Clearhaus

About Clearhaus

Founded in 2011 by Claus Methmann Christensen and Tonny Elsberg in Aarhus, Denmark, Clearhaus A/S operates as a payment institution and merchant acquirer. The company was established to streamline online payments, addressing common frustrations such as lengthy onboarding processes and unclear terms. Christensen, an entrepreneur with a background in technology and finance since 2001, serves as the CEO.

Clearhaus provides acquiring services that enable online businesses to accept and process payments. As a financial institution, its core function is to collect, hold, and disburse funds from customer transactions to merchants. The company serves a wide range of clients, from startups to large corporations, processing daily transactions for over 33,000 online stores across 33 European countries. Its revenue is generated through transaction-based fees. Clearhaus is licensed by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority and is a principal member of Visa and Mastercard, which allows it to offer its services across Europe.

The company's offerings are built on its own technological infrastructure, featuring robust APIs and an intuitive dashboard for merchants. Key services include fast onboarding, multi-currency payment processing, automated chargeback management, and support for recurring transactions for subscription-based models. Clearhaus supports various payment methods, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and MobilePay. To enhance security and comply with regulations like PSD2, the platform provides features such as automated fraud detection and conditional 3-D Secure. In a strategic move to create a unified commerce ecosystem, Clearhaus announced plans in 2025 to expand its services to include acquiring payments from physical stores (POS).

The firm has seen steady growth, securing $7.36 million over three funding rounds, including investments from Black Swan Venture Capital. A significant milestone occurred in January 2021, when Clearhaus was acquired by Unzer, a major European payment solutions provider, with the Clearhaus founders remaining co-invested. This acquisition has expanded Clearhaus's resources and reach, while the company continues to operate under its own brand.