Most institutions plugging into Fireblocks still have to build their own fiat rails from scratch. OpenPayd just made that step unnecessary, at least for the 2,400-plus firms already on the network.
The London-based payment infrastructure company has become the first provider to go live on the Fireblocks Network for Payments in Europe and the UK. The practical upshot: any exchange, bank or fintech already using Fireblocks can now tap OpenPayd's fiat infrastructure directly through the Fireblocks Console or API, without building a separate integration on their side.
What institutions actually get
Access covers British pounds, euros and US dollars out of the box, with additional currencies available across more than 100 countries. The services on offer include fiat on- and off-ramps, foreign exchange and cross-border payments. Compliance is baked in: the integration carries OpenPayd's existing regulatory capabilities alongside Fireblocks' wallet verification tools and Travel Rule support, which has become a non-negotiable requirement for regulated players moving money across borders.
Fireblocks says its network has processed over $14 trillion in total transaction volume. OpenPayd itself clears more than $280 billion annually. Put those two pipes together and the combined reach starts to look significant for any institution trying to bridge traditional currencies and digital assets without maintaining a patchwork of bilateral agreements.
Why this is happening now
European banks and investment firms have spent the last 18 months accelerating their digital asset buildouts, driven partly by MiCA coming into force and partly by client demand for stablecoin and tokenised asset exposure. The sticking point has consistently been the fiat side: moving money in and out of crypto infrastructure quickly, cheaply and in a way that satisfies compliance teams.
Michael Treacy, OpenPayd's Director of Business Development and Marketing, framed the move as a direct response to that pressure. "By joining the Fireblocks Network, we are widening access to OpenPayd's universal financial infrastructure, helping more companies overcome the complexity and fragmentation of the global payments system," he said.
Fireblocks' Network for Payments sits at the intersection of local payment rails, blockchains and stablecoin platforms, which is precisely the plumbing that institutions need when they want to settle in USDC one moment and euros the next. OpenPayd's addition fills a gap that had kept European operators reliant on more fragmented arrangements.
For the 2,400 network participants, the change is immediate. No new onboarding process, no separate API contract with OpenPayd. The connection is already live.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
