“Can Bitcoin become the universal settlement layer for a global BaaS 2.0 stack that lets any platform offer branded dollar accounts, cards, and real-time cross-border payouts without a banking license?”
Founded in 2022 by David Marcus (ex-PayPal, ex-Meta Diem) as a Bitcoin Lightning Network infrastructure company, Lightspark quickly evolved beyond Lightning to build a broader global payments infrastructure layer. By 2025 it had repositioned as an enterprise-grade open payments infrastructure provider with the Grid API, bridging fiat, stablecoins, and Bitcoin. The 2026 launch of Grid Global Accounts marks a full pivot into BaaS 2.0 — enabling any platform to offer branded dollar accounts, Visa cards, and real-time cross-border payouts without a banking license, using Bitcoin as the settlement layer.
Lightspark discloses Lightspark Grid (self-operated) as its banking provider, according to the Embedded Finance Index 2026.
Lightspark does not disclose a bank charter of its own; its banking services are provided through Lightspark Grid (self-operated).
Lightspark processes payments through Lightspark Grid (self-operated).
Lightspark's cards are issued through Lightspark Grid (self-operated) on the Visa network.
Lightspark uses Lightspark Grid (self-operated) for FX and cross-border payouts.
Lightspark's crypto products run on Zero Hash and Lightspark Grid (self-operated).
The Embedded Finance Index 2026 maps 6 layers in Lightspark's stack: Payments / PSP (Lightspark Grid (self-operated)); Banking / BaaS (Lightspark Grid (self-operated)); Card issuing (Lightspark Grid (self-operated)); Card network (Visa); FX & payouts (Lightspark Grid (self-operated)); Crypto (Zero Hash and Lightspark Grid (self-operated)).
Lightspark was founded by David Marcus and is founded in 2022, headquartered in West Hollywood, CA, United States.
Lightspark has raised $175M+ in total (latest round: Series A).
Get a read on where your own stack stands against Lightspark and the rest of its category — what they built versus bought, which providers they use, and where the gaps in your own strategy and competitive set actually are.