TLDR:
– Kima, a payment startup, raised $5 million in funding led by Blockchange, Mastercard’s FinSec Innovation Lab, and angel investors.
– Kima’s settlement protocol connects traditional financial services with decentralized finance tools.
Article Summary
Blockchange, Mastercard’s FinSec Innovation Lab, and several angel investors co-led a $5 million fundraise for the payment startup Kima. The funding was raised through equity and token rounds, bringing the total funding for Kima to $8 million. The firm aims to bridge the gap between traditional financial systems and the blockchain space by building a web3, decentralized settlement protocol.
Kima’s protocol connects fiat bank accounts and credit cards with DeFi tools. The funds raised will be used to onboard additional institutions, payment platforms, and cross-chain decentralized apps. The company also plans to grow its research and development, finance arm, and regulatory processes.
The equity round was led by Blockchange, FinSec Innovation Lab, and angel investors, while the token fundraise received support from Outlier Ventures, Big Brain Holdings, Castrum Capital, Kangaroo Capital, and Maven Capital. Kima’s co-founder and CEO, Eitan Katz, expressed that the funding rounds will support their efforts to achieve interoperability between traditional systems and the blockchain space.