Pomelo

High-Level Overview

Pomelo is a fintech infrastructure company founded in 2021 in Cordoba, Argentina, that provides a cloud-native platform for issuing, processing, and managing credit, debit, and prepaid card programs across Latin America.[1][3] It serves tech companies, unicorns, banks, and enterprises by enabling rapid launches of card services via a single API, solving the challenges of complex legacy infrastructure, regulatory hurdles, and slow time-to-market in the region.[1][3][4] With $100.15M raised and operations in six markets (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru), Pomelo processes over 55 million daily transactions at 99.995% uptime, powering custom solutions like BIN sponsorship and issuer processing for clients including Mercado Pago-linked projects.[1][3]

Origin Story

Pomelo was co-founded by Gaston Irigoyen and Hernan Furci, who drew from their experience building Naranja X, a digital financial service for Argentine retailer Naranja.[4] Frustrated by the 18-month, $50M, 300-person effort plagued by infrastructure bottlenecks—despite Furci's prior work at Mercado Pago—they left to create Pomelo in 2021, aiming to simplify card launches for any company.[1][4] Early traction came quickly: from zero code to enabling regional purchases, marking their first milestone, and they rapidly expanded to support virtual card integration in 7 days and physical in 2 months.[3][4]

Core Differentiators

• Cloud-Native Infrastructure: 100% API-driven, first in Latin America, connected to Mastercard and Visa with HSMs for scalable, agile integration and regional compliance.[1][3]
• Speed and One-Stop-Shop: Launches cards in as little as 11 days, handling issuance, processing, embossing, logistics, QR payments, and real-time transfers—reducing operational burden.[3][4]
• Modular Flexibility: Offers issuer processing (for licensed firms) or full BIN sponsorship, with microservices for quick customization and growth across markets.[3]
• Reliability and Security: PCI DSS Level 1 certified, SOC2/ISO27001 infrastructure, 55M+ daily transaction capacity, and 99.995% uptime.[2][3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Pomelo rides the wave of Latin America's fintech maturation, transitioning from consumer-facing apps like Nubank and Mercado Pago to infrastructure layers enabling embedded finance amid rising digital inclusion and complex regulations.[4][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic digitization, blockchain/ML adoption, and cross-border expansion needs, where legacy systems hinder scalability—Pomelo cuts weeks-to-months timelines.[2][3][4] It influences the ecosystem by empowering non-banks to become fintechs, fostering innovation for unicorns and enterprises, and positioning LatAm as a hub for modern payments infrastructure.[1][4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Pomelo is poised to dominate LatAm card infrastructure as embedded finance surges, potentially expanding beyond cards into full banking-as-a-service with recent $40M Series B fueling growth.[1][4] Trends like AI-driven fraud detection, crypto integration, and pan-regional regulations will shape its path, evolving it from a card enabler to a comprehensive financial OS.[2][4] Its influence could mirror Stripe's in the US, powering the next fintech wave while deepening ties with giants like Mastercard/Visa. This infrastructure pioneer, born from real-world pain, is reshaping how LatAm businesses monetize payments.