Public Mint

Public Mint operates as a fintech company providing a blockchain-based payment platform for both individuals and businesses. Founded in 2018 by Halsey Minor, Paulo Rodrigues, and Jorge Pereira, the company is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The network officially launched in July 2020 after two years of development. The founding team brings together a wealth of experience; Minor co-founded CNET and was an early investor in Salesforce, Rodrigues has over 20 years in the payments industry, including heading a SWIFT service bureau, and Pereira has extensive experience as a CTO in various fintech and blockchain companies.

The core of Public Mint's offering is a fiat-native blockchain that allows for the tokenization of fiat currencies, starting with the U.S. dollar. This system is designed to merge the stability of traditional money with the efficiency and global reach of blockchain technology. All on-chain funds are fully collateralized and held in accounts with regulated, FDIC-insured financial institutions. The platform enables developers to build fiat-based applications using its open blockchain and APIs, facilitating payments via credit cards, ACH, and wire transfers without the need for traditional bank accounts. The blockchain itself is a modified version of Hyperledger Besu, ensuring Ethereum compatibility, which allows developers to deploy smart contracts written in Solidity.

A key product is the EARN program, which launched in February 2021 alongside the native MINT token. EARN is an application that provides users access to yields from the Centralized Finance (CeFi) and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) markets. Users can deposit USD, which is converted to an on-chain equivalent, and then stake these funds in the EARN program to receive an earnings-bearing token called USD+. The program's investment portfolio is managed through a decentralized governance model where holders of the MINT token can vote on allocation strategies. Revenue for Public Mint is generated through fees on the EARN program, including a percentage of the earnings paid out to users and a small withdrawal fee when converting USD+ back to USD. The company has raised $2.5 million in seed funding to support its growth and development.

Keywords: tokenized fiat, fiat-native blockchain, payment platform, DeFi yields, CeFi integration, EARN program, MINT token, blockchain API, programmable money, regulated digital currency, fiat-on-chain, crypto-fiat bridge, smart services, decentralized governance, USD+, blockchain payments, financial applications, fintech infrastructure, digital assets, asset tokenization