Block is a financial services technology company comprising of Square, Cash App, Spiral, TIDAL, and TBD. Its biggest brand, Square, offers hardware and software for small to medium-sized businesses enabling them to manage the entire payment lifecycle. It functions similarly to Shopify and Stripe, but has paired online payment processing with physical devices such as registers, payment terminals, and mobile card readers.
The business was originally founded as Square in 2009 by Jack Dorsey of Twitter fame. Already well-established with SMEs all over the globe, Square has significantly benefited from the increased demand for mobile payment systems. Its order management feature remains a go-to tool for small businesses that otherwise didn't have the proper infrastructure in place when demand for home delivery surged.
Square rebranded as Block in December 2021, with the Square brand name remaining in place for their seller business. The company has since come under fire for its security practices, facing lawsuits in relation to a major breach of CashApp user data, and in 2024 announced plans to reduce its workforce in order to cut costs. Despite these setbacks, there is every chance the business will move past this, though it may take some time to rebuild trust in its product.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
