TL;DR
- Tether invests $8M in Speed to combine Lightning speed with stablecoin settlement.
- Speed’s hybrid rails target cross-border payments, merchant settlement, and creator payouts.
- Platform processes $1.5B annually, serving 1.2M users with instant, low-cost transfers.
Tether expanded its role in digital payments after leading an $8 million investment in Speed1, Inc., a payments infrastructure company building global settlement rails on the Bitcoin Lightning Network combined with stablecoins. Ego Death Capital also joined the round.
Speed builds payment infrastructure designed for near-instant transfers at low cost. The company combines Lightning transaction speed with stablecoin settlement to maintain price stability. Speed stated that the capital supports product development and international expansion, with an emphasis on cross-border payments, creator payouts, and merchant settlement.
The platform processes more than $1.5 billion in annualized payment volume. Core products, Speed Wallet and Speed Merchant, serve close to 1.2 million users and businesses. The system supports instant payments, native Bitcoin and USDT settlement, and global routing built to meet enterprise reliability standards.
Stable settlement gains ground on Lightning
By adding stablecoins to Lightning-based flows, Speed allows users and businesses to choose between price exposure and stable settlement on a per-transaction basis. The company said the hybrid design reduces friction across international transfers, platform settlements, and merchant payments, particularly in regions where banking services carry high costs or limited reach.
Tether said the investment aligns with its work to strengthen Bitcoin-aligned infrastructure while extending USDT utility into everyday commerce. The firm noted that Speed’s architecture shows how Lightning and stablecoins operate together at scale, pairing low fees with global reach and compliance-oriented design.
Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino said Speed demonstrates what Lightning delivers when paired with a liquid digital dollar such as USDT. He added that Tether supports infrastructure that lowers payment friction and broadens access to reliable settlement rails for mainstream commerce.
Speed chief executive Niraj Patel said the platform aims to move digital assets into functional payment use. Patel explained that Lightning supplies transaction speed, while stablecoins provide predictable value, enabling support for consumers, creators, and merchants.
