Adyen vs Block: Founders, CEOs and History
Adyen was founded in 2006 by Pieter van der Does, Arnout Schuijff and is led by Pieter van der Does and Ingo Uytdehaage. Block was founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey, Jim McKelvey and is led by Jack Dorsey.
Company facts
Founders
Adyen
Pieter van der Does
Pieter van der Does co-founded Adyen in 2006 and serves as co-CEO. He led the company through its June 2018 Euronext Amsterdam listing and remains a member of the Management Board.
Arnout Schuijff
Arnout Schuijff co-founded Adyen and served as its Chief Technology Officer. He helped establish the technology platform built to replace fragmented payment systems.
Block
Jack Dorsey
Dorsey co-founded Square in 2009 with Jim McKelvey after McKelvey lost a glass sale he could not take by card, and has run the company ever since: through the 2015 IPO, the rise of Cash App, the December 2021 rename to Block, the Afterpay purchase and, in Febr…
Jim McKelvey
McKelvey's lost $2,000 glass sale is Square's origin story. He worked with Dorsey and engineer Tristan O'Tierney on the first reader and the flat-pricing business model, and later wrote 'The Innovation Stack' (2020), which explains how Square survived copycats…
CEOs and their tenures
Adyen
- Pieter van der Does2006–present
Co-CEO and Co-Founder
Co-founded Adyen, led it through its 2018 Euronext Amsterdam listing, and continues to oversee the company under the co-CEO structure.
Source - Ingo Uytdehaage2023–present
Co-CEO
Became co-CEO after serving as CFO and took responsibility for operations and product leadership.
Source
Block
- Jack Dorsey2009–present
Co-Founder, Block Head and Chairman (Chief Executive)
Has led Square and Block since 2009: the 2015 IPO, the growth of Cash App, the 2021 rename to Block, the Afterpay purchase, bitcoin projects such as Bitkey and Proto, and the February 2026 cut to just under 6,000 employees.
Source - Alyssa Henry2014–2023
Seller Lead, then Chief Executive of the Square business
Joined from Amazon in 2014 as seller lead and became chief executive of the Square business when the parent was renamed Block in December 2021.
Source
Timeline: Adyen and Block side by side
2006Adyen
Adyen founded in Amsterdam
A group of payments entrepreneurs including Pieter van der Does and Arnout Schuijff founded Adyen.
2009Block
Square founded in St. Louis
Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey start Square in February 2009 after McKelvey loses a $2,000 glass sale because he cannot take an American Express card. With engineer Tristan O'Tierney they build a reader that plugs into a phone's headphone jack.
2010Block
Square reader and app go public
Square releases its free card reader and app, letting individuals and small sellers take card payments on a smartphone at one published rate instead of signing a bank merchant contract.
2011Block
Visa invests in Square
Visa makes a strategic investment in Square in April 2011, a sign the card networks saw the startup as widening card acceptance rather than threatening it.
2012Adyen
North American office opened
Adyen opened its San Francisco office as it expanded its international merchant business.
2012Block
Starbucks deal
Starbucks invests $25 million and Square starts processing card payments at about 7,000 U.S. Starbucks stores, with Dorsey joining the Starbucks board.
2013Block
Square Cash launches
Square launches Square Cash in October 2013, letting people send money to each other by email. It later becomes Cash App.
2014Adyen
Growth investment announced
General Atlantic and Temasek joined existing investors in a $250 million funding round.
2014Block
Square Capital and Caviar
Square starts lending to its own sellers through Square Capital in May 2014, with repayments taken as a share of daily card sales, and buys food delivery service Caviar.
2015Block
IPO on the New York Stock Exchange
Square lists on the NYSE as SQ on November 19, 2015 at $9 a share, a valuation of about $2.9 billion, raising about $243 million.
2017Adyen
European banking license obtained
Adyen obtained a European banking license, expanding its ability to provide acquiring and settlement services.
2018Adyen
eBay payments partnership announced
eBay selected Adyen as a primary payments processing partner for its managed-payments transition.
2018Adyen
Euronext Amsterdam listing
Adyen began trading on Euronext Amsterdam on June 13, 2018 at an offer price of €240 per share.
2018Block
Cash App adds bitcoin; Square buys Weebly
Cash App, which added the Cash Card debit card in 2017, lets users buy bitcoin from 2018, and Square buys website builder Weebly for $365 million. Commission-free stock investing follows in 2019.
