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Marqeta (MQ)
NASDAQ:MQ
Risk Overview Q4, 2024
Risk Distribution
32% Finance & Corporate
23% Legal & Regulatory
17% Tech & Innovation
15% Ability to Sell
6% Production
6% Macro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Marqeta Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2024
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 15 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 15 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
47
+1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 31
47
+1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
1Risks added
0Risks removed
7Risks changed
Since Dec 2024
1Risks added
0Risks removed
7Risks changed
Since Dec 2024
Number of Risk Changed
7
+7
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 3
7
+7
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Marqeta in the last period.
Risk Word Cloud
The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 47
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 15/47 (32%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights6 | 12.8%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
We cannot guarantee that our share repurchase program will enhance long-term stockholder value. Share repurchases could also affect the trading price of our stock and may reduce working capital.Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Our amended and restated bylaws designate state or federal courts located within the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for certain litigation that may be initiated by our stockholders, potentially limiting stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us.Our amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for any state law claims for:
- any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf;- any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders;- any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, or our amended and restated bylaws; or - any action asserting a claim that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine (the "Delaware Forum Provision").
The Delaware Forum Provision does not apply to any causes of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or the Exchange Act. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act (the "Federal Forum Provision"), as we are incorporated in the State of Delaware.
In addition, our amended and restated bylaws provide that any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock is deemed to have notice of and consented to the Delaware Forum Provision and the Federal Forum Provision; provided, however, that stockholders cannot and will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
The Delaware Forum Provision and the Federal Forum Provision in our amended and restated bylaws may impose additional litigation costs on stockholders in pursuing any such claims. Additionally, these forum selection clauses may limit our stockholders' ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that they find favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or employees, potentially discouraging the filing of lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, and employees, even though an action, if successful, might benefit our stockholders. In addition, while the Delaware Supreme Court ruled in March 2020 that federal forum selection provisions purporting to require claims under the Securities Act be brought in federal court are "facially valid" under Delaware law, there is uncertainty as to whether other courts will enforce our Federal Forum Provision. If the Federal Forum Provision is found to be unenforceable, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters. The Federal Forum Provision may also impose additional litigation costs on stockholders who assert that the provision is not enforceable or invalid. The Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the United States District Court for the District of Delaware may also reach different judgments or results than would other courts, including courts where a stockholder considering an action may be located or would otherwise choose to bring the action, and such judgments may be more or less favorable to us than our stockholders.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of our company more difficult, limit attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current board of directors, and limit the trading price of our Class A common stock.Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws include provisions that:
- provide that our board of directors will be classified into three classes of directors with staggered three-year terms;- permit our board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill any vacancies and newly-created directorships;- require super-majority voting to amend some provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws;- authorize the issuance of "blank check" preferred stock that our board of directors could use to implement a stockholder rights plan;- provide that only the chairperson of our board of directors, our chief executive officer, or a majority of our board of directors will be authorized to call a special meeting of stockholders;- provide for a dual class common stock structure where holders of our Class B common stock are able to control the outcome of matters requiring stockholder approval, even if they own significantly less than a majority of the outstanding shares of our Class A and Class B common stock, including the election of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets;- prohibit stockholder action by written consent, thereby requiring all stockholder actions to be taken at a meeting of our stockholders;- provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter, or repeal our amended and restated bylaws; and - contain advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at annual stockholder meetings.
Moreover, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our company. Section 203 imposes certain restrictions on mergers, business combinations, and other transactions between us and holders of 15% or more of our common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
Our issuance of additional capital stock may dilute your ownership and adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.We expect to issue additional capital stock in the future that will result in dilution to all other stockholders. For example, we could issue shares of our Class A common stock or securities convertible into our Class A common stock or debt or other securities in connection with acquisitions or other strategic transactions or in an attempt to obtain financing or to further increase our capital resources.
Additionally, we expect to grant equity awards to employees and directors under our stock incentive plan. We have granted equity awards to employees and directors under our stock incentive plans in the past, and such grants may dilute your ownership as the equity vests and the RSUs are released and the options are exercised. In addition, as of December 31, 2024, we had 14,962,000 option shares outstanding that, if fully vested and exercised, would result in the issuance of an equal number of shares of Class A or Class B common stock, as well as 33,806,000 total shares of Class A or Class B common stock subject to RSU awards.
Any Class A common stock or securities convertible into shares of our Class A common stock that we issue from time to time will dilute your percentage ownership. In addition, issuing additional shares of our Class A common stock or securities convertible into our Class A common stock or debt or other securities may dilute your economic and voting rights and would likely reduce the market price of our Class A common stock both upon issuance and conversion, in the case of securities convertible into our Class A common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with those stockholders who hold shares of our Class B common stock, including our directors, executive officers, and their affiliates. As a result of the dual class structure of our common stock, the trading price of our Class A common stock may be depressed.Our Class B common stock has 10 votes per share, and our Class A common stock has one vote per share. Our directors, executive officers, and their affiliates, beneficially own in the aggregate 46.23% of the voting power of our capital stock as of December 31, 2024. The holders of our Class B common stock collectively continue to control a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock and therefore control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval and may continue to control such matters until the tenth anniversary of our IPO, when all outstanding shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock will convert automatically into shares of a single class of common stock.
This concentrated control limits or precludes your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transaction requiring stockholder approval. In addition, this concentrated control may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our capital stock that you may believe are in your best interest as a stockholder.
