Description.
Lightspark is a global Bitcoin payments infrastructure company founded in 2022 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company was founded by David Marcus, a veteran fintech executive who previously served as President of PayPal and led crypto initiatives at Meta (formerly Facebook). Lightspark's mission is to modernize cross-border payments by leveraging Bitcoin's Lightning Network to enable instant, low-cost money transfers globally.
The company offers three core product lines: Grid (a unified API for sending, receiving, and settling fiat, stablecoins, and Bitcoin globally), Node (enterprise-grade Lightning node management handling keys, liquidity, and routing), and Spark (a Bitcoin Layer 2 solution for near-zero cost transactions). Through its Universal Money Address (UMA) protocol, Lightspark enables human-readable payment addresses that function like "email for money."
In October 2025, Lightspark acquired Striga, a European crypto infrastructure company, to expand into card issuing, compliance solutions, and fiat-crypto ramps. This acquisition positioned Lightspark as a full-stack payments infrastructure provider with Visa card capabilities and banking licenses across multiple jurisdictions.
Lightspark operates in 180+ countries and serves major clients including Coinbase, Revolut, SoFi, Bitso, Bakkt, and Xapo Bank. The company has raised $175 million in Series A funding from top-tier investors including a16z, Paradigm, Thrive, Coatue, and Ribbit. The company maintains regulatory licenses in Estonia (VASP) and holds money transmitter licenses in over 20 US states. Lightspark completed SOC 2 Type 1 compliance certification in June 2024 and is actively working on MiCA compliance for European market entry.
Key Infrastructure.
Grid
Single API/SDK to send, receive, and settle value globally using fiat, stablecoins, or bitcoin. Provides real-time settlement with always-on availability and minimal transaction fees across all supported currencies and regions.
Striga Card Issuing
Full-stack card issuance platform acquired in October 2025 enabling prepaid card programs with built-in compliance. Supports virtual and physical cards with real-time spending controls, dynamic limits, and merchant category restrictions.
Node
Enterprise-grade Lightning node management service handling cryptographic keys, liquidity provisioning, channel balancing, and payment routing. Enables businesses to operate production Lightning nodes without dedicated infrastructure expertise.
Fiat On/Off Ramp
Integrated fiat-crypto on/off ramp services enabling seamless conversion between fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies. Provides instant liquidity with competitive exchange rates and compliant ID verification for user onboarding.
Spark
Bitcoin Layer 2 solution enabling movement of bitcoin and bitcoin-native assets including stablecoins instantly at near-zero cost. Maintains full connection to Bitcoin's security model while providing enhanced throughput and privacy features.
Universal Money Address (UMA)
Protocol enabling instant payments using human-readable addresses instead of complex blockchain strings. Functions like email for money, senders can pay anyone globally using just a simple identifier without knowing wallet addresses.
Additional Features.
180+ Countries
Operational in over 180 countries enabling global reach for cross-border payments and card issuance.
Multi-Currency Support
Support for fiat currencies, USDC, USDT, and Bitcoin across all products with automatic conversion.
Top-Tier Investors
Backed by a16z, Paradigm, Thrive, Coatue, and other leading crypto-focused venture capital firms.
Developer Documentation
Comprehensive SDKs, APIs, and sandbox for rapid integration, prototyping, testing, and faster time-to-market for products.
Strategic Partnerships
Integrations with Coinbase, Revolut, SoFi, Bitso, and Cross River Bank for expanded service capabilities.
Enterprise SLAs
Commercial-grade SLAs with 99.9% uptime guarantee, ensuring reliability and financial remedies for mission-critical payments.
