Shield is a business-to-business (B2B) financial technology company that operates as a crypto neo-bank for global trade businesses, providing a platform for international payments using stablecoins. The company aims to bridge traditional finance with digital assets by enabling businesses, particularly exporters and importers, to accept cryptocurrency payments and receive same-day settlements in fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar or Euro. ^[5]

Overview

Shield operates as a crypto neo-bank designed specifically to address persistent challenges in international trade finance, such as slow wire transfer settlement times, high transaction fees, and the frequent closure of bank accounts for businesses moving large sums internationally. The platform's core function is to allow businesses to invoice and accept payments in U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoins, primarily Tether (USDT), and then convert these digital assets into traditional currency that is wired to the business's bank account. This model is intended to leverage the speed of blockchain transactions to facilitate faster and more reliable cross-border commerce. ^{[5] [8]}

The company was founded on the premise of creating a practical, real-world application for blockchain technology beyond speculative trading, born from the founders' own difficult experiences as former exporters. The company highlights the lived reality for many international traders with statements like, “My bank accounts get closed every 6 months,” explaining that traditional compliance systems are often not designed for the large, complex transactions typical of global trade, leading to frozen funds and blocked growth. ^[8] Co-founder and CEO Emmanuel Udotong stated,

"We wanted to help bring [blockchain] - (https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology into the real economy by solving real problems."

He further elaborated on the specific issues the company seeks to resolve: "Today, trade businesses in regions like Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia often wait days or weeks for international wires, pay high fees, and in many cases, can’t access U.S. dollars at all." ^[7]

By providing a compliant and efficient on-ramp and off-ramp between stablecoins and fiat, Shield positions itself as an infrastructure layer for global trade. The company targets U.S. exporters, international buyers, wholesalers, and other businesses seeking to integrate digital asset payments into their operations. The company is headquartered in Miami, Florida, and maintains a regulated presence in both the United States and the European Economic Area. ^{[5] [7] [3]}

History

Shield was founded in 2022 by co-founders Emmanuel Udotong, Isaiah Udotong, and Luis Carchi. The founders' inspiration for the company stemmed from their own prior experiences with the difficulties of conducting cross-border business, which highlighted the inefficiencies of the traditional banking system for international trade. The company initially launched in 2022 and, in 2024, pivoted its business model to concentrate specifically on B2B payments, refining its focus on serving importers and exporters. ^{[7] [8]}

The company secured its first major funding in April 2023, raising $2.1 million in a pre-seed round. This initial capital helped establish its core product and market presence.

A more significant funding milestone was announced on September 22, 2025, when Shield closed a $5 million seed round. This round was led by Giant Ventures, with participation from existing investors a16z crypto CSX and new backers like Factor Capital, alongside strategic angel investors from Bank of America, Coinbase, AMEX, and Menlo Ventures. The new capital was earmarked for expanding the company's licensing coverage, enhancing its compliance infrastructure, launching new banking products, and entering new trade industries. ^[8]

By the time of its seed round announcement, Shield's total funding amounted to $7 million. In its first year of operations, the company reported processing over $150 million in cross-border payments. ^{[5] [7] [8]}

Team

Shield was co-founded by three individuals:

• Emmanuel Udotong: Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He serves as the primary spokesperson for the company.
• Isaiah Udotong: Co-founder.
• Luis Carchi: Co-founder.

The founding team consists of brothers Emmanuel and Isaiah Udotong, along with their college friend, Luis Carchi. Their collective background includes experience from MIT, Princeton, Facebook, and McKinsey. Before founding Shield, the team operated export businesses, moving commodities between the U.S., South America, Africa, and Asia, which provided them with direct insight into the challenges of global trade finance. ^{[7] [8]}

Technology and Product Features

Shield's platform integrates several financial services to facilitate crypto-to-fiat transactions for businesses. Its technology stack is designed to offer a comprehensive solution for B2B cross-border payments.

