Esquire Bank Ranked Among Top 25 U.S. Merchant Acquirers by Nilson Report

Rhea-AI Summary

Esquire Financial Holdings (NASDAQ: ESQ) was ranked among the top U.S. merchant acquirers by Nilson Report for 2025, placing 21st overall and 8th among banks.

Esquire processed $39.45 billion in total purchase volume (+8.6% YoY), settled over 590 million transactions, and recorded $14.01 billion in card-not-present volume (+9.4%).

Positive

• Ranked 21st among U.S. merchant acquirers
• 8th highest-ranked bank by total purchase volume
• Total purchase volume of $39.45 billion (+8.6% YoY)
• Card-not-present volume of $14.01 billion (+9.4% YoY)
• Settled >590 million total purchase transactions

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction – ESQ

-1.41%

3 alerts

-1.41% Session close to close

$1.00B Market Cap

0.8x Rel. Volume

In the Apr 22 session, ESQ declined 1.41%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 3 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

This announcement highlights Esquire’s strengthening payments franchise, with $39.45 billion in 2025...

Analysis

This announcement highlights Esquire’s strengthening payments franchise, with $39.45 billion in 2025 purchase volume and 9.4% growth in card-not-present activity. Being ranked 21st overall and eighth among banks by Nilson adds to recent third-party recognition and follows its announced expansion via acquisition. Investors may track future purchase volume growth, diversification of merchant mix, and integration progress with prior initiatives to assess how durable this fee-based revenue stream remains over time.

Key Figures

2025 purchase volume: $39.45 billion Purchase volume growth: 8.6% year-over-year Overall U.S. ranking: 21st +5 more

8 metrics

2025 purchase volume $39.45 billion Total merchant purchase volume processed in 2025

Purchase volume growth 8.6% year-over-year Growth in total purchase volume in 2025

Overall U.S. ranking 21st Nilson Report ranking among U.S. merchant acquirers by 2025 volume

Bank ranking 8th Nilson Report ranking among banks by 2025 purchase volume

CNP purchase volume $14.01 billion 2025 card-not-present purchase volume

CNP volume growth 9.4% Year-over-year growth in 2025 CNP purchase volume

Total 2025 transactions More than 590 million Total purchase transactions settled in 2025

CNP transactions 209.6 million 2025 card-not-present purchase transactions

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Apr 08 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Apr 08	Earnings call notice	Neutral	+3.5%	Announcement of Q1 2026 earnings release and investor conference call details.
Mar 31	Performance recognition	Positive	+1.5%	Named a Best-Performing U.S. Community Bank for 2025 by S&P Global.
Mar 19	Shareholder inquiry item	Neutral	+0.8%	Headline raises questions on fairness of deals for shareholders across several firms.
Mar 16	Shareholder inquiry item	Neutral	-2.8%	Similar multi-company shareholder fairness headline including ESQ among others.
Mar 12	Signature acquisition	Positive	+7.0%	All-stock acquisition of Signature Bancorporation with projected EPS and TBV accretion.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Recent recognition- and acquisition-related announcements have seen positive next-day price reactions, suggesting the stock has often responded favorably to constructive corporate news.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Esquire has combined strong operating recognition with strategic expansion. A planned acquisition of Signature Bancorporation announced on Mar 12, 2026 drove a 7.03% move, while S&P Global’s “Best-Performing Community Bank” recognition on Mar 31, 2026 coincided with a 1.46% rise. An earnings call announcement on Apr 8, 2026 saw a smaller 3.45% gain. Today’s Nilson Report ranking adds another data point of third-party validation for Esquire’s payments and merchant services franchise.

Key Terms

merchant acquirers, card-not-present (CNP)

2 terms

merchant acquirers financial

"Esquire Bank ranked among the top U.S. merchant acquirers by Nilson Report..."

Merchant acquirers are banks or financial firms that handle credit and debit card payments for businesses, routing transactions between a merchant and the card networks, settling funds, and managing fees and fraud checks. They matter to investors because their revenue and profit depend on the number and size of transactions, fee margins and fraud losses; think of them as a toll operator who earns from traffic volumes but is exposed when traffic falls or risks rise.

card-not-present (CNP) technical

"Ranked 14th nationally in card-not-present (CNP) purchase volume..."

