Walapay raises $4.6M to bring near instant global payments to local businesses

Walapay Inc., a payments infrastructure firm specializing in stablecoins, announced a $4.6 million seed round led by Generative Ventures. Joining the investment were Commerce Ventures, Rally Cap VC, Polygon, Verda Ventures, NGC Ventures, FGV Capital, Digital Finance Group, Knollwood, and Big Brain Holdings. Founded by Tom and Dimitri Borgers, Walapay leverages blockchain technology and a single API to facilitate global payments for local businesses.

Through direct integrations in regions like Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Walapay aims to expedite account settlements, collections, and payouts. Co-founder and CEO Tom Borgers highlighted that while next-generation payment rails will become essential, the existing banking system remains crucial. Most global payment platforms concentrate on correspondent banks but overlook the final step of depositing funds into local accounts through local banks.

Walapay seeks to bridge this gap, often handled by third-party processors, aggregators, and other fee-charging systems with lengthy settlement times. The platform allows financial technology companies and payment service providers to achieve instant settlement in multicurrency accounts, particularly in emerging markets, including cryptocurrency markets like stablecoins.

Stablecoins, pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar, enable companies to issue their own digital currencies, convert idle cash into yield-generating accounts, and seamlessly swap between cryptocurrencies and regional currencies. Walapay collaborates with banking and digital asset infrastructure partners to offer flexible custody support for customers seeking custody of their digital currencies or those who prefer managed solutions, dependent on regional regulatory requirements or operational needs.

The new funding will enable Walapay to broaden its licensing footprint, strengthen banking partnerships, and expand its team to support more financial institutions and customers migrating to modern payment systems. Additionally, Walapay is developing infrastructure to support AI-native commerce, recognizing that autonomous agents engaged in financial transactions require the same instant, compliant mechanisms as traditional fintechs and payment processors.

By treating AI-driven money as a native part of its infrastructure, Walapay ensures these agents won't be treated as second-class citizens but will have equal access to the same tools and capabilities.