Core Platform

The platform's functionality is built around three main components:

• Stablecoin Payment Acceptance: Businesses can accept payments in digital assets, with a primary focus on USDT. The platform supports USDT on multiple blockchains, including Ethereum (ERC-20), Tron (TRC-20), and Binance Smart Chain (BEP-20), providing flexibility for international clients.
• Fiat Settlement: Upon receipt of a stablecoin payment, Shield's system converts the digital currency into fiat (USD or EUR) and initiates a same-day wire transfer to the business's designated bank account. This feature is designed to mitigate the volatility risk associated with holding cryptocurrencies.
• Virtual Banking Accounts: The platform provides clients with dedicated USD and EUR virtual bank accounts, allowing them to send and receive traditional wire transfers in addition to crypto payments.
• B2B Digital Asset Exchange: An integrated exchange allows businesses to buy, sell, and swap digital assets directly within the Shield ecosystem.

The platform's infrastructure is supported by Alchemy, as indicated by an "Alchemy Supercharged" badge on the company's website. ^[5]

Integration Methods

To accommodate different business workflows, Shield offers several methods for integrating its payment gateway:

• Payment Buttons: Embeddable buttons that can be placed on a website or e-commerce store.
• Payment Links: Shareable links, similar in style to those offered by Stripe, that direct customers to a payment page.
• WooCommerce Plugin: A dedicated plugin is available for businesses operating on the WooCommerce e-commerce platform, allowing for direct integration into their online stores. ^[5]

Pricing Model

Shield's pricing structure is designed to be accessible for businesses of various sizes. There is no upfront cost or fee for integrating the platform. The company generates revenue through transaction fees, which start at a competitive 1% and decrease as a business's transaction volume increases. ^[5]

Security and Compliance

Shield emphasizes its regulatory compliance and security measures as a core part of its value proposition, aiming to build trust with businesses accustomed to traditional financial systems. The company notes that it has verticalized its compliance for global trade flows, embedding controls and risk assessments tailored to legitimate exporters to minimize false positives. ^[8]

Regulatory Licensing

The company operates under different regulatory frameworks in the United States and Europe to ensure compliance with local laws.

• United States: Shield Security, Inc. is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). This registration requires the company to adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) and reporting standards.
• European Economic Area (EEA): Services for EEA residents are provided through its Polish entity, Shield Security Sp. Z.o.o. (KRS: 0001100857), which is licensed as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in Poland under license number RDWW-1281. ^{[5] [3]}

Risk Management and Monitoring

To meet its regulatory obligations and protect its platform, Shield employs a multi-layered approach to risk management.

• Identity Verification: The company implements Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) processes to verify the identity of all users and their businesses. This service is powered by technology partner Persona.
• Transaction Monitoring: Shield uses Elliptic, a blockchain analytics firm, for real-time transaction monitoring. This system screens transactions for connections to illicit activities, sanctioned addresses, and other financial crime risks.
• Compliance Expansion: Following its seed funding round, the company announced plans to further invest in its compliance product by expanding its licensing, upgrading its fraud detection systems, and increasing the size of its compliance team. ^{[5] [7]}

Insurance

The company states that it is insured for up to $1 million to cover potential losses resulting from fraud or theft. ^[5]

Partnerships

Shield collaborates with several technology and financial service providers to deliver its platform. It is also an alumnus of the a16z crypto CSX accelerator program. ^[8]

• Persona: Provides identity verification technology for the company's KYC and KYB compliance procedures.
• Elliptic: Offers blockchain analytics and transaction monitoring tools to help Shield detect and prevent illicit financial activity.
• Alchemy: A blockchain development platform that supports Shield's technical infrastructure.
• Bridge Building Inc.: A licensed money transmitter (NMLS # 2450917) that provides money transmission services for Shield's U.S.-based clients.
• Banking Partners: Shield is a financial technology company, not a bank. Its banking services are provided through licensed partners, including Cross River Bank and Lead Bank. The company plans to use its seed funding to establish additional banking relationships. ^{[5] [3] [7] [8]}