirements.

As merchants become more aware of the benefits of having multiple acquirers to enhance their payment capabilities, I expect to see a growing demand for flexibility in their payments stack. This has led to an interest in having access to multiple acquirers as an effective way of increasing acceptance levels.

To serve this merchant need, I expect acquirers to continue to acquire smaller payment orchestration platforms. For example, we recently had PPRO buying Alpha Fintech and Optile being bought by Payoneer.

S: What key criteria or features should a business consider when evaluating payment orchestration layers?

T: Existing client references and testimonials are important. Assessing the businesses they already work with and verifying case studies that demonstrate increased acceptance rates can provide valuable insights.

I believe one should look at whether the provider being considered is truly independent and, lastly, considering whether it has the scale and size to support the merchant’s unique needs.

By taking these factors into account, merchants can make informed decisions and choose a provider that aligns with their requirements for success.

With the company experiencing remarkable growth in international markets, resulting in significant cost savings and improved transaction conversions, APEXX Global has helped the industry facilitate an efficient and friendly payment experience for different customers and has been working to solidify its position as a pioneer in shaping the future of global payments.

Author: Sanjay Agarwala, Associate, London, Payments Consulting Network

With over 12 years of experience in payments, Sanjay has a leading expertise in merchant pricing, and interchange and scheme fees management, having worked for three acquirers in this area. Additionally, his strong background in platforms, collaborating closely with architects and BAs, further enhances his capabilities in this field. Holding an MA from the University of Cambridge and being a Certified Chartered Accountant, Sanjay brings a well-rounded skill set to the table.

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Apexx Global is a member of our Payments Orchestration and Token Vault Panel.

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