Transfers by holders of Class B common stock will generally result in those shares converting to Class A common stock, subject to limited exceptions, which has had and will continue to have the effect of increasing the relative voting power of those holders of Class B common stock who retain their shares in the long term. As a result, it is possible that one or more of the persons or entities holding our Class B common stock could gain significant voting control as other holders of Class B common stock sell or otherwise convert their shares into Class A common stock. Our dual class structure may also depress the trading price of our Class A common stock due to negative perceptions by market participants and other stakeholders. Certain index providers have announced restrictions on including companies with multiple-class share structures in certain of their indices. Similarly, several stockholder advisory firms have announced their opposition to the use of multiple-class structures. Any exclusion from indices or criticism of our corporate governance practices by stockholder advisory firms could result in a less active trading market for our Class A common stock.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
The trading price of our Class A common stock has been and is likely to continue to be volatile, which could cause the value of your investment to decline.The trading price of our Class A common stock has been and may continue to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. This volatility, as well as general economic, market, industry, and political conditions, and the occurrence of the risks discussed in this risk factor section, could reduce the market price of shares of our Class A common stock despite our operating performance.
In addition, stock markets in general, and the market for technology and fintech companies in particular, have from time to time experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. In the past, stockholders have often instituted securities class action litigation against a company following periods of overall market volatility and volatility in the market price of that company's securities. Securities litigation can result in substantial costs and divert resources and the attention of management. See Part I, Item 3 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information about litigation proceedings.
Accounting & Financial Operations6 | 12.8%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We do not intend to pay dividends on our Class A common stock in the foreseeable future and, consequently, the ability of Class A common stockholders to achieve a return on investment will depend on appreciation in the trading price of our Class A common stock.Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Changes in financial accounting standards or practices may cause adverse, unexpected financial reporting fluctuations and affect our results of operations.We prepare our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP. These principles are subject to interpretation by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), the SEC, and various bodies formed to interpret and create appropriate accounting principles and guidance. Any new or amended accounting standards or practices may have a significant effect on our results of operations or financial condition and may impact the way we conduct our business.
Adoption of these types of accounting standards and any difficulties in implementation of changes in accounting principles, including the ability to modify our accounting systems, could cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, potentially resulting in regulatory discipline and weakening investors' confidence in us.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
If our estimates or judgments relating to our accounting policies prove to be incorrect, our results of operations could be adversely affected.The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates in part on historical experience, market observable inputs, if available, and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. The results of these estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities and equity, and the amount of net revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements include, but are not limited to, the fair value and useful lives of assets acquired and liabilities assumed through business combinations, the estimation of contingent liabilities, the fair value of equity awards and warrants, share-based compensation, the estimation of variable consideration in contracts with customers, the reserve for contract contingencies and processing errors, the estimation of network incentives, and valuation of income taxes.
In addition, we have been and may continue to be involved in various lawsuits, claims, and proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. We record a liability for these when we believe it is probable that we have incurred a loss, and that we can reasonably estimate the loss. We regularly evaluate current information to determine whether we should adjust a recorded liability or record a new one. If a loss is reasonably possible and the loss or range of loss can be reasonably estimated, we disclose the possible loss in the accompanying notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Judgment is required to determine both the probability and the estimated amount.
If we make incorrect assumptions or estimates, our reported financial results may be over- or understated, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our results of operations may also be adversely affected if our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could cause our results of operations to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the trading price of our Class A common stock.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to achieve or sustain profitability.We have incurred significant net losses since our inception, except for the year ended December 31, 2024. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we had net income of $27.3 million, which was primarily due to the forfeiture of the Executive Chairman Long-Term Incentive Award. We had net losses of $223.0 million and $184.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, our accumulated deficit was approximately $797.9 million and $825.2 million, respectively. We expect to continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future and we may not achieve profitability. We anticipate our operating expenses to continue to increase in the foreseeable future as we hire additional personnel, adjust compensation packages to hire new or retain existing employees, expand our operations and infrastructure, and continue to enhance and expand our platform, products, and services. These initiatives may be more costly than we expect and may not result in increased net revenue. Further as we expand our offerings to additional markets, our offerings in these markets may be less profitable than the markets in which we currently operate.
In addition, as a public company, we have incurred, and we will continue to incur, additional significant legal, insurance, accounting, and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company.
From time to time, we may make decisions that may reduce our short-term operating results if we believe those decisions will improve the experiences of our customers and their end users, which we believe will improve our operating results over the long term. These decisions may not be consistent with investors' expectations and may not produce the long-term benefits that we expect, and this may materially and adversely affect our business.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting, our ability to report timely and accurate financial results or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired, and our business, operating results, and the price of our Class A common stock may be adversely affected.Changed
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and to report any material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting.
In 2023, we identified a material weakness related to the accounting for our acquisition of Power Finance, and a material weakness related to information technology general controls. While management deems these material weaknesses remediated as of the date of the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and no further material weaknesses in our disclosure controls or controls over financial reporting were identified in 2024, we could identify additional material weaknesses in the future.
The process of designing and implementing effective internal controls and disclosure controls is a continuous effort. To maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, we have expended, and anticipate that we will continue to expend, significant resources, including technology- and accounting-related costs and significant management oversight. If any of our controls and systems do not perform as expected, we may experience material weaknesses. In addition, testing and maintaining internal controls and disclosure controls may divert management's attention from other matters that are important to our business.
Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations on a timely basis, result in material misstatements in our consolidated financial statements, have an adverse effect on our business and operating results, and could cause investors to lose confidence in us, all of which could cause a decline in the price of our Class A common stock. We could also become subject to investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources, and we may not be able to remain listed on Nasdaq.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6
Our results fluctuate significantly and may not fully reflect the underlying performance of our business, making it difficult to accurately forecast future results. If our results fail to meet the expectations of financial analysts or investors, our stock price and the value of your investment could decline.Changed
Our results of operations for a given period may not fully reflect the underlying performance of our business and fluctuate as a result of a number of factors, many of which are outside of our control and are difficult to predict, including, but not limited to the risk factors included in this section. You should not rely on our past results as an indicator of our future performance. If our results of operations or other operating metrics fall short of the expectations of investors and financial analysts, the trading price of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected and the value of your investment could decline.
