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InComm
Brooks Smith founded InComm in 1992, initially distributing prepaid long-distance calling cards.
InComm
Brooks Smith founded InComm in 1992, initially distributing prepaid long-distance calling cards. The Atlanta-based company evolved into a behind-the-scenes transaction processor, connecting physical gift card malls at retailers like Walmart and CVS to digital code fulfillment for companies ranging from Apple to Nintendo. InComm's core business is prepaid and stored-value processing, spanning closed-loop gift cards, open-loop reloadable cards, and digital gaming and mobile top-up codes. The firm built VanillaDirect, its own network for physical gift card malls, and issues the ubiquitous Vanilla Visa and Mastercard open-loop gift cards. It also acquired the interactive kiosk network Coinstar in 2023, adding a self-service hardware layer to its software-based payments infrastructure. The firm's geographic reach covers North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The company operates globally with a substantial employee base and runs multiple subsidiary businesses, including the American Express Serve prepaid program. In August 2023, InComm completed its acquisition of Coinstar, the self-service coin-counting kiosk business, for an undisclosed sum (per the firm's announcement, August 2023). What structurally differentiates InComm is its dual identity: it is simultaneously a private investment vehicle for its founder and a massive operating payments business. Smith retains full ownership, making InComm a rare example of a scaled, dominant enterprise-grade payments processor that has resisted both public-market pressures and private-equity recapitalization for over three decades, while holding critical distribution relationships with virtually every major US retailer.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
1992
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Atlanta
Corporate office
Atlanta, GA, United States
Principals
Brooks Smith
Founder and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Is InComm a payments company or Brooks Smith's family investment vehicle?
It is both. Brooks Smith founded InComm in 1992 and retains sole ownership, meaning the company's operating profits and strategic direction serve as the primary asset for Smith. Unlike most payments processors of its scale, InComm has never taken institutional private equity or gone public, making it an unusual hybrid of a family-controlled holding company and a global payments operator.
How does InComm generate most of its revenue?
InComm earns processing fees and commissions on the activation and redemption of prepaid products. Its VanillaDirect network manages physical gift card malls in major retailers, while its digital platform delivers codes for gaming, streaming, and mobile top-ups. The company also earns interchange revenue from its open-loop Vanilla prepaid card program.
What was the strategic rationale behind acquiring Coinstar?
InComm acquired Coinstar in August 2023 to embed its prepaid and financial services products onto Coinstar's network of self-service kiosks located in grocery stores. This added a physical hardware-based distribution channel to InComm's existing retail and digital networks, while potentially allowing the company to offer crypto purchases, bill pay, and other services through the kiosks.
Which retailers depend on InComm's infrastructure?
InComm's gift card malls and processing services appear inside Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, and most big-box and drugstore chains across the United States. The company also manages digital code delivery for major technology and gaming platforms including Apple, Google, Nintendo, and Microsoft.
Has InComm ever pursued a public listing or outside investment?
No. Despite numerous reports over the years suggesting potential IPOs or stake sales, Brooks Smith has maintained 100% ownership. InComm remains one of the largest private payments companies globally by transaction volume, operating without external shareholders.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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