Tether, the largest company in the digital assets industry, has led an $8million strategic investment round in Speed, a payments infrastructure provider building global settlement rails using the Bitcoin Lightning Network and stablecoins.
The funding round, which was co-led by ego death capital, aims to accelerate the adoption of instant, low-cost global payments by combining the speed of Bitcoin’s Layer 2 network with the price stability of USDT.
Moving beyond speculation
Speed has established itself as a significant player in the crypto-payments space, currently processing more than $1.5billion in annual payment volume across a user base of 1.2 million consumers and businesses. Its platform—comprising the Speed Wallet and Speed Merchant products—facilitates instant payments and native settlement in both BTC and USDT.
The investment aligns with Tether’s broader strategy to expand the utility of its stablecoin in real-world commerce. Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, commented on the synergy between the two technologies:
“Speed is showing what Lightning can achieve when paired with a stable, liquid digital dollar like USDT. 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.”
Infrastructure for the real world
For Speed, the capital injection will support its mission to transition cryptocurrency from an asset class dominated by trading to one defined by utility. Niraj Patel, CEO of Speed, emphasised the functional roles of the underlying technologies:
“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.”
By integrating tightly with the Lightning Network while enabling stablecoin settlement, Speed aims to solve key friction points in cross-border transactions, creator payouts, and platform-level settlements.
The investment was deployed through Tether Investments, the company’s El Salvador-based arm that reinvests profits and excess reserves into sectors where technology and infrastructure intersect. The unit focuses on ventures with long-term potential to improve financial resilience and access in both emerging and developed markets.