Zodia Markets Secures $18M to Expand Stablecoin Settlement

Major Funding for Institutional Crypto Platform

Zodia Markets, a digital asset platform backed by Standard Chartered, has secured $18.25 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Pharsalus Capital (NY) with participation from Circle Ventures, Token Bay Capital, and other strategic investors.

Solving Institutional Payment Challenges

Founded in 2021 with support from Standard Chartered’s innovation arm and Asia’s OSL Group, Zodia enables:
✅ Real-time stablecoin settlements (bypassing banking hours)
✅ Cross-border payments in 20+ fiat currencies
✅ Wholesale trading of 70+ digital assets

This eliminates traditional finance delays and manual processes.

Leadership Vision

Usman Ahmad, CEO and co-founder, stated:
“Institutional capital shouldn’t be trapped by legacy systems. Our technology delivers secure, borderless transactions instantly – this funding validates that vision.”

Strategic Use of Funds

The capital will accelerate:

• Global expansion into new markets

• Enhanced FX solutions using stablecoins

• Integration with traditional finance systems

Investor Lineup

Market Opportunity

Zodia targets the $300B+ institutional cross-border payment market where:

• 60% of transactions still take 2+ days

• Banks charge up to 5% in fees

• Compliance costs add 20% overhead

Stablecoin Advantage

Why This Matters

As institutions demand faster, cheaper settlements, Zodia’s banking-backed solution bridges crypto and traditional finance. With regulatory clarity improving globally, this funding positions Zodia at the forefront of the institutional stablecoin revolution.

Key stat: Real-time settlements can free up $120B+ in trapped working capital globally.

Cross-border paymentsdigital assetsfintech expansioninstitutional cryptoSeries A fundingstablecoin settlementStandard CharteredZodia Markets