- Founded
- 2021-01-01 in London, United Kingdom
- Headquarters
- London, England, United Kingdom
BVNK is a London-based fintech company that provides enterprise-grade stablecoin payments infrastructure. Founded in October 2021 by Jesse Hemson-Struthers, Chris Harmse, and George Davis, the company enables businesses to send, receive, convert, and store fiat and stablecoins through a single API. Its platform abstracts blockchain complexity while handling licensing, custody, compliance, and multi-rail connectivity across 150+ countries. BVNK processes over $30 billion in annualised stablecoin payment volume and serves partners such as Worldpay, dLocal, Deel, Rapyd, and Visa. The company has raised approximately $90 million in equity funding from investors including Haun Ventures, Tiger Global, Coinbase Ventures, and Avenir. In March 2026, Mastercard announced a definitive agreement to acquire BVNK for up to $1.8 billion, signalling the strategic importance of stablecoin infrastructure to mainstream payments. BVNK operates under multiple regulatory licenses, including an FCA-regulated EMI in the UK, an EMI license in Europe, and money transmitter licenses in several U.S. states.
Detailed Review
Overview
BVNK positions itself as the “stablecoin-powered financial stack for enterprises.” Its core product suite includes Send (global payouts to contractors, suppliers, and employees in stablecoins or fiat), Receive (stablecoin checkout with auto‑conversion to fiat), Convert (24/7 currency exchange between fiat and stablecoins), and Store (stablecoin-linked wallets with access to ACH, SEPA, Fedwire, and Swift). The platform also offers Embedded Wallets – white‑label wallets that companies can offer to their own customers, with BVNK handling compliance and onboarding.
Advanced Infrastructure
For more advanced users, BVNK provides Layer1, a self‑managed infrastructure that lets enterprises deploy their own stablecoin payments network while optionally plugging into BVNK’s licensing and liquidity. The company’s Payment Orchestration module automates fiat and stablecoin transactions in‑house using Layer1 technology. BVNK claims a 99.9% platform uptime, an average API response time of 0.1 seconds, and a typical integration timeline of one week or less.
Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory compliance is a key differentiator. BVNK holds an Electronic Money Institution licence in the UK (via System Pay Services Limited, FCA ref. 901057), an EMI licence in Europe, and multiple VASP registrations. In the U.S., its Delaware entity holds Money Transmitter Licenses in several states and is registered with FinCEN. The company has achieved ISO 27001:2022 certification and SOC 2 Type II.
Business Model and Market Position
BVNK’s business model targets fintechs, marketplaces, and large enterprises processing at least $500,000 in monthly payments. Notable integrations include Worldpay’s stablecoin payout service, dLocal’s cross‑border settlement, and Deel’s contractor payments in over 100 countries. The company also partnered with Visa in 2025 (after Visa Ventures participated in the Series B round) to offer stablecoin infrastructure.
Growth and Acquisition
In 2025, BVNK’s annualised payment volume doubled year‑over‑year, reaching $30 billion. The company employs over 300 people globally, with offices in London (HQ), Malta, Cape Town, and the U.S. The acquisition by Mastercard, expected to close in 2026, underscores the growing convergence of traditional payments and blockchain‑based rails.
Key Products
Send
Pay contractors, suppliers, and partners globally in stablecoins or fiat via a single API or mass-payout CSV.
Receive
Accept stablecoin payments with minimal code; auto-convert to fiat (EUR, GBP, USD). Includes a hosted payment page.
Convert
24/7 currency exchange between fiat and stablecoins (e.g. USD↔USDC, EUR↔USDC). Supports OTC quotes for large amounts.
Store
Stablecoin-linked wallets that also support ACH, SEPA, Fedwire, and Swift. Funds can be held in stablecoins or auto-converted to fiat.
Embedded Wallets
White-label wallets for customers of platform businesses. BVNK handles compliance, onboarding, and payment execution.
Layer1
Self-managed stablecoin payments infrastructure that enterprises deploy in-house. Allows use of own licences, custodians, and liquidity partners (or BVNK’s where needed).
Payment Orchestration
Automate and manage fiat and stablecoin transactions using Layer1 infrastructure; virtual accounts for reconciliation.
Offices & Headcount
300 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
- Jesse Hemson-Struthers
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Chris Harmse
Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer (CBO)
- Michael Greenberg
Speaker