Paul Alex

Paul Espinoza, known professionally as Paul Alex, is an American entrepreneur and former police detective. He is the founder and CEO of ATMTogether and CashSwipe, companies focused on automated teller machine (ATM) placement and merchant services.

Early life and education

Alex was born to a Mexican father and a Peruvian mother. He began working summer jobs at age 15 to support his family. After high school, he attended a community college.

Early work and law enforcement

Alex took a commission-based sales job at a chemical sales company, where he later earned a management promotion and received awards for meeting sales quotas. He then became a police officer at age 26. By age 28, he had been promoted to detective, earning a six-figure salary (reported as over $200,000 per year). He worked 16-hour shifts and sometimes slept only three hours per night.

ATM business

In 2017, following a colleague's suggestion, Alex began researching the ATM business. He purchased his first ATM for approximately $2,100 and placed it in a nail salon, earning AbOUT $500 per month in surcharge fees during the first month. By month 18, he had expanded to 30 ATMs, generating $15,000 per month. Alex has stated that his ATM income eventually allowed him to leave police work. According to a 2023 report by ATM Marketplace, his ATM ventures generated $12 million in revenue.

ATMTogether

In January 2021, Alex founded ATMTogether, a company that helps clients build, manage, and install ATMs. According to a 2022 article in Maxim, the company had made $6 million in revenue in under 18 months and had over 1,400 clients in an "ATM Automation ELITE" program. The company also offers free training via a Facebook group called "ATM Business for Beginners."

CashSwipe

Alex later launched CashSwipe, a merchant services and lead generation business. According to an article in 1883 Magazine, CashSwipe provides "done-for-you inbound lead generation for merchant services beginners." A 2025 piece in Retail Insider described CashSwipe as reshaping the merchant services landscape for retail entrepreneurs.

Other activities

Alex has been a guest on The Level Up Podcast and has spoken at Nasdaq about technology, entrepreneurship, and financial infrastructure. He has also written a book about his career transition.

Personal life

Alex has said he is "a big family guy" and that his police schedule led him to neglect personal relationships. According to an interview, he retired his parents and purchased a $2.9 million home. As of 2024, he resided in Miami, Florida. His social media accounts document his business journey and include images of luxury purchases such as a Porsche.

See also

  • Automated teller machine
  • Passive income