Overview

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Stone (StoneCo) is a leading Brazilian payment acquiring and digital banking provider. StoneCo listed on Nasdaq in 2018 (STNE), focusing on Brazil's SMB market with integrated POS terminals, card acquiring, online payments and digital banking solutions.

Stone's core philosophy is serving SMBs. Through software-hardware integrated POS terminals and convenient acquiring services, Stone helps millions of Brazilian micro and small merchants accept cards and Pix, and progressively expands into credit, accounts and SaaS software to build a financial ecosystem covering the full merchant lifecycle.

Key Strengths

  • Nasdaq-Listed Fintech: StoneCo (STNE) represents Brazil's fintech strength with solid capital and R&D, serving 300K+ SMB merchants.
  • SMB-Focused: Products and pricing are designed around Brazilian SMBs, with low terminal entry thresholds and fast settlement (D+0/D+1).
  • Software-Hardware POS: Multiple POS terminals with supporting software for 10+ card schemes, NFC and QR payments, suited to hospitality and retail.
  • Digital Banking Extension: Merchant accounts, credit and fund management serve 500K+ merchants, forming a complete acquiring-plus-banking loop.
  • Localized Service: Nationwide sales and technical support across Brazil with 24/7 service.

Product Ecosystem

POS Terminals

Stone offers POS terminals spanning different store sizes, supporting major card schemes, NFC and Pix QR payments, with store management and reconciliation software.

Online Payments

Stone provides an online payment gateway and payment links supporting cards and Pix, integrable into e-commerce and independent sites. See the integration approach in website payment integration guide.

Merchant Accounts & Settlement

Stone provides merchant account systems with flexible settlement options including daily settlement to help merchants manage cash flow.

Digital Banking & Credit

Stone is expanding into merchant accounts, credit and insurance to provide operating capital support for SMBs.

Limitations

  • Regional Focus: Core market is Brazil; international merchant and cross-border acquiring support is limited.
  • Weak Developer Ecosystem: Being offline-terminal-first, online payment APIs and community support are notably weaker than platforms like Stripe.
  • Pricing Transparency: Public rate information is limited and merchant pricing requires negotiation.
  • Growing Complexity: Expanding from acquiring into banking and software adds product lines, requiring more careful evaluation.

Use Cases

  • Brazilian SMBs & Micro Merchants (★★★★★): Software-hardware POS with fast settlement for offline merchants.
  • Brazilian Retail & Hospitality (★★★★★): Stable terminals with localized service for high-frequency small transactions.
  • Acquiring + Digital Banking in One (★★★★☆): Manage acquiring, accounts and credit on a single platform.
  • Online Payment Supplement (★★★★☆): Accepts cards and Pix online.
  • Cross-Border/International Business (★★★☆☆): Core value is Brazil-focused; choose Adyen or Stripe for cross-border.

Pricing

Service Reference Rate Notes
POS acquiring ~1.0%-3.0% Varies by card scheme and industry
Online payments ~1.5%-3.5% Billed by transaction type
Pix instant payments Low fee Brazil central bank instant payments
Terminal equipment Purchase or lease Depends on model
Account/service fee Some plans Requires negotiation

Note: Reference rates only; actual quotes prevail. For more comparisons see payment gateway rate comparison.

FAQ

  • What is the relationship between Stone and StoneCo? Stone is the payments brand of StoneCo, a fintech founded in 2012 in Rio de Janeiro and listed on Nasdaq in 2018 (STNE). Stone provides acquiring, POS and digital banking services to merchants; see Cross-border Payment Platform Comparison for its positioning.

  • Which merchants is Stone suitable for? Stone primarily targets Brazilian SMBs and micro merchants, especially offline retail and hospitality with high-frequency small transactions, offering software-hardware POS and fast settlement; see payment gateway rate comparison.

  • Does Stone support online payments? Yes. Stone provides an online payment gateway and payment links supporting cards and Pix, integrable into e-commerce and independent sites; see website payment integration guide.

  • Can Chinese merchants use Stone to collect payments from Brazilian customers? Stone primarily targets Brazilian local merchants with high international onboarding thresholds. For cross-border merchants targeting Brazilian consumers, consider Braspag or dLocal.

  • How do I choose between Stone, PagSeguro and Getnet? Stone, PagSeguro and Getnet are all major Brazilian acquirers focused on SMB and offline scenarios. Choose based on rates, terminal policies and industry fit; see payment gateway rate comparison.