Rain, a pioneer in stablecoin-based payment solutions founded in 2021 by Farooq Malik and Charles Naut, has announced a new $24.5 million funding round. Led by Norwest Venture Partners, the round saw participation from Galaxy Ventures, Goldcrest, Thayer, and Hard Yaka, while existing investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners, Coinbase Ventures, and Vinyl Capital continued their support. This investment coincides with Rain’s elevation to Visa Principal Member status, accelerating its global expansion and strengthening its mission to bridge decentralized finance with traditional payment systems.
Redefining Borderless Payments
Rain provides businesses with physical and virtual cards, offering customized payment solutions for both B2B and individual use. The platform seamlessly integrates with self-custody wallets, custodial accounts, and traditional fiat systems, enabling users to spend stablecoins directly.
Unlike traditional financial systems, Rain eliminates the need to convert crypto into fiat by processing transactions directly with stablecoins. Supporting leading blockchain networks such as Base, Polygon, Solana, and Avalanche, the platform allows users to spend in their local currency while benefiting from blockchain’s speed and transparency.
Over the past year, Rain has processed transactions in more than 100 countries, increasing its transaction volume 15-fold. With its strategic partnership with Visa, the company is preparing to expand into the European market while further strengthening its existing operations in the U.S. and Latin America.
Advantages of Stablecoins: Speed, Compliance, and Accessibility
As stablecoins become a cornerstone of modern finance, they offer unparalleled efficiency compared to traditional systems. Rain’s infrastructure addresses critical challenges in the financial ecosystem:
Businesses can launch their own card programs without dealing with the complexities of fiat networks.
Users can spend stablecoins directly without incurring bank or exchange conversion fees.
Regulators benefit from a framework that ensures robust KYC/AML procedures and compliance with global standards.
Rain’s multi-chain technology supports USDC, EURC, and variable interest-bearing tokens, enabling daily settlement transactions across seven major blockchain networks. This "omni-chain" flexibility, combined with Visa’s global network, unlocks innovative use cases such as real-time payroll payments and on-chain loyalty programs.
The recognition of stablecoins as legal tender in Europe and the U.S. has further accelerated Rain’s growth. As regulatory uncertainties diminish, banks, fintech companies, and Web3 platforms are increasingly partnering with Rain to modernize their payment systems.
Global Expansion and Enhanced Capabilities
This new investment will support Rain’s goal of issuing cards in over 30 new markets while optimizing transaction speeds and forging institutional partnerships. Planned upgrades to authorization and settlement systems aim to enhance the user experience, while ongoing collaboration with Visa will drive the development of new digital economy products.