Forecasting our future results of operations is challenging because of such fluctuations and because our net revenue depends in part on our customers' end users. Additionally, forecasting our performance can be impacted by a number of factors that are difficult to predict or control including, but not limited to, customer renewals, volume migration, and performance of new customers. As customers scale and become more sophisticated, they may seek to diversify, which could impact our renewal economics and our share of the processing volume. New customer performance is difficult to predict as there is a large spectrum of potential outcomes from very successful, hypergrowth customers to customers that never launch, and these outcomes are largely out of our control.
Our transaction mix adds further complexity. Our transaction mix refers to the proportion of signature debit versus PIN debit transactions and consumer versus commercial transactions that make up our TPV. In general, transactions that require a signature of the cardholder generate higher percentage-based Interchange Fees, while transactions that require a PIN generate lower percentage-based Interchange Fees.
Accordingly, we have in the past and may in the future be unable to prepare accurate internal financial forecasts, and our results of operations in future reporting periods has and may differ materially from our estimates and forecasts or the expectations of investors or financial analysts, causing our business to suffer and our Class A common stock trading price to decline.
Debt & Financing1 | 2.1%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may require additional capital to support our business, and this capital might not be available on acceptable terms, if at all.Corporate Activity and Growth2 | 4.3%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
Strategic transactions, including acquisitions, investments, partnerships, and collaborations, could fail to achieve strategic objectives, divert the attention of management, disrupt our ongoing operations, dilute stockholder value, and may adversely affect our business and financial results. We may be unable to successfully integrate any acquired businesses and technology.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
We have experienced rapid growth and our past growth rates may not be indicative of future growth rates. If we fail to manage growth effectively, our business and financial results may be adversely affected.While we have experienced rapid net revenue growth in prior periods, our net revenue decreased in the year ended December 31, 2024. The decrease in net revenue was primarily driven by the August 2023 Block Amendment which allowed for reduced pricing and impacted the revenue presentation for the Cash App program as fees owed to Issuing Banks and Card Networks related to the Cash App primary Card Network volume are recorded as a reduction to the revenue earned from the Cash App program within Net revenue effective as of July 1, 2023. In prior periods, these costs were included within Costs of revenue. Our total net revenue was $507.0 million, $676.2 million, and $748.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, a decrease of 25% and a decrease of 10% from the prior years, respectively. We believe our net revenue growth depends on several factors, including, but not limited to, our ability to:
- acquire new customers and retain existing customers on favorable terms;- achieve widespread acceptance and use of our platform and the products and services we offer, including in markets outside of the United States;- increase our offerings, TPV, and the number of customers and transactions on our platform;- effectively scale our operations, including successfully integrating acquired businesses and technology;- expand our product and service offerings;- diversify our customer base;- maintain and grow our network of vendors, Issuing Banks, and Card Networks;- maintain the security and reliability of our platform;- adjust for the impact of the anticipated accounting treatment of our customer agreements and the risk that such accounting treatment may be subject to further changes or developments;- adapt to changes in laws and regulations applicable to our business;- adapt to changing macroeconomic conditions and evolving conditions in the payments industry; and - successfully compete against established companies and new market entrants.
We have also historically experienced significant growth in the number of customers using our platform, the number of card programs and solutions we manage for our customers, and TPV on our platform. Our TPV was $291.1 billion, $222.3 billion, and $166.3 billion for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, an increase of 31% and 34% from the prior years, respectively.
Net revenue and TPV for any prior period should not be relied on as an indication of our future performance. If our TPV and net revenue growth rates decline or continue to decline, we may not achieve profitability as expected, and our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the price of our Class A common stock would be adversely affected.
Our growth has placed, and may continue to place, significant demands on our management and our operational and financial resources. We will need to continue to grow and improve our operational, financial, and information technology controls, and our reporting systems and procedures. We will require significant capital expenditures and the allocation of valuable management resources to expand our systems and infrastructure. If we fail to manage our growth effectively, our business and financial results may be adversely affected.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 11/47 (23%)Above Sector Average
Regulation4 | 8.5%
Regulation - Risk 1
We may be subject to governmental export controls and economic sanctions regulations that could impair our ability to compete in international markets and could subject us to liability if we fail to comply.Regulation - Risk 2
We are subject to anti-money laundering, anti-bribery and corruption ("AB&C"), sanctions, and similar laws, and non-compliance with such laws and regulations can subject us to criminal penalties or significant fines, adversely affect our business and reputation, or have other adverse consequences for us.We can be held liable under AML, AB&C, sanctions, and similar laws for the corrupt or illegal activities of our third-party intermediaries and our employees, representatives, contractors, partners, and agents, even if we do not authorize such activities. While we have programs and controls designed to comply with applicable AML, AB&C, and sanctions laws and regulations, we cannot guarantee that our programs and controls will be effective in ensuring compliance and that none of our third-party intermediaries or employees, representatives, contractors, partners, and agents will take actions in violation of those controls and laws. Ours or these third parties' failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in a breach and/or termination of our agreements with Issuing Banks and customers and/or fines or penalties by governmental agencies, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Regulation - Risk 3
Changes to the rules or practices set by Card Networks or our failure to comply with their rules and practices could adversely affect our business.We are required to comply with the rules set by the Card Networks. The termination of the card association registrations held by us or any of our Issuing Banks or any changes to these Card Network rules or their interpretation could have a significant impact on our business and financial condition. If we fail to make required changes or otherwise resolve an issue with the Card Networks, the Card Networks could charge us additional fees. We have been charged such additional fees in the past, and expect to continue to be charged such fees in the future as Card Network rules change. These additional fees are considered costs of revenue. If we fail to comply with such Card Network rules, we could also be fined and our registrations or certifications could be suspended or terminated which could limit our ability to process transactions and could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Regulation - Risk 4
Our business is subject to regulation and oversight in a variety of areas, directly and indirectly through our relationships with customers, Issuing Banks, and Card Networks, which regulations are subject to change and to uncertain interpretation. Compliance with such laws and regulations could result in additional costs and any failure to comply could materially harm our business and financial condition.Changed
We, our customers, our vendors, and other third parties we do business with are subject to a wide variety of laws, regulations, and industry standards, including supervision and examination with respect to the foregoing by multiple authorities and governing bodies and in multiple countries, which govern numerous areas important to our business.
