# Stone / StoneCo

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/stone
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Stone — official](https://www.stone.com.br/)

## Overview

**StoneCo Ltd.** is **Brazil's leading SMB-focused payments + digital-banking fintech**, **NASDAQ-listed (STNE)** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Brazil report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BR)</sup>. **Q3 2025 baseline**:
- **Businesses served**: **1.7+ million** across Brazil
- **Q3 2025 revenue**: **BRL 3.6 billion (+16% YoY)**
- **Q3 2025 adjusted net income**: +18% YoY
- **Active payments-client base**: +17% YoY
- **Consolidated ROE expansion**: +8 percentage points to 24% — distinctive return improvement

**Historic Brazil milestone (2017)** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: **Stone became the first non-bank entity authorized by Brazil's Central Bank to operate as a payment institution** — distinctive Brazilian regulatory pioneer.

**2018 NASDAQ listing**: ticker **STNE** — pioneering Brazilian-fintech US IPO.

**StoneCo services**: Payment processing + Stone POS + prepayment + digital banking (Stone Banco) + credit solutions + SMB-focused integrated rails (PIX + cards + banking).

## History

**2012 — StoneCo founded** <sup>[1][1]</sup> by **André Street + Eduardo Pontes + Thiago Piau (current CEO)**.

**2017 — Stone authorized as Brazilian non-bank payment institution** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: First-of-kind BCB authorization.

**2018 — NASDAQ IPO (STNE)** — Brazilian-fintech US-listing pioneer.

**2021-2022 — Multiple acquisitions** + integration phase + stumble (Linx acquisition + Banco Inter holding); stock price decline.

**2023-2025 — "Rebuilding trust and growing stronger" turnaround** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: ROE recovery + SMB-focused doubling-down.

**Q3 2025 — Strong rebound metrics**: BRL 3.6B revenue (+16%); +18% adjusted NI; +17% active clients; +8 pp ROE expansion to 24% <sup>[2][2]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **StoneCo Ltd.** (NASDAQ: STNE).

**Co-founders**: **André Street + Eduardo Pontes + Thiago Piau (current CEO)**.

**Major shareholders**: **Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett's BRK) + Madrone Capital Partners (Walton family) + Ant Group + Actis + Capital Group + GIC Singapore** + public float.

**Regulator**: **BCB (Central Bank of Brazil)**.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Channels** | Stone POS (Pagar.me + Stone Online) + Stone API + Stone Online Checkout + Stone Banco mobile banking |
| **Identifiers** | Card + PIX key + bank account |
| **BR rail** | **[Pix](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/pix)** (Banco Central do Brasil national instant-payment) |
| **Sub-products** | Stone Pagamentos (payment processing) + Stone Banco (digital banking) + Pagar.me (online checkout) + Stone Connect (vertical SaaS via Linx integration) + Stone Credit + prepayment + Stone Mais (SMB rewards) |
| **License** | First Brazilian non-bank payment institution (BCB 2017) |
| **Customer focus** | SMBs (1.7M+ Brazilian businesses) |

## Users & growth

**Q3 2025 baseline** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- **Businesses served**: 1.7+ million
- **Q3 2025 revenue**: BRL 3.6B (+16% YoY)
- **Q3 2025 adjusted NI**: +18% YoY
- **Active payments client base**: +17% YoY
- **Consolidated ROE expansion**: +8 pp to 24%
- **NASDAQ listing**: STNE since 2018

## Use cases

Brazilian SMB payment processing (1.7M+ businesses); Stone POS (physical card + PIX acceptance); Pagar.me online checkout; Stone Banco SMB digital banking; Stone Credit + prepayment SME credit; Linx vertical SaaS integrations (post-Linx-acquisition); Stone Connect.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **StoneCo Ltd.** (NASDAQ: STNE) — Co-founders André Street + Eduardo Pontes + Thiago Piau (CEO).

**Major shareholders**: **Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett's BRK) + Madrone Capital Partners (Walton family) + Ant Group + Actis + Capital Group + GIC Singapore** + NASDAQ public float.

