What is MerchantFocus?

MerchantFocus is a PayFac-as-a-Service provider built for SaaS platforms and ISVs. We enable software companies to offer white-labeled, fully embedded payment processing to their merchants without becoming a registered Payment Facilitator themselves. MerchantFocus handles the compliance, underwriting, and infrastructure so you can focus on your product.

What is PayFac-as-a-Service?

PayFac-as-a-Service allows software platforms and ISVs to offer native payment processing to their customers without becoming a registered Payment Facilitator themselves. MerchantFocus handles the compliance, underwriting, and infrastructure while you get the revenue share and a seamless embedded payments experience.

How is MerchantFocus different from Stripe or Square?

Stripe and Square are direct payment processors built for end merchants. MerchantFocus is built for platforms. We white-label the entire payments experience so your customers never leave your product. You own the relationship, the brand, and a share of every transaction processed through your platform.

How long does merchant onboarding take?

Most merchants are fully onboarded and processing payments within 48 hours. Our automated onboarding flow handles KYC, underwriting, and approval with no manual paperwork or lengthy back-and-forth.

Do I need to be a registered PayFac to use MerchantFocus?

No. MerchantFocus operates as the PayFac of record, so your platform gets all the benefits of embedded payments including revenue share, white-labeling, and full control without the regulatory burden and capital requirements of becoming a registered PayFac.

What industries does MerchantFocus support?

MerchantFocus works with SaaS platforms and ISVs across a wide range of verticals including retail, field services, healthcare, hospitality, professional services, and more. If your platform serves merchants who need to accept payments, we can support it.

Is MerchantFocus fully white-labeled?

Yes. The entire merchant-facing experience including onboarding, the payments dashboard, statements, and support flows can be branded as your own. Your customers interact with your brand, not ours.

How does revenue share work?

As a MerchantFocus partner, you earn a percentage of the interchange and processing fees generated by every merchant on your platform. The more volume your merchants process, the more you earn, creating a true recurring revenue stream that grows with your business.

Is MerchantFocus PCI compliant?

Yes. MerchantFocus is PCI DSS compliant and handles the security and compliance requirements so your platform does not have to. We manage the infrastructure, tokenization, and data security standards on your behalf.

Back to Blog

ISV

5 Signs Your ISV Business Should Embed Payments

October 20, 2025

As an independent software vendor (ISV), you already understand the value of delivering a high-value experience for your customers. But if payments still live outside of your platform — handled by a third-party redirect or a separate app — you may be leaving revenue and retention on the table.

Here are five signs it's time to embed payments directly into your software.

1. Your Users Are Asking About Payments

If your customers regularly ask "can I process payments through your platform?" that's a clear signal. Demand is there — the only question is whether you'll be the one to capture it.

2. Churn Correlates with Payment Friction

If merchants leave your platform because the payment experience is clunky or disconnected, embedded payments can be a retention tool. A unified experience keeps users engaged.

3. You're Watching Competitors Monetize Payments

If your direct competitors have added embedded payments and you haven't, you're at a structural disadvantage. Payments create switching costs — once merchants are set up, they stay.

4. You Have Recurring Transactions in Your Workflow

Platforms with billing, invoicing, subscriptions, or marketplace-style payouts are natural fits for embedded payments. The more payment-adjacent your product, the higher the ROI.

5. You Want a New Revenue Stream Without New Products

Embedded payments let you earn on every transaction your merchants process — without building anything new from scratch. With a partner like linq, the infrastructure is already built.

Next Steps

If two or more of these signs apply to your business, it's worth a conversation. linq integrates in 2–3 weeks and starts generating revenue immediately.