Last updated on January 3rd, 2026 at 01:41 pm
Quick Breakdown
- Tether leads $8 million raise for Speed to build Lightning-based, USDT-settled payment infrastructure for global merchants and platforms.
- Speed already processes over $1.5 billion in annual volume for more than 1.2 million users via its Speed Wallet and Speed Merchant products.
- Deal reinforces Tether’s strategy to push USDT into everyday payments while expanding Bitcoin-aligned settlement rails.
Tether backs Speed to scale Lightning-native stablecoin payments
Tether has led an $8 million strategic investment in Speed1 Inc., a payments infrastructure firm that combines the Bitcoin Lightning Network with stablecoin settlement for instant, global transactions. The round, which also included Ego Death Capital, is designed to expand Lightning-native payment rails that use Bitcoin for transport while settling in stablecoins like USDT for price stability.
According to Tether, the funding will support Speed’s product development, licensing efforts, and hiring as the company enters new markets across emerging and developed economies. Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO, said Speed’s growth shows that Bitcoin-rooted networks can underpin mainstream commerce when paired with compliant, low-friction payment infrastructure.
Tether Leads $8M Strategic Investment in Speed to Advance Lightning-Native, Stablecoin-Powered Payments
Learn more: https://t.co/RyeiRAwCqY— Tether (@Tether_to) December 16, 2025
Speed’s Lightning-plus-stablecoin model targets real-world payments
Speed operates a payments stack that tightly integrates the Bitcoin Lightning Network for real-time routing while settling transactions in Bitcoin or USDT, depending on user and merchant preferences. This approach aims to blend Lightning’s speed and low fees with the stability and familiarity of fiat-pegged stablecoins for cross-border transfers, creator payouts, and enterprise settlements.
The firm’s core products, Speed Wallet for consumers and creators and Speed Merchant for businesses and platforms, support instant payments and multi-currency settlement while abstracting Lightning’s technical complexity from end users. Speed currently handles more than $1.5 billion in annual payment volume and serves over 1.2 million users and business clients, positioning it as a meaningful Lightning-based payment rail rather than a pure pilot project.
Notably, Tether, KraneShares, and Bitfinex Securities have forged a strategic collaboration to accelerate the global mass adoption of tokenized securities. Central to this effort is Hadron by Tether, which serves as the technological foundation for digitizing traditional assets, including ETFs and bonds, into more compliant, liquid, and accessible blockchain-based tokens. The ultimate goal of this alliance is to revolutionize capital markets by enhancing transparency and efficiency. This initiative is set to unlock a colossal $700 trillion asset class for a global investor base, thereby fostering significant mainstream institutional engagement.
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