Plaid vs Visa: Founders, CEOs and History
Plaid was founded in 2013 by Zachary Perret, William Hockey and is led by Zachary Perret. Visa was founded in 1958 by Dee Hock and is led by Ryan McInerney.
Company facts
Founders
Plaid
Zachary Perret
Zach Perret is the co-founder and CEO of Plaid. He has led the company since 2013, through its shift from screen scraping to direct bank APIs, the abandoned $5.3 billion Visa acquisition in 2020-2021, and its growth to more than $500 million in ARR by 2025.
William Hockey
William Hockey co-founded Plaid in 2013 and served as its president, focusing on engineering and product. He left Plaid in 2021 and co-founded Column, a nationally chartered bank built for developers.
Visa
Dee Hock
Dee Hock (1929-2022) was the founding CEO of National BankAmericard Inc., the bank-owned company that took over the BankAmericard licensing system from Bank of America in 1970 and adopted the Visa name in 1976.
CEOs and their tenures
Plaid
- Zach Perret2013–present
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
Has led Plaid since 2013, through the abandoned Visa deal, the move to direct bank APIs and growth to $500M+ ARR in 2025.
Source - William Hockey2013–2021
Co-Founder & former President
Led engineering and product in Plaid's early years; left in 2021 to co-found Column, a developer-focused bank.
Source
Visa
- Alfred F. Kelly Jr.2016–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive of Visa from December 2016 to January 2023, when Ryan McInerney succeeded him; Kelly then served as executive chairman.
Source - Ryan McInerney2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
McInerney joined Visa in 2013 as president after senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and became chief executive on February 1, 2023, succeeding Alfred F. Kelly Jr.
Source
Timeline: Plaid and Visa side by side
1958Visa
BankAmericard launched
Bank of America launched BankAmericard, the direct predecessor to Visa.
1976Visa
Visa name adopted
The network adopted the Visa name to support international acceptance and brand consistency.
2008Visa
Visa IPO
Visa became a public company, changing the economics from a bank association structure to a shareholder-owned company.
2013Plaid
Plaid Founded in San Francisco
Zach Perret and William Hockey founded Plaid to build modern developer APIs for banking data.
2014Plaid
$2.8M Seed Round Led by Spark Capital
Raised $2.8 million in seed capital, launching Plaid Link and signing early fintech customers Venmo and Robinhood.
2016Plaid
$44M Series B Led by Goldman Sachs Investment Partners
Secured $44 million to expand bank connectivity across thousands of regional US credit unions and banks.
2018Plaid
$250M Series C at $2.65B Valuation Led by Kleiner Perkins
Achieved unicorn status at $2.65 billion, acquiring competitor Quovo to expand into wealth management data.
2020Plaid
Visa Announces $5.3B Acquisition of Plaid
Visa announced a definitive agreement to acquire Plaid for $5.3 billion to expand into open banking.
2021Plaid
Visa Merger Terminated Following DOJ Antitrust Suit
Mutually terminated the Visa acquisition following a DOJ antitrust suit; raised $425M Series D at $13.4B valuation.
2022Plaid
Acquires Cognito to Expand into Identity Verification
Acquired identity verification platform Cognito, launching Plaid IDV and compliance monitoring.
2022Visa
Tink acquisition
Visa completed its purchase of Stockholm-based open banking platform Tink in March 2022.
2023Visa
Ryan McInerney becomes CEO
Ryan McInerney became Visa's CEO after serving as president.
2024Plaid
CFPB Issues Landmark Section 1033 Open Banking Rule
The CFPB finalized Section 1033 regulations, legally prohibiting banks from blocking consumer open banking data.
2025Visa
Revenue reaches $40.0B
Visa reported $40.0 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue.
2026Plaid
Surpasses $300M+ ARR Connecting 100M+ Consumers Ahead of IPO
Achieved annualized revenue exceeding $300 million, powering over 8,000 fintech applications.
Acquisitions
Questions about Plaid vs Visa
Who is the CEO of Plaid Inc. and Visa Inc.?
Plaid Inc. is led by Zachary Perret and Visa Inc. is led by Ryan McInerney. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Plaid Inc. founded vs Visa Inc.?
Visa Inc. was founded in 1958 — 55 years before Plaid Inc., which was founded in 2013. Visa Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Plaid Inc..
How many employees does Plaid Inc. have compared to Visa Inc.?
Plaid Inc. employs approximately 1,300 people, while Visa Inc. employs approximately 34,100. Visa Inc. has the larger workforce at 34,100 employees, compared to Plaid Inc.'s 1,300. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Plaid Inc. and Visa Inc. headquartered?
Both Plaid Inc. and Visa Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Plaid Inc. and Visa Inc.?
Plaid Inc. was founded by Zachary Perret, William Hockey. Visa Inc. was founded by Dee Hock.
Which company has a longer operating history — Plaid Inc. or Visa Inc.?
Visa Inc. has been operating for approximately 68 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Plaid Inc. has been in operation for around 13 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 Plaid vs Visa overview