a16z crypto-backed Shield raises $5M to help facilitate international business transactions in crypto
Crypto neo-bank Shield has secured a $5 million seed round, with backing from a16z crypto and Giant Ventures. The funding marks a major step in Shield’s mission to simplify cross-border payments and bring blockchain technology into the real economy.
Image Credits:Shield
From Startup Pivot to Global Payments Player
Founded in 2022, Shield originally explored other crypto use cases but pivoted to payments in 2024. Today, the platform helps exporters and importers move money across borders using U.S. dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies. Alongside payments, Shield integrates compliance checks to address sanctions and anti–money laundering risks.
Co-founder and CEO Emmanuel Udotong explained that the team launched Shield to fix what they saw as crypto’s biggest gap: real-world applications. While bad actors dominated headlines, Shield wanted to show how blockchain could solve real problems, especially in trade and finance.
Solving Pain Points in Global Trade
The idea came from Udotong’s personal experience. He and his co-founders — his brother Isaiah and college friend Luis Carchi — saw how difficult cross-border trade could be. Stablecoins offered a faster, more reliable alternative to traditional bank wires, which often take days or weeks.
In regions like Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia, businesses face limited access to U.S. dollars, high fees, and restricted trade corridors. These barriers stifle growth and limit global opportunities. Shield wants to change that by giving companies faster access to payments, new buyers, and broader markets.
Shield’s Growth and Competitive Landscape
Shield is already showing traction. Since launch, it has processed over $100 million in payments, with $40 million in just the past month. The company is registered as a Money Service Business in the U.S. and as a crypto exchange in the EU, signaling a focus on compliance as well as growth.
The timing is favorable: crypto is having a resurgence, minting unicorns and attracting big funding after years of skepticism. Still, Shield is entering a crowded market, competing with dozens of startups and established players like PayPal’s Xoom and Stripe’s Bridge.
With fresh funding and support from a16z crypto, Shield is positioning itself as a bridge for international businesses that need faster, cheaper, and more reliable transactions. If successful, it could redefine how global trade flows across borders — not through banks, but through blockchain.
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