FAQ
Is Capital a lender or a payment processor?
It’s a bit of both. Capital is a fintech platform that connects to the merchant’s POS/credit card system and turns future receivables into a payment method to pay suppliers. Instead of taking a traditional loan or merchant cash advance, merchants “spend” a portion of their future card sales through Capital to settle invoices now.
Why focus on pharmacies, drugstores, and cosmetics retailers first?
These verticals have especially tough cash-flow dynamics: they pay suppliers relatively quickly, but a large share of their sales are on credit cards with delayed settlement. That makes them ideal early adopters for receivables-based payments that relieve working-capital pressure.
How does this differ from a merchant cash advance (MCA)?
MCAs typically involve very high effective interest rates, rigid repayment structures, and a heavy burden on the merchant’s cash flow. Capital’s model is built around using receivables as a payment method inside the supply chain and charging suppliers a transaction fee which can be cheaper and less risky than an MCA for many businesses.
Can this model work outside Brazil?
Yes. Brazil’s 30-day card settlement makes the pain more acute, so it’s a powerful initial market. But any market where SMEs struggle to align when they pay suppliers with when they get paid especially where card and BNPL usage is high could benefit from receivables-based payments and embedded supply-chain finance.
Is this just for physical inventory businesses?
It’s particularly well-suited to inventory-heavy businesses today (pharmacies, cosmetics, retail, etc.). Over time, similar receivables-driven structures could be adapted for service and software businesses as well, using invoices and other predictable receivables instead of card sales.