Interledger
Interledger Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit stewarding the open-source Interledger Protocol for interoperable, cross-ledger payments. It funds fintech, university, and policy adoption through grants, developer tools, and community programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Interledger does
Interledger Foundation is a US-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit that stewards the Interledger Protocol (ILP), an open-source, TCP/IP-derived network protocol for routing packets of value across heterogeneous ledgers and payment systems. The foundation's product suite centers on ILP itself, the Open Payments API standard, Rafiki (open-source reference software for account servicing entities to enable Interledger functionality on user accounts), a Testnet for integration testing, and Web Monetization for browser-native micropayments. It also operates a developer portal, an active GitHub ecosystem, and supporting programs (Summit, Hackathon, Future Money Podcast) that drive protocol adoption.
The foundation does not sell a commercial product or earn licensing revenue; it is funded by philanthropic sources and uses grant programs (Digital Financial Services Grants, Open Payments Accelerator, NextGen Higher Education, Fellowship, Grant for the Web, Public Policy Activation, Research Grants, Open Payments SDK) to seed adoption. Its go-to-market is community-led and API-first: the foundation engages developers through self-serve documentation, Slack, and GitHub; universities across North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia through curriculum partnerships; fintechs and banks through grant-funded integrations; and policymakers through dedicated advocacy grants to organizations such as ARTICLE 19, FGV Law School, and AllianceDFA.
Interledger serves multiple user segments: community upstarts and fintech startups, remittance senders and recipients, small businesses and merchants, gig workers and content creators, academic institutions, and policy advocates and researchers. Named operational partners include Chimoney (cross-border payments across 130+ countries), GFT Technologies (Brazil's Pix implementation partner), Blaze Group, UCT's Financial Innovation Hub, Alabama A&M University, Covenant University, and the Hague University of Applied Sciences. Geographic reach spans at least the US, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Australia.
Interledger firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Interledger
- Legal name
- The Interledger Foundation
- Website
- https://interledger.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Interledger Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit stewarding the open-source Interledger Protocol for interoperable, cross-ledger payments. It funds fintech, university, and policy adoption through grants, developer tools, and community programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Interledger industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Open-source Payment Interoperability Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Miscellaneous Intermediation (523910)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cross-Border Payment Orchestration & Routing (FSAGAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Payouts, Disbursements & Mass Payments Infrastructure (FSAGABAN), Cross-Border & FX Payments Platforms (BPAMAFAK), Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB)
Keywords
Where Interledger is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Interledger business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Grant-making and philanthropic funding: As a non-profit foundation, Interledger generates no commercial revenue. The organization distributes grants to support the adoption of Interledger technology and promote digital financial inclusion. Funding comes from philanthropic sources to support the foundation's mission of expanding access to digital financial services for the 1.4 billion people currently excluded.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free access to community and technology |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Interledger product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Interledger Foundation provides a free, open-source protocol suite — Interledger Protocol (ILP), Open Payments API, Rafiki, and Web Monetization — that enables interoperable payments across different ledgers, currencies, and financial systems by routing money as packets through connector intermediaries. These standards allow banks, mobile money operators, fintech platforms, and account servicing entities to integrate cross-border and real-time payment functionality without licensing fees or vendor lock-in. The foundation supplements the technology with developer documentation, a test network, community programs, summits, hackathons, and grant funding to grow an open payments ecosystem.
Product overview
The Interledger Foundation offers an open technology ecosystem centered on open-source protocols and standards for interoperable digital payments. The core product is the Interledger Protocol (ILP), an open network protocol that enables money to move across different ledgers and payment systems by routing payment instructions through connector intermediaries. Built on this foundation are Open Payments (an open API standard for payment interoperability), Rafiki (open-source software enabling account servicing entities to add Interledger functionality), and Web Monetization (for direct web-based micropayments). Supporting the ecosystem are the Developers Portal providing technical documentation and open-source repositories, the Test Network for integration testing, and community platforms including the Interledger Forum, Summit, Hackathon, and Future Money Podcast. The Foundation also runs extensive grant programs including Digital Financial Services, Education, Fellowship, Grant for the Web, Open Payments Accelerator, SDK Grants, Public Policy Activation, and Research Grants to grow the ecosystem and promote financial inclusion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Interledger Fellowship Program: A 12-month program funding researchers, advocates, educators, and technical developers working to eliminate barriers to financial system participation
- Open Payments Accelerator
- Grant for the Web
- NextGen Higher Education Program
- Future Money Podcast
Products and services
- Interledger Protocol (ILP) An open, neutral protocol for transferring money based on TCP/IP principles. It breaks down payment instructions into small packets and routes them through a network of connector intermediaries to reach recipients across different accounting ledgers, acting as a universal translator for money between distinct financial systems and currencies. Designed for account servicing entities and developers building interoperable financial services.
