Fintech startup Airswift raises $2 million to build web 3.0 native payment infrastructure
With millions of businesses currently operating in the physical universe, the arrival of web 3.0 and the metaverse is expected to usher in a new era of financial infrastructure as merchants look for ways to engage and benefit from accepting cryptocurrencies and digital assets in the new virtual world.
One company at the forefront of this shift is Airswift, a Vancouver, Canada-based fintech startup that is building a comprehensive payment infrastructure native to Web 3.0, that empowers businesses to expand their digital currency acceptance, and lets digital asset holders make frictionless purchases.
Today, Airswift announced it has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding led by CE Innovation Capital (CEiC) and other leading industry investors. The funding comes amid a bear market sentiment and uncertainty around crypto. The funding also shows investors’ confidence in Airswift’s unique model and optimism about the future of payment solutions that power the use of digital assets.
Founded in 2022 by co-founder and CEO Dr. Yan Zhang, Airswift is pioneering crypto payment solutions for businesses and consumers around the globe. The startup provides a web 3.0 native omnichannel payment gateway, crypto-funded prepaid cards, and on/off ramp services that connect businesses with consumers. Airswift is widely recognized as a leader in blockchain technology, with extensive operational experience in global digital payments and enterprise Web 3.0 financial infrastructure.
With blockchain technology at its core, Airswift is building a comprehensive payment infrastructure native to Web 3.0. This includes an easy-to-use on-chain payment gateway that allows merchants to accept both crypto and fiat currency, enabling frictionless purchases with digital assets. Airswift plans to launch its initial product by September 2022, making it one of the first full-stack payment gateway solutions that facilitate digital asset acceptance around the globe.
“The raise from CEiC shows that investors are confident in our unique strengths in blockchain R&D, payment gateway operations, and regulatory compliance, among other factors,” said Dr. Yan Zhang, Co-founder and CEO of Airswift. “The current challenge associated with enabling crypto payments lies with both technical areas and fund aggregation. Airswift is committed to solving these issues with a decentralized payment gateway that protects user privacy and supports a liquidity pool model powered by blockchain technology.”
As a Fintech-focused global investor, CEiC firmly believes blockchain-enabled payment solutions are a fundamental technological innovation that could create a paradigm shift in the financial services industry worldwide. The Fintech investor stresses that the market is in its infancy, with huge potential for growth.
In 2021, the global volume of blockchain-enabled payments reached $15-16bn USD, presenting only a small fraction of that year’s entire global digital payment volume of $7.5 trillion USD. The investor values Airswift’s unique advantages in its established and forward-looking CeFi and DeFi solutions and its team’s rich experience, business acumen, and prudent regulatory mindset towards the payments and blockchain industries. CEiC is excited to partner with Airswift to create new payment solutions that could disrupt the trillion-dollar global digital payment market.
With multiple years of experience in crypto, eCommerce, and Fintech, Dr. Zhang and his team bring comprehensive expertise in blockchain R&D, having obtained more than fifty patents related to the technology. Airswift also has a significant background in payment gateway operations, achieving strong regulatory endorsements in North America, SEA, and EMEA.