Lightnet
Lightnet is a Singapore-headquartered, multi-jurisdiction licensed cross-border payment infrastructure platform using blockchain and stablecoin settlement rails to serve banks, fintechs, PSPs, corporates, and merchants across 150+ countries, processing $15B+ annualized volume.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBangkok, Thailand
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Lightnet does
Lightnet is a licensed cross-border payment infrastructure platform headquartered in Singapore with operating entities across Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. The company bridges traditional banking rails with blockchain-based stablecoin settlement, enabling financial institutions, crypto exchanges, OTC desks, PSPs, corporates, and merchants to move value across 150+ countries through a single API integration. Its four product modules — Digital Assets, Cross-Border Payments, Merchant Payments, and Corporate Treasury & FX — are built on distributed ledger infrastructure developed in partnership with Velo Labs and Fireblocks, processing $15B+ in annualized volume in 2024.
The company generates revenue through transaction-based fees on cross-border settlement, FX conversion spreads, digital asset on/off-ramp services, and merchant payment processing. Go-to-market is enterprise-direct, targeting financial institutions and PSPs via field sales with volume-tiered pricing up to $100M+ monthly. Lightnet's regulatory profile is its defining structural asset: it holds 12 licenses across 5 jurisdictions and was the first fintech to graduate from the Bank of Thailand sandbox program, giving it multi-jurisdictional compliance coverage that most regional competitors lack. Ownership is anchored by the CP Group family (Chatchaval Jiaravanon, $48M in 2021) with LDA Capital providing a $50M commitment in 2022, and the business is advised by Jed McCaleb (Stellar/Ripple co-founder) and other Stanford/MIT-affiliated figures.
Recent strategic activity — the KuCoin partnership (April 2026), OpenEden Treasury-as-a-Service launch (September 2025), EVOLVE Chain ecosystem participation (December 2025), and a $5M investment from Yisou Technology (August 2025) — indicates deliberate expansion from a payment-rail business into a broader tokenized-asset settlement and Web3+ finance platform serving ASEAN corporates, DAOs, and Web3 treasuries.
Lightnet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lightnet
- Legal name
- Lightnet Pte. Ltd.
- Website
- https://lightnet.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Lightnet is a Singapore-headquartered, multi-jurisdiction licensed cross-border payment infrastructure platform using blockchain and stablecoin settlement rails to serve banks, fintechs, PSPs, corporates, and merchants across 150+ countries, processing $15B+ annualized volume.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lightnet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Miscellaneous Intermediation (523910)
- SIC
- Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payments, Remittances & Merchant Acceptance (checkout, invoicing, payroll) (FSAPAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crypto Payments & Stablecoin Settlement Platforms (BPAMAFAL), Correspondent Banking & Liquidity Network Platforms (FSAGAKAI), OTC Desks & Block Trading Networks (FSAPADAH)
Keywords
Where Lightnet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bangkok
- HQ country
- Thailand
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices7 records
Markets served
Lightnet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cross-Border Settlement and Transaction Fees: Lightnet charges transaction and settlement fees for cross-border payment processing. Institutions pay for settlement services when moving money between countries through Lightnet's regulated network. Volume-based fees likely apply given the emphasis on annualized volume processed.
- FX and Treasury Services: Revenue generated from foreign exchange conversion services, multi-currency account management, and liquidity provision for institutional clients managing treasury operations across multiple markets.
- Digital Asset Settlement and On/Off-Ramp Services: Fees for digital asset conversion, stablecoin settlement, and regulated on/off-ramp infrastructure services enabling institutions to convert between crypto and fiat assets.
