- Lead Bank acquires Loop Crypto to integrate stablecoin payments into its regulated banking operations.
- Over $300B in stablecoins circulate across 40M+ wallets globally, boosting demand.
- The merger bridges fiat and crypto rails with real-time, card, and stablecoin options.
Lead Bank has taken another step into modern payment infrastructure by bringing Loop Crypto’s team and technology into its banking framework. The move, announced by Loop Crypto’s co-founder on X, marks a substantial shift in how regulated financial institutions approach stablecoin payment rails. Both organizations say the merger will give businesses a faster, compliant channel for handling digital assets without the friction that has slowed adoption in the past.
Lead Bank X Loop Crypto: A Merger Aimed at Scaling Stablecoin Payments
In an official report, Loop Crypto framed the transition as the start of a more ambitious phase. Its team, now working directly under Lead Bank, aims to expand the reach of its payment tools to a wider range of merchants, fintech firms, and enterprise developers.
Lead Bank Adds Loop Crypto to Accelerate Stablecoin Growth (Source: X)
Chief executive Eleni Steinman said the joint effort offers a path to bring stablecoin settlement into everyday commerce by pairing Loop Crypto’s technical stack with a bank that already understands how to work with emerging financial technologies. Lead Bank’s own evolution provides context for the deal.
Once a traditional community bank in Kansas City, it shifted direction after a group led by Jackie Reses acquired it in 2022. Since then, the bank has become a regular partner for fintech companies, crypto platforms, and payment innovators.
Its Series B round earlier this year raised $70 million and valued the bank at $1.47 billion, with backing from investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, ICONIQ, Coatue, Ribbit Capital, Greycroft, Khosla Ventures, and Zeev Ventures.
Integrating Crypto Payment Rails Into a Regulated Banking Institution
Loop Crypto has spent years building tools that allow merchants and software platforms to accept stablecoins without handling the underlying blockchain mechanics. Its system automates wallet connections, on-chain settlement, fiat conversion, and network routing.
Besides, the firm previously raised close to $6 million across several rounds, including funding from a16z, VanEck, and Fabric Ventures. Not to leave out, Lead Bank plans to fold this capability directly into its existing infrastructure, which already supports ACH, FedWire, RTP, card issuance, and stablecoin-linked accounts.
A bank with this range of traditional and digital systems offers a bridge for companies that want to accept stablecoins but need the stability and compliance assurances of a regulated institution.
The timing aligns with broader industry momentum. Stablecoins in circulation have surpassed $300 billion, with over 40 million active wallets, according to Loop Crypto’s published data. Meanwhile, large payment networks are expanding their involvement.
Earlier this year, Visa and Stripe began enabling fintech developers to issue stablecoin-linked Visa cards, and Lead Bank appeared on the list of banking partners supporting the initiative.
Why This Matters: Compliance, Speed, and Interoperability
The merger attempts to tackle one of the largest barriers in the sector: regulatory uncertainty. For most merchants, handling digital assets requires an operational lift they are unwilling or unable to take on.
However, by placing Loop Crypto’s tools inside a federally regulated banking environment, the combined entity offers a clearer compliance path while preserving the speed associated with digital settlements. It also strengthens interoperability.
With access to both traditional payment networks and on-chain transfer mechanisms, businesses can choose whichever rail suits a transaction—instant settlement for cross-border needs, card rails for everyday purchases, or ACH for routine payouts. Stablecoin balances or tokenized deposits move far faster than the correspondent banking networks that dominate international payments, and they do so at a fraction of typical costs.
Industry researchers, including analysts at Deutsche Bank, have noted that tokenized settlement systems could eventually test the durability of traditional remittance and FX revenue streams. While this merger stops short of challenging those markets directly, it signals a clear direction of travel for the payments sector.
Next Steps and Key Unknowns
Despite the optimistic outlook for tokenized settlement systems, several details remain unresolved. The platform has not announced which stablecoins it will support or whether bank-issued tokens or tokenized deposits will eventually be included.
Regulatory expectations will also intensify as banks move deeper into blockchain-based payment structures. Yet, adoption will be the key metric. Whether large retailers and mainstream payment providers follow fintechs in using this infrastructure will determine how transformative this coalition becomes.
