arcus

Arcus is a payments-as-a-service platform originally founded in 2013 through Y Combinator to enable businesses to launch and offer payment solutions across Latin America. The company was acquired by Mastercard in December 2021 and subsequently underwent a partial divestiture in June 2025 when Argentina-based fintech tapi acquired its cash payment operations, including bill payments, mobile top-ups, gift cards, and cash-in/out services. Mastercard retained the Arcus brand and its core payment processing, settlement, and reconciliation capabilities through Mexico's real-time Interbank Electronic Payment System (SPEI). Prior to the 2025 transaction, Arcus operated a comprehensive payments infrastructure serving major clients including BBVA, Santander, Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Rappi. The company's flagship Arcus Pay Network provided direct connections to Mexico's largest billers and retailers, offering cash-to-digital conversion services across thousands of physical retail locations including OXXO, Chedraui, and 7-Eleven stores. Arcus received approval to enable payment processing, settlement and reconciliation via SPEI, positioning it as a key infrastructure provider in Mexico's financial services ecosystem. The platform specialized in multi-rail payment solutions, enabling bill pay, cash-in/cash-out services, and open banking capabilities. Founded by Edrizio de la Cruz and Iñigo Rumayor to help immigrants manage finances and send money home, Arcus raised approximately $19 million from investors including Y Combinator, Andreessen Horowitz, SoftBank, Citi Ventures, Ignia, and Kapor Capital. The company operated with offices in New York and Mexico City and served over 100 clients across seven Latin American countries. Following the 2025 restructuring, Arcus as a Mastercard entity continues to operate SPEI payment processing capabilities while its cash network operations are now managed by tapi.