Key Takeaways
- Tether led an $8 million funding round for Speed1, Inc., supporting Bitcoin Lightning Network and stablecoin payment infrastructure.
- Speed enables over $1.5 billion in annual payment volume with instant BTC and USDT settlement for consumers and merchants.
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Tether announced Tuesday that the company had made a strategic investment in Speed, a payments infrastructure provider leveraging the Bitcoin Lightning Network and stablecoins for instant settlement.
Tether led Speed’s $8 million funding round alongside ego death capital, supporting a platform that already processes more than $1.5 billion in annual payment volume.
Speed’s products serve over 1 million users and businesses, offering instant payments with native BTC and USDT settlements across consumers, creators, platforms, and enterprise merchants.
“Speed is showing what Lightning can achieve when paired with a stable, liquid digital dollar like USDT,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino. “We support teams building practical infrastructure that reduces friction in payments and expands access to reliable settlement rails. Speed’s execution and adoption signal that Bitcoin-rooted networks are ready for mainstream commerce.”
“Crypto has lived in the world of speculation for too long. Speed is making it usable – instantly, globally, and at scale. Lightning gives us speed; stablecoins give us universal access; our infrastructure brings it all together for consumers, creators, and merchants,” said Niraj Patel, CEO of Speed1, Inc.
The investment reflects Tether’s commitment to expanding the Bitcoin-aligned infrastructure and increasing USDT’s utility beyond trading, positioning Lightning-based networks as viable settlement rails for global commerce.
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