Gravity Payments
“Can a values-driven payment processor parlay SMB trust and processing data into a broader suite of embedded financial services — starting with merchant cash advances — that rivals larger fintech platforms?”
Founded in 2004 as a straightforward credit card processing ISO serving small and independent businesses in the Pacific Northwest. Gained outsized brand recognition in 2015 due to Dan Price's $70,000 minimum-wage announcement, which distinguished it from commodity processors on culture rather than product. Over the following decade expanded from pure processing into adjacent embedded finance products — most notably Gravity Capital, a merchant cash advance offering that leverages its processing volume data — positioning it as a financial services partner for SMBs rather than a simple payment middleman. Dan Price remains sole shareholder and board member.