Stronghold

Organization Name – Stronghold

Category – Payment

About

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Stronghold is a U.S.-based fintech infrastructure company founded in 2017 by Tammy Camp and Sean Bennett, offering next-generation virtual payment networks and real-time settlement solutions that brid…ge traditional banking rails with modern API-driven infrastructure. From its inception Stronghold’s vision was to create a more inclusive, stable, and connected global economy by enabling businesses—especially those underserved by conventional financial systems—to move money instantly and compliantly. Starting with Stellar as its settlement backbone, Stronghold launched the SHx utility token in 2018, distributing it as loyalty rewards to merchants and facilitating real-time cross-ledger payments with minimal environmental impact. Their first client was IBM, underscoring early enterprise validation. By 2020 the company reached profitability, having scaled revenue and product offerings even during pandemic disruptions. In 2022 Stronghold launched a $100 million investment arm, Stronghold Capital, to back underrepresented founders and fintech innovation, reinforcing its broader ecosystem ambition. Security and compliance have been continual priorities: the company earned SOC 2 Type II certification in third‑quarter 2022, passed a NACHA ACH audit, and built a legal and compliance team from day one—critical since many of its clients operate in highly regulated industries like gaming, cannabis, and alcohol. In May 2024 Stronghold acquired 20022 Labs, a leader in the ISO 20022 payments messaging standard, boosting the capabilities of its StrongholdNET network and aligning with global banking standards. That acquisition deepened Stronghold’s ability to serve cross-border and enterprise use cases with richer data and interoperability. In late 2024 and early 2025, Stronghold implemented a five‑year rolling smart contract escrow on 60 billion SHx using Stellar’s Soroban platform, locking supply transparently with predictable monthly expirations—a coded approach to supply discipline that enhances trust and long‑term ecosystem planning. Community engagement remains a pillar: Stronghold maintains a thriving Discord and educational Stronghold‑101 resources to onboard new users to its payments tools, token model, and developer APIs. Its leadership—Camp and Bennett—emphasize a humanized B2B ethos, preferring sustainable, incremental growth over speculative hype. The product suite now includes ACH payments, merchant financing, direct checkout flows, real‑time settlement, card processing, and full virtual payment network capabilities via APIs. SHx serves as both a loyalty mechanism and a liquidity token, used for discounts, financing rebates, and cross-system settlement. Through Stronghold Capital, the company has taken minority-stake investments in emerging fintech and technology ventures—extending its mission beyond transactions to ecosystem support. Despite being centered on digital payment innovation, Stronghold carefully distinguishes itself from speculative token-driven models; instead, its core business is fintech, with token utility layered on top in service of real-world payments. Its disciplined approach to security compliance, regulatory alignment, and revenue-first operations positions it as a durable infrastructure partner for enterprises needing fast, compliant, and eco-friendly payment solutions. As of 2025, Stronghold employs roughly 35 people, has raised around $3.3 million in seed funding, and has sustained revenue growth—even amid broader volatility in digital asset markets. With its smart contract escrow ladder live and ISO 20022 capabilities integrated, Stronghold continues advancing toward scalable, sustainable payments infrastructure for regulated industries, enterprises, and developers seeking modern alternatives to legacy financial rails. Read More