Calgary-based Digital Commerce Payments (or DCPayments) is at the forefront of Canada’s rapidly evolving payments industry, distinguished by its innovative, technology-driven solutions.
The company has consistently adapted to meet the changing needs of the marketplace, finding ways to provide advanced payment technologies that enhance financial management and streamline transactions.
The origin story for the company is also an example of oil and gas professionals bringing new business approaches and finding success in Alberta’s tech industry.
A Legacy of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Drive
The company’s history is a testament to agile entrepreneurship. Founded by Jeff Smith and Susan Anderson—both previous Shell employees—DCPayments has been developed through a series of strategic pivots and innovative business concepts.
Seeing an untapped business opportunity back in 1997, they left their full-time jobs to co-found DirectCash Payments with a focus on acquiring white-label Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and installing them in retail locations. DirectCash Payments grew from two employees to be the second largest ATM company in the world with 25,000 ATMS, revenue over $400 million and 425 employees until its sale in 2017 to Cardtronics for $600 million.
Once on the entrepreneurial path, Smith and Anderson established a number of successful ventures, demonstrating their ability to respond to market demands and execute smart business strategies.
They were resourceful and seized opportunities. In 2008, they co-founded Digital Commerce Bank (formerly DirectCash Bank), a private Canadian chartered financial institution, and focused this entity on the processing of ATM and prepaid card transactions, a business they knew well.
As the payments space continued to evolve and move away from physical assets like ATMs, they saw the opportunity to enter the digital payments space and became primary shareholders behind Digital Commerce Payments.
This new enterprise has been able to build a suite of offerings that includes an in-house built, owned and operated technology stack with APIs to facilitate eTransfer, electronic funds transfer (EFT), card services and digital wallets, among others, in a relatively short time frame.
DC Payments has also retained the founders’ commitment to innovation which ensures it continues to be a dynamic player in the payments sector, consistently delivering new solutions to an ever-growing client base.
Tech-Driven Solutions Powering Business Growth
At the core of DCPayments’ success is its technology-forward approach. The company’s platform delivers a range of integrated payment solutions that not only improve operational efficiency but also elevate customer experiences. In an industry driven by rapid technological change, DCPayments prides itself on being a trusted innovation partner for its clients.
“We enable businesses to embrace the future of payments,” says Pamela Draper, President of DCPayments. “With our suite of digital payment solutions—ranging from integrated payments to card services and digital wallets—our clients can offer cutting-edge payment options that enhance their customer experience, expand sales, and drive profits.”
DCPayments’ enterprise-grade payment technology outperforms traditional financial services by offering greater speed, transparency, and automation that can drive lower costs. By leveraging advanced digital payment platforms, businesses using DCPayments’ solutions can facilitate instant transactions, reduce overhead costs, and reach new markets.
Payments as a Service Leader
As a longstanding leader in the Payments as a Service (PaaS) space, DCPayments offers fully customizable solutions that simplify money movement, eliminating manual entry and reducing processing times.
“We’ve continually expanded our ‘off-the-shelf’ offerings, but we also specialize in working with businesses that need more complex, customized payment solutions,” notes Draper. “Our in-house team is highly skilled in developing bespoke financial products tailored to specific client needs.”
Strategic Partnerships Driving Growth
DCPayments’ growth strategy is built on a combination of organic expansion, strategic partnerships, and acquisitions.
One such partnership is the investment in Venzee Technologies, an AI-powered platform for product information management and content syndication, which helps businesses seamlessly sell products across e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Amazon. This investment complements DCPayments’ core payments services by enabling clients to better manage product data and streamline their e-commerce strategies.
Another recent acquisition was Jasper Commerce’s Product Information Management (PIM) business. This acquisition strengthened DCPayments’ ability to facilitate electronic payments while helping clients manage their online SKU inventory data more efficiently.
Draper highlights the importance of these strategic moves: “By integrating these innovative technologies in payment-adjacent technology, we’ve not only expanded our service offerings but also positioned ourselves to help our clients launch and scale their online presence and capabilities faster.”
Pioneering the Future of Payments
DCPayments continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the payments space. Its ongoing innovation, combined with a strong portfolio of payment and financial technology solutions, is placing the company at the forefront of Canada’s tech sector.
“Our relentless focus on innovation allows us to stay ahead of the curve and deliver exceptional value to our clients,” says Draper. “We are always looking to the future, exploring new ideas and opportunities that will take us up the value chain and open up new avenues for growth.”
With an eye on future expansion and a commitment to continuous innovation, DCPayments is well-positioned to remain a force in Canada’s fintech landscape.
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