- Merchant Payment Processing: Revenue from merchant payment processing, including stablecoin-to-fiat conversion services, local payout infrastructure, and multi-currency collection services for platforms enabling merchant payments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Enterprise volume-based pricing for institutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Lightnet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lightnet provides a licensed global settlement network that enables financial institutions, crypto exchanges, OTC desks, PSPs, corporates, and merchants to send, receive, and manage cross-border payments and digital assets across 150+ countries through a single API. The platform combines regulated Web2 compliance with Web3 blockchain and stablecoin settlement rails, supporting cross-border transfers, fiat-to-stablecoin on/off-ramps, merchant payment processing, and multi-currency treasury operations. It processed $15B+ in annualized volume in 2024 and serves 100+ financial institution clients with access to 200k+ merchants.
Product overview
Lightnet is a global payment infrastructure platform offering four integrated product modules built on a common licensed settlement network: Digital Assets (fiat-digital asset conversion and Web2×Web3 settlement interoperability), Cross-Border Payments (global settlement across 150+ countries for institutions), Merchant Payments (access to 200k+ merchants supporting fiat, digital assets, and loyalty points), and Corporate Treasury & FX (multi-asset virtual accounts, FX execution, and programmable treasury workflows). The platform processes $15B+ annualized volume and bridges Web2 compliance with Web3 blockchain and stablecoin settlement rails.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Digital Assets Connects institutions to both traditional rails and blockchain networks through regulated infrastructure, enabling conversion between supported fiat currencies and stablecoins, compliance-ready transactions, and Web2 × Web3 settlement interoperability. Targeted at platforms, exchanges, OTC desks, and Web3 businesses requiring regulated fiat-to-digital-asset conversion and on/off-ramp services.
- Cross-Border Payments Global settlement infrastructure supporting cross-border settlement across 150+ countries, enabling institutions to move money between countries through a single integration with market-leading FX rates, multi-currency settlement, and API-based conversion workflows. Enables transfers between cards, wallets, and bank accounts, and serves as the foundation for the platform's other product modules.
- Merchant Payments Payment network connecting platforms to 200k+ Asian merchants, enabling acceptance of stablecoins, loyalty points, and digital assets while settling to fiat currency through a single API integration. Provides 24/7 payouts in local currency outside banking hours and supports multi-currency settlement for sellers and partners.
- Corporate Treasury & FX Treasury infrastructure managing FX, liquidity, and settlement flows across supported fiat currencies and digital assets through a single regulated platform, featuring multi-asset virtual accounts, centralized FX execution, and programmable treasury workflows. Targeted at corporates and financial institutions requiring multi-currency liquidity and treasury automation.
Quantifiable outcome
- $15B+ annualized volume processed in 2024
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lightnet
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Lightnet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Lightnet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, strategic and core.
- KuCoinmajorExploring potential collaboration to combine KuCoin's global digital asset trading ecosystem with Lightnet's cross-border payment infrastructure to establish a digital financial services ecosystem across Southeast Asia. Both parties committed to working within appropriate regulatory frameworks for broader blockchain adoption in emerging markets.
- EVOLVE ChainstrategicVelo Protocol partnership expanding Web3+ finance ecosystem through collaborations with EVOLVE Chain, Lightnet, and OpenEden, including product launches and listings across Asia.
- OpenEdenmajorVelo Protocol and Lightnet Group partnered with OpenEden, provider of tokenized US Treasury bills, to develop Treasury-as-a-Service platform and regional settlement network spanning Asia. Platform enables businesses, DAOs, and Web3 treasuries to access tokenized US Treasuries while facilitating cross-border payments across ASEAN. OpenEden's TBILL carries 'A' from Moody's and 'AA+' from S&P.
- Velo LabscoreLeveraging Velo Labs' blockchain technology for blockchain-based remittance services, enhancing cross-border payments and remittance systems to foster financial mobility and inclusivity.
- SCB (Siam Commercial Bank)strategicPartnership with SCB and Fireblocks to launch stablecoin-based international payment service, demonstrating fiat-digital asset interoperability through Bank of Thailand fast-track approval.
- FireblocksstrategicPartnership with SCB and Fireblocks to launch stablecoin-based international payment service, providing institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lightnet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ripple: Ripple provides cross-border settlement using XRP and stablecoins for banks and payment providers globally, with established corridors across Asia. Direct competitor in institutional cross-border payments, but at significantly larger scale and broader bank network.
