Bridge, a Web3 payment platform co-founded by former Square and Coinbase employees Zach Abrams and Sean Yu, has raised $58 million in funding.
Core Development Areas
Bridge aims to create a global payment network centered around stablecoins, challenging existing systems like SWIFT and credit cards. Sequoia, Ribbit, Index, and Haun Ventures are among the Silicon Valley venture firms backing Bridge. Bridge’s platform simplifies the integration of stablecoins into existing financial systems by offering two core services: Orchestration and Issuance. The Orchestration service provides APIs for easy conversion between different dollar formats such as USD, EUR, USDC, PYUSD, and USDT, enabling seamless cross-border payments with low fees and instant settlements. Quote: “We built Bridge as a low-level set of APIs that would enable companies to use a stablecoin rail without thinking about it,” Abrams said. The Issuance service allows developers to convert any of these dollar formats into a customized stablecoin, giving businesses the flexibility to offer digital dollar-based services tailored to their specific needs.
Stablecoin Advantages
Market leaders like USDT and USDC have reached market caps of $118 billion and $34.6 billion, respectively. Stablecoins offer several advantages over traditional fiat currencies, including lower transaction fees and faster settlement times. Stablecoins enable instant, low-cost transfers that can be conducted 24/7, unlike fiat transactions, which are often subject to bank operating hours and high fees for cross-border payments. Bridge aims for a future where stablecoins operate as the global payment rail, similar to how Stripe facilitates online payments or Plaid connects apps to bank accounts.
Stablecoin Challenges
Despite their advantages, stablecoins have faced challenges, particularly around their stability and transparency. The collapse of TerraUSD in 2022, an algorithmic stablecoin that failed to maintain its $1 peg, led to widespread concerns about the reliability of stablecoins. Similarly, USDC temporarily lost its peg in 2023 due to concerns over its reserves, though it quickly recovered after the FDIC intervened. Tether, the market leader, has also faced scrutiny over its accounting practices, raising questions about the transparency of its reserves.
Bridge’s founders believe that their fintech background gives them a unique edge in navigating these challenges. The Bridge team aims to build a stablecoin platform that is reliable and accessible to a broad range of businesses, including crypto startups and traditional fiat companies.
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