Card-not-present (CNP) describes a payment where the customer’s payment card is used without the physical card being shown—common in online, phone, or mail orders. It matters to investors because CNP transactions carry higher fraud and chargeback risk and often higher processing costs, which can reduce merchant margins and affect revenue stability for retailers and payment processors; think of it as buying by phone instead of handing over cash at a store.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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JERICHO, N.Y., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESQ) (the "Company"), the financial holding company for Esquire Bank, National Association ("Esquire Bank" or the "Bank"), (collectively "Esquire") today announced it has been ranked among the top U.S. merchant acquirers by Nilson Report for the second consecutive year. Esquire ranked 21st overall and eighth among banks based on total purchase volume in 2025.

Esquire's 2025 performance reflects continued growth and scale across its merchant processing platform:

• Processed $39.45 billion in total purchase volume, an 8.6% year-over-year increase.
  
  
• Ranked 14th nationally in card-not-present (CNP) purchase volume, which grew 9.4% to $14.01 billion.
  
  
• Settled more than 590 million total purchase transactions, including 209.6 million CNP transactions.

"Our merchant services vertical is a core driver of Esquire Bank's consistent growth and profitability," said Andrew C. Sagliocca, Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. "Our continued recognition among the nation's top merchant acquirers underscores the strength of this business and its role in diversifying our revenue streams."

"Our 2025 results highlight the breadth and depth of our merchant services platform, with strong purchase volume across a diverse merchant base," said Andrew Cohen, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Merchant Services. "We're well positioned to support clients across a range of merchant environments, from in-person to digital, while continuing to grow a durable, fee-based business."

The Nilson Report is a trusted source of global payments data and analysis. Its annual rankings evaluate the largest U.S. merchant acquirers based on total purchase volume and transaction counts across all card types.

About Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc.

Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Jericho, New York. Its wholly owned subsidiary, Esquire Bank, is a full-service commercial bank, with branch offices in Jericho, New York and Los Angeles, California, as well as an administrative office in Boca Raton, Florida. The Bank is dedicated to serving the financial needs of the litigation industry and small businesses nationally, as well as commercial and retail customers in the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas. The Bank offers tailored financial and payment processing solutions to the litigation community and their clients as well as dynamic and flexible payment processing solutions to small business owners. For more information, visit www.esquirebank.com.

 

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SOURCE Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc.

FAQ

What did Esquire (ESQ) announce about its Nilson Report ranking on April 22, 2026?

Esquire announced it ranked 21st overall and 8th among banks in Nilson Report's 2025 U.S. merchant acquirer rankings. According to the company, this reflects its merchant services scale and continued growth across in-person and digital channels.

How much purchase volume did Esquire (ESQ) process in 2025?

Esquire processed $39.45 billion in total purchase volume in 2025, an 8.6% YoY increase. According to the company, this growth reflects expansion across its merchant processing platform and diverse merchant base.

What were Esquire's card-not-present (CNP) results for 2025 and how significant are they for ESQ?

Esquire's CNP purchase volume grew 9.4% to $14.01 billion in 2025. According to the company, stronger CNP volume signals growing digital transaction activity and diversification of its fee-based merchant services revenue.

How many transactions did Esquire (ESQ) settle in 2025 according to the announcement?

Esquire settled over 590 million total purchase transactions in 2025, including 209.6 million CNP transactions. According to the company, this transaction scale demonstrates operational capacity across payment types.

What does the Nilson Report ranking mean for Esquire Bank's (ESQ) merchant services strategy?

The ranking signals competitive scale and credibility in merchant acquiring, supporting Esquire's merchant services strategy. According to the company, the recognition underscores its role in diversifying revenue and supporting varied merchant environments.

Will Esquire's Nilson Report placement likely affect ESQ investor perception in 2026?

The placement may boost investor perception by highlighting merchant-services growth and scale. According to the company, the ranking evidences durable, fee-based revenue and operational reach across in-person and digital channels.