Prime Highlights
- ZBD raised $40 million in Series C funding to expand its blockchain-based payment solutions for the global video game industry.
- The company focuses on practical in-game payments, enabling direct financial interactions between game developers and players.
Key Facts
- Founded in 2019, ZBD is based in New Jersey and specialises in Bitcoin-powered payment software for video games.
- The startup worked with 55 games in 2025 and currently employs around 70 people.
Background:
Bitcoin payments startup ZBD has secured $40 million in Series C funding, marking a significant step forward in its mission to modernise payment systems within the global video game industry. The funding round was led by Blockstream Capital, a cryptocurrency investment firm linked to early Bitcoin development, which contributed the majority of the investment.
Founded in 2019, ZBD builds payment software that lets game developers add blockchain payments directly into their games. Its technology supports features such as player-to-player payments, loyalty rewards, and Bitcoin payouts, without the need for outside payment platforms.
Speaking on the company’s vision, ZBD cofounder and Chief Executive Officer Simon Cowell said the platform aims to give game developers greater control over how they monetise and engage with players. Despite not being profitable yet, ZBD is seeing steady growth. The company worked with 55 games in 2025 and has a team of about 70 employees. Company leaders said the new funding will be used to expand its payment services and strengthen its technology over the next year.
As the gaming industry looks for reliable and efficient payment systems, ZBD’s latest funding round places it in a strong position at the crossroads of finance, blockchain, and video gaming. Industry interest in blockchain payment rails has grown, particularly as stablecoins and digital settlement tools attract attention from major fintech companies and banks.
Cowell, whose professional background is in asset management, co-founded ZBD alongside André Neves and Christian Moss. The company, named after a character from a French animated series, has built its operations around Bitcoin rather than alternative cryptocurrencies or in-game digital assets.
Despite not being profitable yet, ZBD is seeing steady growth. The company worked with 55 games in 2025 and has a team of about 70 employees. Company leaders said the new funding will be used to expand its payment services and strengthen its technology over the next year.
As the gaming industry looks for reliable and efficient payment systems, ZBD’s latest funding round places it in a strong position at the crossroads of finance, blockchain, and video gaming.
