Utexo raised $7.5M to enable fast, private USDT transactions on Bitcoin via the Lightning Network.

Utexo has raised $7.5 million in a seed round co-led by Tether to develop native USDT settlement on Bitcoin, enabling direct, fast, and private transactions using Bitcoin’s network and Lightning Network. The company provides a unified API that simplifies integration for payment providers, allowing USDT transfers with fixed fees, instant settlement, and end-to-end privacy without relying on bridges or wrapped assets. This infrastructure aims to make Bitcoin a scalable, secure settlement layer for dollar transactions, supporting cross-border payments and merchant settlements while strengthening Tether’s vision of USDT operating natively on Bitcoin.