2020Block
Bitcoin treasury, Verse and Credit Karma Tax
The FDIC approves deposit insurance for Square Financial Services in March 2020. Square buys Spanish payments app Verse in June, puts $50 million into 4,709 bitcoin in October, and agrees in November to buy Credit Karma Tax for $50 million.
2021Adyen
US banking branch launched
Adyen launched its US banking branch after receiving federal and state approvals.
2021Block
TIDAL purchase and Square's own bank opens
Square Financial Services opens on March 1, 2021, and Square agrees the same month to buy a majority of the TIDAL music service for $297 million in cash and stock, with Jay-Z joining its board.
2021Block
Afterpay deal announced
Square agrees in August 2021 to buy Afterpay, the Australian buy now, pay later company, in an all-stock deal valued at about $29 billion.
2021Block
Square becomes Block
On December 10, 2021, Square, Inc. renames itself Block, Inc., shortly after Dorsey steps down as Twitter's chief executive. Square remains the name of the seller business.
2022Adyen
Embedded financial products expanded
Adyen introduced business accounts and capital products for platform customers in addition to issuing.
2022Block
Afterpay acquisition closes
Block completes the Afterpay purchase on January 31, 2022. Because it paid in its own shares, which had roughly halved since the announcement, the deal was worth much less at closing than the headline $29 billion.
2023Adyen
Co-CEO structure established
Ingo Uytdehaage became co-CEO alongside Pieter van der Does after shareholder approval.
2023Block
Hindenburg report, Square leadership change and Bitkey
Short seller Hindenburg Research accuses Cash App in March 2023 of inflated user metrics and weak compliance, which Block rejects.
2024Adyen
Annual processed volume exceeded ~$1.13 trillion (€1 trillion)
Adyen reported ~$1.45 trillion (€1.286 trillion) of processed volume and ~$2.28 billion (€2.015 billion) of net revenue for 2024.
2024Block
Proto mining chip and portfolio cuts
Block says in April 2024 it has designed a 3-nanometer bitcoin mining chip, agrees in July to supply Core Scientific, and in November winds down its TBD crypto unit and scales back TIDAL.
2025Adyen
Net revenue reached ~$2.67 billion (€2.3642 billion)
FY2025 net revenue rose 18% to ~$2.67 billion (€2.3642 billion); processed volume was separately reported at ~$1.58 trillion (€1.3943 trillion).
2025Block
Cash App settlements and the XYZ ticker
In January 2025 the CFPB orders Block to pay up to $120 million in Cash App redress plus a $55 million penalty, state regulators impose an $80 million anti-money-laundering penalty, and the ticker changes from SQ to XYZ.
2025Block
Block joins the S&P 500
Block enters the S&P 500 on July 23, 2025, replacing Hess, and at its November investor day sets 2028 targets of about $15.8 billion of gross profit and $4.6 billion of adjusted operating income.
2026Adyen
Talon.One and Orb acquisitions closed
Adyen completed both acquisitions on July 1, adding loyalty and incentives technology from Talon.One and enterprise billing from Orb.
2026Block
Workforce cut to under 6,000
On February 26, 2026, Dorsey announces Block will shrink from more than 10,000 employees to just under 6,000, citing AI, and the shares jump about 24%.
Acquisitions
Block
- Afterpay2022$29B
- TIDAL (majority stake)2021$297M
- Credit Karma Tax (now Cash App Taxes)2020$50M
- Verse2020Undisclosed
- Weebly2018$365M
- Caviar2014$90M
Questions about Adyen vs Block
Who is the CEO of Adyen N.V. and Block Inc?
Adyen N.V. is led by Pieter van der Does and Ingo Uytdehaage and Block Inc is led by Jack Dorsey. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Adyen N.V. founded vs Block Inc?
Adyen N.V. was founded in 2006 — 3 years before Block Inc, which was founded in 2009. Adyen N.V.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Block Inc.
How many employees does Adyen N.V. have compared to Block Inc?
Adyen N.V. employs approximately 4,771 people, while Block Inc employs approximately 10,205. Block Inc has the larger workforce at 10,205 employees, compared to Adyen N.V.'s 4,771. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Adyen N.V. and Block Inc headquartered?
Adyen N.V. is headquartered in Netherlands and Block Inc is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Adyen N.V. and Block Inc?
Adyen N.V. was founded by Pieter van der Does, Arnout Schuijff. Block Inc was founded by Jack Dorsey, Jim McKelvey.
Which company has a longer operating history — Adyen N.V. or Block Inc?
Adyen N.V. has been operating for approximately 20 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Block Inc has been in operation for around 17 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Adyen vs Block overview