In a significant move within the fintech landscape, Rezolve AI, a publicly traded commerce platform, has completed the acquisition of Smartpay, a prominent fintech infrastructure provider specializing in stablecoin payments. This deal, announced on Tuesday, signifies a pivotal shift toward integrating digital assets with AI-enhanced e-commerce solutions, although specific financial terms remain undisclosed.
Founded in 2019, Smartpay has established itself as a leader in facilitating stablecoin-based transactions, processing over 19 million commercial payments valued at over $1 billion in USDt (Tether’s US Dollar-pegged stablecoin) in just the last year. Operating mainly in Latin America and Central Africa, Smartpay enables consumers to conduct payments using stablecoins, while ensuring that merchants receive instant settlements in local fiat currencies.
The innovative business model employed by Smartpay combines the advantages of cryptocurrency payment functionality with seamless fiat conversion. This approach not only mitigates volatility but also paves the way for easier adoption of crypto payments across various market segments.
By acquiring Smartpay, Rezolve aims to enhance its digital asset payment initiatives, establishing a blockchain-based network that facilitates consumer payments through digital currencies while also supporting merchants with immediate conversion to local fiat. “Smartpay provides us with a robust, transaction-proven foundation to expand our digital asset payment project on a global scale,” stated Daniel M. Wagner, CEO of Rezolve AI.
The acquisition aligns with wider trends in the cryptocurrency sector, where the integration of payments and artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a focal point for growth. A recent study conducted by Reown and YouGov indicates that both payments and AI technologies are essential to the next phase of cryptocurrency development, emphasizing their roles in making digital currencies both practical and reliable in daily transactions.
“This growing acknowledgment of the critical role that payments and AI technologies play in enhancing the utility and trustworthiness of cryptocurrencies is evident,” explained Jess Hougrave, CEO of Reown. “Embedding digital assets into everyday transactions and intelligent systems can make crypto more accessible.”
Recognizing this intersection, industry leaders are positioning their offerings to adapt. For instance, Google has announced collaboration with Coinbase to introduce the Agent Payments Protocol, which empowers AI agents to autonomously manage crypto transactions, focusing predominantly on stablecoins. This partnership demonstrates the increasing integration of AI with blockchain-based payment infrastructures.
Additionally, prominent figures in the industry, such as Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy Digital, have pointed out that AI agents are likely to become the primary adopters of stablecoins, driven by their demand for rapid, programmable, and borderless digital payment solutions. As the crypto payments landscape evolves, this intersection of AI and stablecoin technology promises to redefine how transactions are conducted in the digital economy.
As Rezolve AI embarks on this ambitious path following the Smartpay acquisition, stakeholders within the cryptocurrency space will be keenly observing how this integration shapes the future of digital payments and the broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies in commercial applications.