- Open Payments An open HTTP API standard that account servicing entities can implement to facilitate interoperability in the setup and completion of payments across different use cases. Websites and applications integrate as API clients to initiate and authorize payments on behalf of consumers across any payment network.
- Rafiki Open-source reference software that provides an efficient solution for an Account Servicing Entity to enable Interledger functionality on its users' accounts, exposing Open Payments APIs and acting as a connector on the Interledger network.
- Web Monetization An open web standard technology that enables creators, editors, and content owners to receive small automatic payments directly from their audience based on engagement, providing an alternative to advertising or paywall models.
- Interledger Test Network (Testnet) An open Interledger network operating with test money, designed for account servicing entities and developers to validate their Interledger integration before production deployment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Brazil's Pix system implemented with help from GFT Technologies enabled the country to transition from a card-based to a real-time digital economy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Interledger
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Interledger technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Interledger partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- GFT TechnologiescoreTechnology implementation partner that helped implement Brazil's Pix system, which is presented as a model of successful interoperable payments infrastructure. The Pix system enabled Brazil to transition from a card-based to a real-time digital economy.
- ChimoneycoreToronto fintech firm registered as a Payment Service Provider under Canada's Retail Payments Activities Act, positioning itself as the first integrated passport and payment infrastructure for both humans and AI agents. Established partnership with Interledger Foundation for cross-border payments. Currently supports over 25 stablecoins, blockchains, Interac, and global payouts across more than 130 countries.
- Blaze GroupsupportingFintech education firm providing support for the Dollarcraft program at Alabama A&M University, a 12-week interdisciplinary program developing financial technology prototypes. Blaze Group supports the $50,000 grant program alongside the Interledger Foundation.
- University of Cape Town Financial Innovation HubcoreAcademic partner that launched Africa's first master's in financial technology in 2018. The hub has produced over 60 graduates with nearly 20% starting their own companies. Supported 11 startups through GenesisBloc Launchpad that have collectively raised over R26 million. Won the Enhancing Financial Inclusion Award at the 2025 South African FinTech Awards.
- Alabama A&M UniversitysupportingOne of only three universities worldwide selected for the Interledger NextGen Higher Education Grant. Hosted the Dollarcraft Public Showcase featuring student-created financial technology prototypes developed through a 12-week interdisciplinary program enabled by a $50,000 grant from the Interledger Foundation.
- Covenant UniversitysupportingLeading tech and innovation campus in Africa that partnered with Interledger Foundation to launch the Next Gen program. Integrating open payments into curriculum with dedicated courses, hackathons, innovation labs, incubator program, micro grants, Open Payments Innovation Week, and the first Open Payments conference in Nigeria.
- Alliance of Digital Finance and Fintech Associations (AllianceDFA)corePart of the initial Public Policy Activation cohort. Interledger Foundation and Small Foundation are jointly funding AllianceDFA to strengthen global collaboration and capacity-building across inclusive digital finance ecosystems, helping fintech associations better support underserved communities.
- ARTICLE 19coreInternational human rights organization part of the initial Public Policy Activation cohort. Organization with sophisticated understanding of the regulatory landscape and analytical capacity to translate community experience into credible policy evidence regarding digital financial infrastructure.
- Center for Technology and Society at FGV Law SchoolcoreAcademic institution in Brazil part of the initial Public Policy Activation cohort. Research project exploring how BRICS governance models shape digital payment systems and end-user outcomes, funded by an Interledger Foundation Public Policy Activation Grant.
