Mesh crypto funding tops $130M with PayPal, Coinbase backing

“Mesh crypto funding — checkout with PayPal and Coinbase-backed crypto options”

A payments rail for the crypto era

Mesh, a crypto payments network that connects wallets, exchanges, and merchants, announced additional funding from a cohort including PayPal Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Uphold, SBI Investment, Mirana, Overlook Ventures, Kingsway Capital, Moderne Ventures, and CE-Ventures. With the new capital, Mesh says its total funding now exceeds $130 million, reinforcing the startup’s push to make crypto transactions feel as seamless as card payments.

The strategic angle: stablecoins and mainstream rails

The round follows a period of rapid stablecoin and merchant adoption. Reports highlight Mesh’s work aligning with PayPal’s “Pay with Crypto” initiatives and the broader push around PYUSD, PayPal’s dollar-pegged stablecoin. Third-party coverage across crypto media underscores the same trajectory: Mesh’s fresh capital and integrations are positioned to reduce friction for on-ramps/off-ramps, enabling consumers to pay with digital assets while merchants receive settlement in the currency they prefer.

Why investors care now

Payments is a network effects business. Getting large wallets, exchanges, and key fintechs on the same connective tissue unlocks routing flexibility—letting a transaction flow from a user’s wallet to a merchant with minimal hops. Backers like PayPal Ventures and Coinbase Ventures are strategically placed: they bring distribution, compliance experience, and a pipeline of potential partners who demand KYC/AML rigor alongside a smooth user experience.

The product in practice

Mesh offers APIs that abstract away crypto fragmentation. A developer can integrate to pull balances, initiate transfers, collect payments, or swap assets without hardcoding to each exchange or wallet. For merchants, the pitch is lower acceptance costs, finality in minutes, and programmable commerce (refunds, split payments, escrow) using smart-contract rails. For consumers, it’s the familiar “Pay with X” button—only this time X might be a wallet or a stablecoin balance rather than a card.

Regulatory headwinds and compliance posture

Crypto payments remain subject to regulatory scrutiny. To win enterprise deals, Mesh must demonstrate sanctions screening, transaction monitoring, and clean integration into existing PCI and SOC2 controls. The presence of established fintech investors suggests an emphasis on compliance by design, which is increasingly table stakes for any startup working with bank partners.

The competitive set

Rivals include MoonPay, Wyre (historically), Checkout.com’s crypto initiatives, and vendor offerings from Coinbase Commerce and BitPay. The differentiation for Mesh is an explicit network approach—more connective tissue and fewer point solutions—plus a focus on stablecoins as the path to mainstream adoption. Stablecoins mitigate price volatility for merchants; users can pay in crypto while stores receive fiat or stablecoin settlement with transparent fees.

Go-to-market priorities

With capital in hand, Mesh is likely to invest in:

  • Coverage: adding more wallets, chains, and localized off-ramps.
  • Merchant tools: better dashboards, recon, and dispute workflows.
  • Developer experience: SDKs, testnets, and sandbox simulators to shorten integration times.
  • Partnerships: deeper work with fintechs and e-commerce platforms to surface “Pay with Crypto” options at checkout.

Expect case studies around cross-border payouts, creator economy platforms, and marketplaces where card fees are high and settlement speed matters.

Outlook

Crypto winters and summers come and go, but the payment abstraction layer remains valuable when it masks complexity, manages risk, and lowers acceptance costs. If Mesh executes, the company could be the connective tissue that helps stablecoins graduate from speculative instruments to everyday tender.

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