Bolt targets merchant friction with stablecoins, one-click onboarding

The Bolt Connect platform slashes merchant onboarding to a single click, while stablecoin integration promises near-instant, low-cost global payouts. The move could redefine how digital marketplaces scale. Bolt Financial Inc., the one-click checkout platform that recently partnered with billionaire Peter Thiel’s data analytics firm Palantir Technologies to deliver AI-enhanced payments, has announced two updates targeting some of the most persistent bottlenecks in online commerce. On June 27, the San Francisco-based firm introduced Bolt Connect, a new integration layer that allows marketplaces to onboard merchants with a single click, alongside native support for stablecoin payments. The dual rollout marks a notable expansion of Bolt’s backend infrastructure offerings, as the company shifts focus from front-end user experience to solving legacy pain points under the hood. You might also like: Doge ETF inches toward approval as Bitwise updates filing Bolt’s deepening infrastructure play Bolt’s latest infrastructure update addresses one of digital commerce’s most persistent dilemmas: the trade-off between rapid growth and operational sustainability. While most marketplaces historically faced mounting complexity with each new merchant, Bolt Connect rearchitects the foundation to eliminate traditional scaling barriers. According to the announcement, Bolt Connect’s automated merchant onboarding reduces what was typically a days-long verification process to near-instant approval, while maintaining compliance through built-in regulatory checks. This technical leap could be especially transformative for platforms expanding internationally, where cross-border documentation and payment processing have traditionally required specialized legal and financial teams. Simultaneously, Bolt’s support for stablecoin payments targets the transactional layer of global commerce. The company says this addition enables merchants to access funds immediately, bypassing traditional banking settlement delays. The implications go beyond speed: by sidestepping card networks and correspondent banks, Bolt’s system dramatically reduces the percentage-based fees that eat into marketplace margins. “Marketplaces shouldn’t have to choose between scale and simplicity,” said Ryan Breslow, Founder and CEO of Bolt. “With Bolt Connect, we’re giving them the tools to grow without the usual technical burden, while stablecoin support opens the door to faster, borderless payments for everyone in the network.” Bolt’s strategic pivot toward backend infrastructure reflects a growing recognition in fintech: user experience alone isn’t enough to solve the structural inefficiencies of digital commerce. While Bolt’s earlier products focused on consumer-facing improvements like one-click checkout, these latest developments aim at the operational plumbing that determines whether marketplaces can scale, or stall. Read more: Few central banks see Bitcoin reserves on horizon but interest in diversification still grows