While we currently operate our business in an effort to ensure our business itself is not subject to the same level of regulation or licensing as the Issuing Banks and Card Networks that we contract with, Issuing Banks and Card Networks operate in a highly regulated environment, and there is a risk that those regulations could become directly applicable to or directly impact us. We have structured our business in a manner reasonably designed to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, applicable laws relating to money laundering, sanctions, consumer protection, and money transmission services; however, it is possible that a relevant regulator may disagree, which could expose us to penalties and/or censure. If a relevant regulator disagreed with our analysis of, and compliance with, applicable laws, we may be required to seek licenses, authorizations, or approvals from those regulators, which may be dependent on us meeting certain capital and other requirements, and may subject us to additional regulation and oversight, all of which could significantly increase our operating costs.
As a program manager, we are responsible for aligning compliance with Issuing Bank requirements and Card Network rules, and we help create card programs for our customers designed to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. In some cases, we have in the past and could continue to be exposed to liability or indemnification claims from our customers or other third parties in connection with the services we provide.
We are directly, and indirectly through our contractual relationships with customers, Issuing Banks, and Card Networks, subject to regulation in areas which may include, but are not limited to, privacy, data protection and information security, global sanctions regimes and export controls, and anti-bribery, and those relating to payments services (such as payment processing and settlement services), AI, consumer protection, AML, and escheatment, as well as compliance with industry standards, such as PCI DSS.
As our business and platform continue to develop and expand, we continue to become subject to additional laws, rules, regulations, and industry standards, including possible additional examination and supervision, in the United States and internationally. For example, in Canada, the Retail Payment Activities Act (the "RPAA") will subject payment service providers ("PSPs"), including a Marqeta subsidiary, to supervision by the Bank of Canada. One of our subsidiaries submitted an application for registration under the RPAA in November 2024, and we and other PSPs must establish, implement, and maintain a risk management and incident response framework that complies with the RPAA by September 8, 2025. New or expanded regulation or changes in interpretation or enforcement of existing regulations may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition due to increased compliance costs and new restrictions affecting the offering of our platform, products and services.
We may not be able to respond quickly or effectively to, or accurately predict the scope or applicability of, regulatory, legislative, or other developments, which may in turn impair our ability to offer our existing or planned features, products, and services and/or increase our cost of doing business. For example, regulatory scrutiny over banks that sponsor financial technology programs increased in fiscal 2024, and the heightened regulatory environment contributed to the Issuing Banks we work with focusing more on maintaining existing programs than launching new programs with us. As a result, we launched fewer programs than projected in fiscal 2024, adversely affecting our results of operations and business.
In addition, we may become subject to audits, inquiries, whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, or criminal or civil complaints or sanctions, all of which may have an adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations, and financial condition.
As a result of our business relationships, we may also be subject to direct or indirect supervision and examination by various authorities. The CFPB, for example, has indicated it has dormant authority to examine certain companies whose services may pose risk to consumers, which may include our company. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the "Federal Banking Agencies") have also issued a growing number of enforcement actions in connection with partnerships between banks and financial technology companies in recent years. The Federal Banking Agencies have also published interagency guidance for banks to develop and implement risk management practices for these arrangements, which clarifies supervisory expectations for banks to oversee the third parties with whom they partner. With respect to payment activities, including card issuing, the Federal Banking Agencies have indicated that they may further clarify their supervisory expectations. Accordingly, as a program manager for Issuing Banks, we are subject to the Issuing Banks' risk management standards for third-party relationships in accordance with supervisory guidance and examination by the Federal Banking Agencies. Should we or the Issuing Banks with whom we work be unable to satisfy these standards, we may have to discontinue certain programs or relationships or be unable to onboard new customers or products to the Issuing Banks, and, it is also possible that regulators could hold us or our customers responsible for actual or perceived deficiencies in connection with our arrangements with Issuing Banks, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
New or changing laws or regulations could require us to incur significant expenses and devote significant management attention to ensure compliance and could also prompt our Issuing Banks to alter their dealings with us in ways that may have adverse consequences for our business. In addition, increased supervisory scrutiny has in the past contributed to, and may in the future contribute to, the Issuing Banks with whom we currently have relationships reassessing the details of their arrangement with us and may deter new Issuing Banks from establishing a relationship with us or have other adverse impacts upon our business.
Further, while we do not handle or interact with cryptocurrency and we only process transactions on our platform in fiat currencies, certain cryptocurrency businesses use our platform to provide card products to their customers and end users. The regulation of cryptocurrency is rapidly evolving and varies significantly among jurisdictions and is subject to substantial uncertainty. Various legislative and executive bodies in the United States and other countries may adopt laws, regulations, or guidance, or take other actions, which may impact our Issuing Banks and restrain the growth of cryptocurrency businesses and in turn impact the net revenue associated with our cryptocurrency business customers.