- 10+ Universities Global NetworkcoreUniversity partners across North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa including USIU-AFRICA, Covenant University, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and others. Partnerships involve embedding Interledger Protocol into educational programs, enabling students to build and prototype interoperable fintech solutions through coursework, hackathons, internships, and prototype development.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Interledger competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SWIFT: Global interbank messaging and payments cooperative. Dominant incumbent in cross-border payments that Interledger is positioned against as an open, lower-friction alternative.
- Ripple: Originally developed the Interledger Protocol before the Foundation became independent. Now a commercial provider of cross-border payment infrastructure (RippleNet, RLUSD stablecoin, ODL) — competing in the same problem space with a for-profit GTM engine.
- Circle: Issuer of USDC and provider of cross-border payment rails. Comparable cross-border payment thesis, but operates as a regulated, commercial entity rather than an open protocol steward.
- Wise: Public, scaled cross-border money movement platform serving consumers and businesses. Comparable end-user value proposition (cheap, fast cross-border transfers) but a vertically integrated commercial operator rather than an open protocol.
Direct peers
- Dwolla: API-first payment infrastructure provider focused on account-to-account movement and open integration. Comparable in open-API philosophy and developer-first positioning for payment interoperability.
- Stellar Development Foundation: Non-profit foundation stewarding an open-source blockchain network purpose-built for cross-border payments and financial inclusion. Highly comparable in foundation model, open-source ethos, and cross-border payment use case.
- Mojaloop Foundation: Open-source platform for interoperable digital financial services targeting financial inclusion. The closest peer in mission, structure (foundation-stewarded), and product (open payment interoperability for unbanked populations).
Emerging players
- Celo Foundation: Non-profit foundation stewarding an open-source, mobile-first L1 blockchain optimized for payments and financial inclusion. Comparable in foundation structure, open-source model, and inclusion mission.
- Algorand Foundation: Foundation stewarding an open-source Layer-1 blockchain used for tokenized payments and CBDC pilots. Adjacent in model (foundation-stewarded open ledger) and overlapping in payments and inclusion use cases.
- Fnality International: Consortium-backed initiative building wholesale settlement infrastructure (utility settlement coin) connecting central bank money across jurisdictions. Comparable in mission (inter-ledger settlement) and institutional complexity, but with bank-owned governance.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Interledger social profiles
Digital presenceInterledger financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Interledger leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Interledger funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Interledger M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
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Frequently asked questions about Interledger
What does Interledger do?
The Interledger Foundation provides a free, open-source protocol suite — Interledger Protocol (ILP), Open Payments API, Rafiki, and Web Monetization — that enables interoperable payments across different ledgers, currencies, and financial systems by routing money as packets through connector intermediaries. These standards allow banks, mobile money operators, fintech platforms, and account servicing entities to integrate cross-border and real-time payment functionality without licensing fees or vendor lock-in. The foundation supplements the technology with developer documentation, a test network, community programs, summits, hackathons, and grant funding to grow an open payments ecosystem.
Is Interledger a public or private company?
Interledger is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Interledger founded?
Interledger was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Interledger based?
Interledger is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Interledger make money?
One revenue line is on record: grant-making and philanthropic funding.
Who are Interledger's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SWIFT, Ripple, Circle and Wise. Direct peers are Dwolla, Stellar Development Foundation and Mojaloop Foundation. Emerging players are Celo Foundation, Algorand Foundation and Fnality International.
Does Interledger have an API?
Yes. Open Payments is an open API standard that can be implemented by account servicing entities to facilitate interoperability in the setup and completion of payments for different use cases. It is an HTTP API standard for initiating and authorizing payments across any payment network. Financial service providers can implement the Open Payments API so their customers can use it, and websites and applications integrate Open Payments as API clients to facilitate payments on behalf of their consumers. Developer documentation is at openpayments.dev.
What industry is Interledger in?
Interledger's product category is Open-source Payment Interoperability Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGAKAJ, Cross-Border Payment Orchestration & Routing, with a secondary code of FSAGABAN, Payouts, Disbursements & Mass Payments Infrastructure. Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 7372.