M&A Paying Agent

Distribute merger consideration to every payee before end of day

Cleo Pay replaces paper-based paying agent processes. Shareholders and optionholders self-onboard digitally, W-9s collect automatically, and ACH payments settle in 1-2 days.

Built for the deal team

Different stakeholders. One platform.

Cleo Pay adapts to every role in the transaction, from deal counsel managing compliance to PE firms tracking LP distributions.

01

Deal Counsel

Compliance and document oversight for the entire transaction

  • Track W-9 and OFAC clearance status per payee in real time
  • Review and approve escrow release instructions before funds move
  • Export 1099 data and payment audit logs for closing binders
  • Set hold conditions that block payment until requirements are met
Compliance checklist
✓
Merger AgreementExecuted copy
Complete
✓
W-9 Collection14 of 18 received
Complete
✓
OFAC Screening18 of 18 cleared
Complete
☐
Escrow Release Auth.Awaiting co-counsel
Needed
☐
1099 Data ExportPending payment close
Needed
Deal readiness3 / 5 gating items resolved
02

PE Firms

Fund-level visibility into distributions and LP waterfall

  • See real-time disbursement status across portfolio company exits
  • Track LP-level payout breakdowns with waterfall calculations
  • Download fund distribution statements and wire confirmations
  • Manage multiple deals and entities from a single dashboard
Distribution summary
Mountain Equity Partners LPMay 12, 2026
Proceeds received
$12.4M
MOIC
3.1x
Fund III — LP Distribution$9.8MWired
Carried Interest$2.0MWired
Management Fee Offset$0.6MWired
$10.3M of $12.4M distributed83%
03

Shareholders

A self-service portal for onboarding, W-9s, and payment tracking

  • Complete W-9 and bank setup in under 5 minutes from any device
  • View exact payment amount, hold status, and estimated settlement date
  • Receive email confirmation and downloadable wire receipt instantly
Your payment
JH
J. Harmon
Common Shareholder · Apex Holdings
Your merger proceeds
$4,200,000
Share classCommon
Per-share price$18.40
Shares held228,260
Est. settlementMay 14, 2026
🏠
Chase Business Checking•••• 4821
Payment queuedACH initiated
app.cleo-pay.com/onboard/s/jRk9x2

Complete your payment setup

Summit Capital / Apex Holdings LLC acquisition

Identity
2
Payment & Tax Info
3
Review
021000021
●●●●●●4892

Tax Information

James Rodriguez
●●●-●●-4521
Under penalties of perjury, I certify that the information provided is correct and I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).
W-9 Received · James RodriguezVerified in 12s

Payee Onboarding

Every payee self-onboards in under 15 minutes

Send each shareholder and optionholder a personalized link. They complete bank details, W-9 or W-8, and e-signature in one flow. No paper forms. No follow-up calls. No back-and-forth.

  • Personalized link per payee, valid for 30 days
  • W-9 and W-8 collected in the same flow, not separately
  • Bank verification via Plaid or manual entry
  • E-signature on Letter of Transmittal included

Deal Dashboard

Every deal team member sees the same live picture

Deal counsel, advisors, and the seller’s representative track every payee in real time. No status calls. No email threads. One dashboard from signing through final distribution.

  • Per-payee onboarding status: link sent, form started, completed, verified
  • Document submission tracker: LOT, W-9, joinder, 280G consent
  • Payment status updated as ACH settles
  • Exportable audit trail for any point in the process
app.cleo-pay.com/deals/apex-holdings/payees

Apex Holdings LLC

Active
Overview
Payees
Documents
Distributions
Escrow
All (18)
Paid (14)
Pending (3)
Awaiting docs (1)
PayeeRoleConsiderationOnboardingW-9Payment
Mountain Equity Partners LPPreferred$12,400,000 Complete ReceivedPaid May 12
First Capital TrustCommon$3,100,000 Complete ReceivedPaid May 12
Acme Ventures Fund IIIPreferred$8,240,000 Complete ReceivedPaid May 12
Sarah ChenOption Holder$284,000 Complete ReceivedPaid May 12
Bridgewater HoldingsCommon$4,800,000 Complete ReceivedPaid May 12
James RodriguezOption Holder$118,400 Complete PendingAwaiting W-9
Apex Management LLCCommon$2,100,000In Progress
$39.2M distributed of $47.2M3 payees remaining

Payment Execution

ACH in 1-2 days. Not 6.

The average bank paying agent takes 6 days from closing to deposit. Cleo Pay runs ACH disbursements in parallel across your entire payee population. Payments land in 1-2 business days. Failed attempts are flagged immediately with automatic re-notification.

  • Standard and same-day ACH available
  • Parallel processing across all payees simultaneously
  • Failed ACH flagged instantly, automatic re-notification sent

Payment Timeline · Mountain Equity Partners LP

$12,400,000

Preferred Shareholders

Deal closed

May 12, 2026 · 3:47 PM ET

Payee onboarded

May 12, 2026 · 4:02 PM ET

Completed in 14 minutes

ACH initiated

May 12, 2026 · 4:15 PM ET

Routing: ••••0021 · Acct: ••••4892

Payment settled

May 13, 2026 · 9:23 AM ET

Deposited $12,400,000

Bank average6 days
Cleo Pay18 hrs

$2.1B+

distributed across M&A transactions

18 hrs

median closing to payment

100%

digital, no paper LOTs

FAQ

Common questions about M&A paying agent services

Get Started

Ready to close your next deal faster?

Schedule a 20-minute walkthrough. See the full payee onboarding, deal dashboard, and ACH disbursement flow.

No minimum deal size. No enterprise contract required.