**Acquisitions**: **Linx** (2021 vertical SaaS; transformational); **Banco Inter** (minority holding then divestment).

**Major Brazilian SMB-payments competitors**:
- **[PagBank / PagSeguro Digital](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/pagbank)** (PagSeguro Digital; NYSE: PAGS; 34M customers; super-app + digital banking)
- **Cielo** (BR largest acquirer; Banco do Brasil + Bradesco JV)
- **Rede** (Itaú acquirer subsidiary)
- **GetNet** (Santander Brasil acquirer subsidiary)
- **[Mercado Pago](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/mercado-pago)** (BR + LATAM super-app)
- **[PicPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/picpay)** (BR mobile wallet covered Batch 11)

**Regulator**: **BCB**.

## Fun facts

- **2018 NASDAQ IPO (STNE)** — Brazilian-fintech US-listing pioneer.
- **2017 — Stone became first non-bank entity authorized by BCB as payment institution** — distinctive BR regulatory pioneer.
- **Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett's BRK) shareholder** — distinctive Buffett endorsement of Brazilian fintech.
- **1.7M+ businesses served + Q3 2025 +16% revenue + +18% adjusted NI + +17% active clients + +8 pp ROE expansion to 24%**.
- **Co-founders André Street + Eduardo Pontes + Thiago Piau (current CEO)**.
- **2021 Linx acquisition** — transformational vertical SaaS integration.
- **2023-2025 "rebuilding trust" turnaround narrative** — distinctive post-stumble recovery.

## Comparison

| Feature | Stone | [PagBank / PagSeguro Digital](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/pagbank) (BR rival) | Cielo (BR largest acquirer rival) | Rede (Itaú subsidiary) | GetNet (Santander Brasil subsidiary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **StoneCo Ltd. (NASDAQ: STNE; co-founders André Street + Eduardo Pontes + Thiago Piau CEO; Berkshire Hathaway + Madrone + Ant Group + GIC backed)** | PagSeguro Digital (NYSE: PAGS) | Cielo (Banco do Brasil + Bradesco JV) | Rede (Itaú subsidiary) | GetNet (Santander Brasil subsidiary) |
| Type | **BR SMB-focused payment processing + Stone Banco + Pagar.me + Linx vertical SaaS** | BR consumer + SMB super-app + PagBank digital banking | BR largest acquirer (Banco do Brasil + Bradesco) | BR Itaú-anchored acquirer | BR Santander-anchored acquirer |
| Country | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil |
| Users | **1.7M+ businesses + Q3 2025 BRL 3.6B revenue (+16% YoY) + +24% ROE** | 34M customers + R$ 678M 4Q25 recurring profit + 18.4% ROAE | Largest BR acquirer by volume | Itaú-anchored | Santander-anchored |
| Listing | **NASDAQ: STNE since 2018** | NYSE: PAGS | B3-listed via Banco do Brasil + Bradesco parents | Itaú parent-listed | Santander Brasil parent-listed |
| Distinctive | **First BR non-bank payment institution (BCB 2017); Berkshire Hathaway shareholder; 2018 NASDAQ pioneering BR-fintech US listing; 2021 Linx acquisition; 2023-2025 turnaround** | 34M customers; R$623M dividend 2025 + R$1.4B 2026; R$25B credit-portfolio 2029 target | BR largest acquirer | Itaú-anchored | Santander-anchored |

## Status

**Active, Brazil's leading SMB-focused payments + digital-banking fintech** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- **StoneCo Ltd. (NASDAQ: STNE)** since 2012 (NASDAQ IPO 2018).
- **1.7M+ businesses + Q3 2025 BRL 3.6B revenue (+16% YoY) + +18% adjusted NI + +17% active clients + +8 pp ROE expansion to 24%**.
- **First BR non-bank entity authorized by BCB as payment institution (2017)**.
- **Berkshire Hathaway + Madrone + Ant Group + GIC backed**.
- **BCB-regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.investing.com/equities/stoneco-ltd "StoneCo Ltd Stock Price NASDAQ STNE — Investing.com"
[2]: https://www.stocktitan.net/news/STNE/ "Stoneco STNE stock news + Q3 2025 results — StockTitan"
[3]: https://jimmysjournal.substack.com/p/stoneco-stne-investment-thesis-rebuilding "StoneCo investment thesis rebuilding trust — Jimmy's Journal"
[4]: https://www.ino.com/blog/2025/01/the-digital-payments-boom-why-stoneco-stne-could-surge/ "StoneCo digital payments boom — INO.com"
[br-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BR

- [1] [StoneCo Ltd Stock Price — Investing.com][1]
- [2] [Stoneco STNE Q3 2025 results — StockTitan][2]
- [3] [StoneCo investment thesis rebuilding trust — Jimmy's Journal][3]
- [4] [StoneCo digital payments boom — INO.com][4]
- <sup>[Brazil report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BR)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/BR-brazil.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [stone.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/stone). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.