While we have developed policies and procedures designed to assist in compliance with laws and regulations, no assurance can be given that our compliance policies and procedures will be effective. If we fail to comply or are alleged or perceived to have failed to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we may be subject to litigation or regulatory investigations or other proceedings, we may have to pay fines and penalties or become subject to civil or criminal liability or have additional obligations or restrictions imposed upon our business, and our customer relationships and reputation may be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. In some cases, regardless of fault, it may be less time-consuming or costly to settle these matters, which may require us to implement certain changes to our business practices, provide remediation to certain individuals, or make a settlement payment to a given party or regulatory body.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities3 | 6.4%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We may incur losses relating to illegal and fraudulent activity on our platform.Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
Litigation, disputes, regulatory actions, and government or legal investigations could be costly and time-consuming to defend, and our business may be adversely affected by our involvement or the outcome of such litigation, disputes, actions, or investigations.In the ordinary course of business, we have been, are currently, and in the future may be, involved in litigation or disputes. We have also received and may in the future receive, inquiries, warrants, subpoenas, and other requests for information in connection with government investigations. Such claims, disputes, lawsuits, proceedings, and investigations could involve matters relating to employment, wage and hour, commercial, antitrust, securities, the duties of officers or directors, regulatory compliance, and other matters. The number and significance of litigation, regulatory, and government or legal investigation matters and disputes has increased and may continue to increase as our business expands. We also had in the past, have currently, and may have in the future indemnification obligations as a result of our contracts with customers and other counterparties that may require us to reimburse or pay for damages, fees, or other expenses associated with claims, lawsuits, proceedings, and investigations such customers and other counterparties face.
Further, our liability insurance may not cover all potential claims made against us or third parties or be sufficient to cover us for all liability that may be imposed. A claim brought against us or third parties that is uninsured or under-insured could result in unanticipated costs. The costs associated with litigation, disputes, regulatory actions, and government or legal investigations can also be unpredictable depending on the complexity of the matter, the resources needed to manage it, and length of time devoted to it. These matters may also divert management's attention and operational resources, could harm our reputation regardless of the outcome, and might seriously harm our business, overall financial condition, and operating results. We cannot assure you that any actual or potential litigation, claims, disputes, investigations, or proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 3
Indemnity provisions in various agreements potentially expose us to substantial liability and risk of loss.Our agreements with Issuing Banks, Card Networks, customers, vendors, lessors, and other third parties include indemnification provisions under which we agree to indemnify them for losses or expenses suffered or incurred in certain circumstances, including, for example, in relation to claims arising out of the breach of such agreements, services to be provided by us, or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. Some of these agreements provide for uncapped liability for indemnification claims and some indemnity provisions survive termination or expiration of the applicable agreement. In some cases, we have in the past and could continue to be exposed to liability or indemnification claims from our customers, Card Networks, or Issuing Banks in connection with the services we provide. Large payments to customers, Card Networks, or Issuing Banks could harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Any dispute with a customer, Card Network, or Issuing Bank with respect to these obligations could have adverse effects on our relationship with that counterparty and other existing or prospective customers, Card Networks, or Issuing Banks, and harm our business and results of operations. Further, although we carry insurance, our liability insurance may not cover all potential claims made against us or be sufficient to cover us for all liability that may be imposed, and any such coverage may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.
Taxation & Government Incentives3 | 6.4%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Our ability to use our net operating losses and other tax attributes to offset future taxable income may be subject to certain limitations.Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
We may have exposure to greater-than-anticipated tax liabilities, which may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.The determination of our worldwide provision for income taxes, value-added taxes, and other tax liabilities requires estimation and significant judgment, and the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Like many other multinational corporations, we are subject to tax in multiple U.S. and foreign tax jurisdictions. Our determination of our tax liabilities is always subject to audit and review by applicable domestic and foreign tax authorities. Any adverse outcome of any such audit or review could have a negative effect on our business and the ultimate tax outcome may differ from the amounts recorded in our financial statements and may materially affect our results of operations and financial condition in the periods for which such determination is made. While we have established reserves based on assumptions and estimates that we believe are reasonable to cover such eventualities, these reserves may prove to be insufficient, which may have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 3
Changes in tax laws or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial conditions.We are subject to income taxes in the United States and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Our domestic and international tax liabilities are dependent upon the location of earnings among these different jurisdictions. Any changes in tax legislation, regulations, policies, or practices in the jurisdictions in which we operate could increase our effective tax rate and materially increase the amount of taxes we owe, thereby negatively impacting our results of operations as well as our cash flows from operations.
Additionally, successful assertion by one or more states, or foreign jurisdictions, requiring us to collect sales, value added, or similar indirect taxes where we presently do not do so, or to collect more of such indirect taxes in a jurisdiction in which we currently do collect some indirect taxes, could result in substantial tax liabilities, including taxes on past sales, as well as penalties and interest.
Furthermore, compliance with changing tax laws and regulations could require us to make substantial changes to our business practices, allocate additional resources, and increase our costs, potentially negatively affecting our business, results of operations, and financial condition. As we grow internationally, we may also be subject to taxation and review by taxation authorities in additional jurisdictions with increasingly complex tax laws, the application of which can be uncertain, and which could increase the amount of taxes we pay, potentially adversely affecting our liquidity and results of operations.
