Paystand, the global leader in blockchain-based payments and financial services, announces the opening of its new downtown Santa Cruz headquarters, offices formerly occupied by Google. The return to its Santa Cruz roots highlights the fintech firm’s long-time dedication to fostering economic growth in Santa Cruz, including working with local businesses to incentivize them to accept Bitcoin.
Paystand’s Long-Time Santa Cruz Commitment
The Jan. 13 ribbon-cutting event for the new headquarters highlighted Paystand’s commitment to Santa Cruz.
Standing apart from the traditional and higher profile Silicon Valley just over the mountain, Santa Cruz incorporates a unique vibe that Paystand CEO Jeremy Almond has always cherished.
When Almond was asked why he has resisted invitations to move to Silicon Valley, he responded: “Santa Cruz and its downtown have always been at the heart of Paystand’s origin story—it’s where we started on day one, and now we plan for it to remain our headquarters as we continue to grow. It embodies the bold and nonconformist spirit of Paystand.”
“This new office symbolizes an investment in the community that has supported us from our beginnings. While we’re proud to anchor our vision and headquarters of our global operations in Santa Cruz, we’re also looking ahead to the future: our goal is to establish offices around the globe, driving innovation and building a decentralized financial ecosystem that empowers businesses worldwide. We are just at the start of what we’re working to achieve, and we couldn’t have picked a better place to call home,” Almond said.
He continued, “With a thriving downtown and outdoor environment offering walkability and a beautiful seaside location, Santa Cruz is a fantastic place to work and to live. With UC Santa Cruz right nearby, we have an excellent source of talented engineers and creatives.”
Almond came to the city in 2009 to begin work on a payments company, and it was there that he found some of his initial investors, including the Central Coast Angels. He also was in Santa Cruz when he won numerous local awards, including TECHie of the Year in 2018 and Titans of Tech in 2019.
Very few venture-funded fintech companies have scaled to the impact that Paystand has. It recently completed two acquisitions (Yaydoo and Teampay). Over the past year, Paystand has also achieved a number of milestones, as it delivered new products to help finance teams better manage, control, and access their cash. These include:
- $14 billion in transactions
- more than 1 million companies on its unique blockchain-enabled B2B payment network
- approximately 1% of annual ACH annual payments went through Paystand
- the launch of Paystand.org, which promotes financial inclusion via blockchain and Bitcoin, focusing on underserved communities; partnering with 10 organizations in six countries and helping an estimated 40,000 individuals
- named to the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 List of Fastest Growing U.S. companies for the second year in a row as well as being listed on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies for the fifth straight year Stay Ahead of the Financial Curve with Our Latest Fintech News Updates!