- Wise: Wise (formerly TransferWise) operates one of the largest cross-border payment networks for consumers and businesses with mid-market FX rates. Targets similar cross-border corridors as Lightnet but focuses more on SMB/consumer rather than institutional stablecoin settlement.
- MoneyGram: MoneyGram operates one of the largest global remittance and cross-border P2P/payment networks with strong emerging market coverage. Lightnet is a MoneyGram partner via the Stellar ecosystem; comparable in remittance use cases but MoneyGram serves retail directly.
Direct peers
- Stellar Development Foundation: Stellar is a blockchain-based settlement network specifically designed for cross-border payments and remittances. Lightnet's Velo Protocol is built on Stellar's technology and Jed McCaleb (Stellar co-founder) is a Lightnet advisor, making this a closely aligned technology peer.
- Nium: Nium is a Singapore-headquartered cross-border payments-as-a-service platform serving banks, fintechs, and corporates across 100+ corridors. Highly comparable geography, customer base (financial institutions), and product set (cross-border payments, FX, treasury).
- Thunes: Thunes is a global cross-border payments network connecting 130+ countries with deep mobile wallet and emerging market coverage. Closely comparable in serving financial institutions and PSPs with multi-corridor settlement, with stronger emerging market wallet coverage.
- Airwallex: Airwallex provides cross-border payments, multi-currency accounts, and FX for global businesses, with strong APAC presence. Comparable in geography (Hong Kong/Asia HQ) and product set (multi-currency treasury, cross-border B2B payments, FX).
- Fireblocks: Fireblocks provides institutional digital asset infrastructure (custody, settlement, tokenization) and is an existing Lightnet partner via SCB. Comparable in serving institutional clients moving value across digital asset networks, with stronger custody focus.
Emerging players
- Circle: Circle issues USDC stablecoin and is building its own cross-border settlement network (Circle Payments Network) for financial institutions. Competes with Lightnet's stablecoin settlement rails and could become both a partner and competitor as it expands APAC.
Regional players
- Tranglo: Tranglo is an APAC-focused cross-border payment hub headquartered in Malaysia, serving money transfer operators, banks, and fintechs with payout across 150+ countries. Highly comparable regional focus and corridor coverage, with stronger Southeast Asia heritage.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights1 record
Customer concentration
Lightnet social profiles
Digital presenceLightnet compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Lightnet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lightnet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Lightnet subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Lightnet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lightnet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lightnet
What does Lightnet do?
Lightnet provides a licensed global settlement network that enables financial institutions, crypto exchanges, OTC desks, PSPs, corporates, and merchants to send, receive, and manage cross-border payments and digital assets across 150+ countries through a single API. The platform combines regulated Web2 compliance with Web3 blockchain and stablecoin settlement rails, supporting cross-border transfers, fiat-to-stablecoin on/off-ramps, merchant payment processing, and multi-currency treasury operations. It processed $15B+ in annualized volume in 2024 and serves 100+ financial institution clients with access to 200k+ merchants.
Is Lightnet a public or private company?
Lightnet is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Lightnet founded?
Lightnet was founded in 2018. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Lightnet based?
Lightnet is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, in the Asia region.
How does Lightnet make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Cross-Border Settlement and Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are FX and Treasury Services, digital Asset Settlement and On/Off-Ramp Services and merchant Payment Processing.
Who are Lightnet's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ripple, Wise and MoneyGram. Direct peers are Stellar Development Foundation, Nium, Thunes, Airwallex and Fireblocks. Circle is listed as an emerging player. Tranglo is listed as a regional player.
Does Lightnet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lightnet.
What industry is Lightnet in?
Lightnet's product category is Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAEAE, Payments, Remittances & Merchant Acceptance (checkout, invoicing, payroll), with a secondary code of BPAMAFAL, Crypto Payments & Stablecoin Settlement Platforms. Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6200.