Environmental / Social1 | 2.1%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Laws, regulations, and industry standards related to privacy and data governance, and our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations, could adversely affect our business and financial results.Changed
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 8/47 (17%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D1 | 2.1%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
If we fail to anticipate, adapt to, or keep pace with new technologies and develop new services and capabilities for our platform, our business and future growth could be harmed.Trade Secrets2 | 4.3%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
If we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, our business could be adversely affected and we could incur additional expenses to protect our rights.Trade Secrets - Risk 2
We may be accused of infringing the intellectual property rights of third parties.We have in the past and may in the future be accused of infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise violating the intellectual property or other proprietary rights of third parties. Although we seek to comply with the statutory, regulatory, and judicial frameworks and the terms and conditions of statutory licenses, we cannot assure you that we are not infringing or violating any third-party intellectual property rights, or that we will not do so in the future.
The costs of litigation can be considerable, and we cannot assure you that we will achieve a favorable outcome of any such claim. Although we carry insurance, our insurance may not cover potential claims of this type or may not be adequate to cover us for all liability that may be imposed. If any such claim is valid, we may be required to stop using such intellectual property or other proprietary rights and pay damages, which could adversely affect our business. Even if such claims were not valid, defending them could be expensive and distract our management team.
We have agreed to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless certain of our customers and other counterparties from damages and costs arising from the infringement or claimed infringement by our products of third-party intellectual property rights. The scope of these indemnity obligations varies. Even if we are not a party to any litigation between a customer or other counterparty and a third party relating to alleged infringement in relation to our products, an adverse outcome in any such litigation could make it more difficult for us to defend our solutions against intellectual property infringement claims in any subsequent litigation where we are a named party. Any of these results could harm our brand and adversely affect our results of operations.
Cyber Security1 | 2.1%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Any real or perceived improper or unauthorized use of, disclosure of, or access to our or our customers' and other third parties' confidential, proprietary, or sensitive data, including by cyberattacks, security breaches or incidents, or employee or other misconduct, could expose us to liability and damage our reputation.Changed
Technology4 | 8.5%
Technology - Risk 1
Issues relating to our use of AI technologies, including generative and agentic AI, combined with an uncertain legal and regulatory environment, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.Added
Technology - Risk 2
Our use of open source software could adversely affect our ability to sell our products.Our platform incorporates open source software, and we expect to continue to incorporate open source software in our products and platform in the future. There have been claims challenging the use of open source software against companies that incorporate it into their products. If it is alleged that we have not complied with an open source license, we could incur significant legal expenses defending against such allegation.
If we fail to comply with an open source license, we may be required to offer our products that incorporate the open source software for no cost, make available the source code for modifications or derivative works we create based upon, incorporating, or using the open source software, and license such modifications or derivative works under the terms of the open source software. We may also be required to re-engineer our products or platform or to discontinue offering our products. These events may adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
In addition to risks related to license requirements, open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or other contractual protections regarding infringement, misappropriation, or other violations, the quality or security of code, or the origin of the software. Many of the risks associated with the use of open source software cannot be eliminated and could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. For instance, open source software developers operate outside of our control and open source software may have security vulnerabilities, defects, or errors of which we are not aware. It may take a significant amount of time to address such vulnerabilities, defects, or errors once we are aware of them, which could negatively impact our products and services and result in liability to us, our vendors and service providers.
Technology - Risk 3
Our new products and technologies have a limited performance history, and any failure to execute on our related strategy could have an adverse impact on our business and financial condition.In fiscal 2024, we announced new technologies, including portfolio migration, UX Toolkit, and the development of Marqeta Flex. Net revenue growth attributed to these new technologies is dependent on increasing the number of existing customers or new customers who use our platform and these capabilities. Failure to scale these technologies, a competitive market, or failure to bring Marqeta Flex to market could adversely affect our business and financial results.
We may introduce other new products, technologies, or business opportunities in the future. Our failure to accurately predict the demand or growth of new products, technologies, or businesses could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, and future prospects. New products, technologies, and businesses are inherently risky, due to, among other things, risks associated with: the product, technology, or business not working, or not working as expected; customer acceptance; technological outages or failures; increased regulatory scrutiny; and the failure to meet customer expectations. As a result of these risks related to new products and technologies, we could experience increased claims, reputational damage, or other adverse effects, which could be material. In addition, our investment in new products, technologies, and businesses and making changes or updates to our platform may either be insufficient or result in expenses that exceed the revenue actually generated from these new products, technologies, or businesses.
Technology - Risk 4
Performance issues, systems failures, and interruptions in the availability of our platform may adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.Our continued growth depends on the efficient operation of our platform. Any significant disruption, outage, data loss, or errors in service on our platform, including events beyond our control, such as infrastructure changes or failures, or human or software errors could have a material and adverse effect on our business and financial condition. We have experienced such performance incidents in the past and expect that we will continue to periodically experience such performance issues in the future.
Our platform is designed to process a high number of transactions and deliver reports and other information related to those transactions at high processing speeds. We have in the past and may in the future experience errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in our processing, reconciling, or reporting of transactions. The risk of performance issues has increased in recent periods due to the significant increase in our TPV and increases further with new product launches and geographical expansion. We release regular updates to our platform, which have in the past contained, and may in the future contain, undetected errors, failures, and bugs. Any platform performance issues could lead to claims by customers, vendors, Card Networks, Issuing Banks, or other third parties, or other claims, regulatory fines, or proceedings. It could also damage ours and our customers' businesses and, in turn, hurt our brand and reputation.
The performance, availability, and connectivity of the data centers, cloud-based solutions, and other third parties that provide computing and storage infrastructure for our platform are outside of our control. If any of these infrastructure providers fail to provide sufficient capacity to support our platform or otherwise experience service outages, we may experience interruptions in our ability to operate our platform and our business could be adversely affected. We have experienced, and expect to continue to periodically experience, outages of the services provided by these providers.
