PublicSquare (NYSE: PSQH) is making a bold move into fintech. The company announced plans to acquire key software assets from Tandym, Inc., a payments startup that helps brands launch white-labeled credit and payment solutions directly at checkout. The deal—expected to close in December 2025—marks a major step in PublicSquare’s evolution from a values-based marketplace into a full-stack fintech platform.

Building the Merchant-Centric Fintech Stack

Tandym’s technology allows merchants to embed their own branded payment and credit card experiences in the checkout process—bypassing traditional payment networks and slashing transaction fees to under 1%. That’s a big deal in a payments ecosystem long dominated by Visa and Mastercard, where swipe fees typically range between 2% and 3%.

For PublicSquare’s 80,000+ merchants, this acquisition promises to deliver lower costs and higher customer loyalty, while PublicSquare itself gains a recurring revenue stream tied to transaction growth.

“This acquisition marks a major milestone in our mission to build a thriving fintech ecosystem,” said Michael Seifert, CEO of PublicSquare. “We’re giving merchants the ability to break free from traditional payment rails and transform payments into a high-margin growth engine.”

Unlocking Private-Label Credit for the SMB Market

The real innovation here lies in bringing private-label credit cards to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs)—a market typically ignored by major issuers. Once integrated, PublicSquare merchants will be able to launch fully branded payment and credit card programs with minimal technical lift.

The strategic impact includes:

• Lower processing fees — under 1%, improving merchant margins.
• Higher customer lifetime value (LTV) — expected to rise 25% or more.
• Recurring revenue participation — merchants share in interchange fees.
• Deeper loyalty loops — branded rewards programs drive repeat purchases.
• Enhanced analytics — a closed-loop system strengthens data-driven insights.

Together, these features make PublicSquare not just a marketplace but a merchant-focused financial ecosystem, blending e-commerce, payments, and credit into one seamless platform.

The Fintech Flywheel Effect

The Tandym integration will strengthen PublicSquare’s “bundled checkout” offering—a core part of its revenue model—and help merchants reduce operational costs while improving retention and cash flow. It also enhances PublicSquare’s fintech revenue mix, adding recurring credit tools to its growing payments and digital asset solutions.

“This acquisition will give PublicSquare proprietary ownership of one of the most scalable merchant credit infrastructures in the market,” Seifert added. “Integrating Tandym’s technology will allow us to monetize every merchant and consumer interaction while reinforcing our mission to build a resilient, values-aligned financial network.”

That “values-aligned” message is key to PublicSquare’s brand. The company’s platform connects businesses and consumers who share common principles—part social network, part marketplace, and increasingly, part fintech engine.

PublicSquare’s move mirrors a broader fintech trend: merchants reclaiming ownership of the payments experience. Companies like Affirm, Klarna, and Stripe Issuing have proven that embedding financial products into commerce flows can boost engagement and margins. Tandym’s infrastructure brings that model to smaller businesses that previously lacked access to enterprise-grade tools.

In effect, PublicSquare is building its own version of a private payments network, one designed for independence from legacy financial intermediaries—a strategic hedge against rising interchange costs and shifting consumer loyalty.

The Bottom Line

PublicSquare’s acquisition of Tandym’s software isn’t just another tech deal—it’s a strategic pivot toward financial infrastructure. By owning the rails that power merchant transactions, PublicSquare strengthens its ecosystem, deepens user engagement, and moves closer to profitability through scalable fintech revenue.

For merchants, the value proposition is clear: lower fees, higher loyalty, and more control over the checkout experience. And for PublicSquare, it’s another step in redefining what a “values-based economy” can look like when fintech meets mission.