“Can account-to-account payments replace wires and checks as the default rail for high-ticket B2C transactions?”
Clerq is a 2022-founded New York payments platform focused on high-ticket verticals (automotive, retail, travel) that have historically relied on wires and checks. The thesis: replace manual bank-to-bank payment workflows with guaranteed, account-to-account rails embedded into merchant checkout. Growth has been strong (6x YoY by late 2025), driving a $12M Series A from 645 Ventures with strategic backing from Friedkin and Car Dealership Guy — signaling a deliberate focus on auto-dealership distribution.
Clerq processes payments through Clerq (self-operated A2A).
Clerq was founded by Stephanie Curcio and Ben Markowitz and is founded in 2022, headquartered in New York, NY, United States.
Clerq has raised $21M in total (latest round: Series A, October 2025).
Get a read on where your own stack stands against Clerq and the rest of its category — what they built versus bought, which providers they use, and where the gaps in your own strategy and competitive set actually are.