If we are not able to maintain the level of service uptime and performance needed by our customers, they could face longer processing times or downtime as a result. If customers are unable to access our platform within a reasonable amount of time, or at all, we may not be able to meet the service level commitments typically provided for in our customer contracts and we would be contractually obligated to provide service level credits. We have experienced incidents, including incidents outside our control, and expect we may experience incidents in the future requiring us to pay service level credits and other customer service concessions.
In addition, our insurance policies may not adequately compensate us for any losses that we may incur as a result of damage or interruption. Further, we are continuing to refine our enterprise resilience functions such as business continuity, crisis management, and disaster recovery. Our disaster recovery plan has not been tested under actual disaster conditions, and we may not have sufficient capacity to recover all data and services in the event of an outage. Therefore, any performance issue, systems failure, outage, or interruption in the availability of our platform would adversely affect our business, and could subject us to financial penalties and liabilities.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 7/47 (15%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 2.1%
Competition - Risk 1
We participate in markets that are competitive and continuously evolving, and, if we do not compete successfully, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and future prospects may be adversely affected.Changed
Demand1 | 2.1%
Demand - Risk 1
We currently generate significant net revenue from a small number of customers, including our largest customer, Block, and the loss of any of these significant relationships or decline in net revenue from these customers, including as a result of renewals on less favorable terms, could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and future prospects.Sales & Marketing4 | 8.5%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
Future net revenue growth depends on our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers in a cost-effective manner.Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
We may incur losses relating to the settlement of payment transactions on our platform.We contract with Issuing Banks to settle funds on behalf of our customers on a daily basis for a variety of transaction types. We are and will continue to be subject to the risk of losses relating to the day-to-day settlement of payment transactions, including with respect to pre-funding, ACH processing errors or delays, and chargeback requests as well as human or processing error. If transactions or settlement reconciliations are not performed timely or accurately due to human or other processing error, we could incur losses.
While customers deposit a certain amount of pre-funding into bank accounts at our Issuing Banks, depending on the model of the card program and the timing of funding and transactions, some transactions may be authorized in an amount that exceeds the pre-funding in the customer's account.
Customers are ultimately responsible for fulfilling their obligations to fund transactions. However, when a customer does not have sufficient funds to settle a transaction, we may be liable to the Issuing Bank to settle the transaction, including fraudulent or disputed transactions, and may incur losses as a result of claims from the Issuing Bank. We would seek to recover such losses from the customer, but we may not fully recover them if the customer is unwilling or unable to pay.
Additionally, if the Issuing Banks we work with do not receive and submit ACH return files from us on time to the Federal Reserve Bank, the originating depository financial institution that sent the original ACH payment is not required to return the funds to the customer account at the Issuing Bank. We have in the past and may in the future be responsible for delays or errors in processing ACH return files, in which case we bear responsibility for the funds that should have been returned to the customer account and may suffer financial losses.
In addition, when a chargeback request is approved, the purchase price of the transaction is refunded to the customer's end user's account through our platform. If we do not properly process the chargeback, the customer may request that we fund the refunded amount to their end user. We have in the past, and may in the future, incur costs relating to transactions exceeding customer pre-funding and the improper processing of ACH files and chargeback requests. The costs we incur related to our settlement obligations may adversely affect our business and financial condition.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
A portion of our net revenue is derived from Interchange Fees and changes in Interchange Fees or Interchange Fee regulation could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.A portion of our net revenue is derived from Interchange Fees and the amount of Interchange Fees we earn is highly dependent on the interchange rates that the Card Networks set and adjust. Interchange Fees and assessments are subject to change from time to time by the Card Networks and due to government regulation. Interchange Fees have historically been, and continue be, the subject of intense legal and regulatory scrutiny and competitive pressures in the electronic payments industry in the United States and internationally. For example, in the United States, the Durbin Amendment may restrict or otherwise impact the way we do business or limit our ability to charge certain fees to customers. Issuing Banks that are exempt from the Interchange Fee restrictions in the Durbin Amendment are able to access higher interchange rates on debit and prepaid card transactions. As a result, to maximize our Interchange Fees in the United States, we generally only contract with Issuing Banks that are subject to this exemption from the Durbin Amendment when we provide services for debit and prepaid card programs. While these Issuing Banks are currently exempt from the limitations on debit and prepaid card Interchange Fees, and we expect them to continue to be exempt, we can offer no assurance or guarantee that they will remain exempt, and various events outside our control may cause these Issuing Banks to become subject to the interchange fee limits under the Durbin Amendment. In addition, new laws or regulations related to interchange fees may be enacted. For example, Illinois passed the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act ("IFPA"), which prohibits the collection of debit and credit card interchange fees in Illinois for the portion of a card transaction that is attributable to sales taxes, excise taxes and gratuities if the merchant informs the acquiring bank of the amount of these taxes and gratuities. The IFPA is expected to be effective on July 1, 2025, pending ongoing litigation. While any potential reduction in our revenue from the new law in Illinois is not expected to be material, if any additional legislation regulating Interchange Fees is enacted in other jurisdictions, then the portion of our net revenue derived from Interchange Fees may be adversely affected. Further, complying with a patchwork of state laws governing Interchange Fees may create compliance burdens for our Issuing Banks and us, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
If our credit platform or other credit programs are inaccurate, do not perform as intended, or lack sufficient capacity to meet demand, our business may be adversely affected.Changed
We acquired Power Finance in the first quarter of 2023 and released our credit card issuing capabilities publicly in October 2023. Net revenue growth attributed to credit card issuing is dependent on increasing the number of existing customers or new customers who use our credit card issuing capabilities. We have limited experience administering our credit card issuing platform, and failure to scale due to our limited experience or a competitive market could adversely affect our business and financial results.
The success of our credit issuing capabilities and other credit programs also depends on our ability to effectively manage related risks for us and our Issuing Banks. While the Issuing Banks or other third parties we work with bear the credit risk, in some cases they rely on our credit decisioning engine and managed services to underwrite and/or to otherwise support the management of credit card programs in accordance with their credit policies. Our current and future efforts and the efforts of our Issuing Banks and other partners to expand the capacity of our Issuing Banks and mitigate risk to our credit issuing capabilities and other credit programs may not be successful. Numerous factors, many of which are outside of our control, can adversely affect the evaluation of credit risk. The information we use in processing credit transactions may be inaccurate or incomplete as a result of error or fraud, both of which may be difficult to detect and avoid. If a fraudulent applicant is approved based on our credit risk model, we may be liable for the losses incurred by the Issuing Bank, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
There may be risks that exist, or that develop in the future, including market risks, interest rate risks, economic risks, and other external events, that we have not appropriately anticipated, identified, or mitigated that would impact our Issuing Banks or our ability to support credit products. If our credit risk tools do not effectively and accurately model the credit risk of potential cards issued by our Issuing Banks, greater than expected losses may result on such card programs and, as a result, our customers may stop marketing their card programs, potential customers may be less likely to initiate card programs, and Issuing Banks may stop using our platform for credit card issuing. Further, if our platform does not operate as intended or is inaccurate, it may be alleged that we and/or our Issuing Banks have failed to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we and/or our Issuing Banks may be subject to litigation or regulatory investigations or other proceedings, we and/or our Issuing Banks may have to pay fines and penalties or become subject to civil or criminal liability or have additional obligations or restrictions imposed upon our respective businesses, and our customer relationships and reputation may be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
The Issuing Banks face the risk that our customers' cardholders will default on their payment obligations, creating the risk of potential charge-offs. While we are not contractually obligated to pay for any credit-related delinquencies or charge-offs, we have in the past and may in the future make payments to our Issuing Banks in association with our relationship with them, regardless of whether we were compelled to under law or contract. Incremental charge-offs may also affect the Issuing Bank's future credit decisioning which could impact the volume of transactions processed and the number of cards issued. This may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Brand / Reputation1 | 2.1%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
Our business depends on a strong and trusted brand, and any failure to maintain, protect, enhance, and market our brand would hurt our business.Production
Total Risks: 3/47 (6%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 2.1%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
Failure to attract and retain key personnel, including senior management and other highly skilled employees, could adversely affect our business.Supply Chain2 | 4.3%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We rely on third parties to provide certain products and services, and their failure to perform those services or comply with legal or regulatory requirements could adversely affect our business and financial results.Supply Chain - Risk 2
We rely on our relationships with Issuing Banks and Card Networks, and if we are unable to maintain these relationships, our business may be adversely affected.We rely on our relationships with Issuing Banks and Card Networks to provide certain services in connection with our platform, products, and services. We have in the past and may in the future pay certain amounts in association with these relationships, regardless of whether we were compelled to under law or contract. In addition, we have in the past and may in the future have disagreements with Issuing Banks and Card Networks. If we are unable to maintain the quality of these relationships or fail to comply with our related contractual requirements, our business would be adversely affected.
A significant portion of our payment transactions are settled through a small number of Issuing Banks. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, 70%, 76%, and 82%, respectively, of TPV was settled through one Issuing Bank, Sutton Bank. If Sutton Bank terminates our agreement with them or is unable or unwilling to settle our transactions for any reason, we may be required to switch some or all of our processing volume to one or more other Issuing Banks, including to any of the other Issuing Banks with which we currently contract. Switching processing volume to another Issuing Bank would take time and could result in additional costs or loss of revenue or customers, which may adversely affect our business.
We also have agreements with Card Networks that, among other things, provide us certain monetary incentives based on the processing volume of our customers' transactions routed through the respective Card Network. The timing and extent of amendments or new contracts related to our volume incentive arrangements with Card Networks could result in incentive payments that are recorded in a current period and based on volume processed in a prior period. We currently include Card Network fees in the pricing arrangements with the majority of our customers who engage us to arrange their use of one of more of the Card Networks. If these customers were to manage the relationship with the Card Networks directly, our reported net revenue may decrease. For example, the August 2023 Block Amendment provides that Block will be responsible for defining and managing the Cash App program with respect to the primary Card Network going forward which has the effect of reducing reported net revenue.
We intend to continue expanding and deepening our relationships with Issuing Banks and Card Networks. Diversifying these contractual relationships and operations increases the complexity of our operations and has lead and may continue to lead to increased costs. The Issuing Banks and Card Networks we work with may fail to process transactions, breach their agreements with us, or refuse to renew or renegotiate our agreements with them on terms that are favorable, commercially reasonable, or at all. They might also take actions that could degrade the functionality of our platform, impose additional costs or requirements on us, or give preferential treatment to competitive services, including their own. If we are unsuccessful in establishing, renegotiating, or maintaining relationships with Issuing Banks or Card Networks, our business may be adversely affected.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 3/47 (6%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 2.1%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Unfavorable conditions in the global economy could adversely affect our business and financial results.International Operations1 | 2.1%
International Operations - Risk 1
We may continue to expand operations internationally where we have limited operating experience and may be subject to increased business, economic, and regulatory risks that could adversely impact our operations and financial results.Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 2.1%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Our business is subject to the risks of earthquakes, fire, floods, pandemics, and other natural catastrophic events, and to interruption by man-made issues such as power disruptions and strikes.See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
- Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
- Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
- Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
- Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
- Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
- Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
- Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
- Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
- Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
- Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
- Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
- Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
- Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
- Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
- Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
- Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
- Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
- Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
- Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
- Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
- Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
- International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
- Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.