ZBD is a fintech platform purpose-built for the gaming industry, providing a complete payments stack that covers the full money lifecycle in games — from deposits and in-game spending to rewards, payouts, and withdrawals.
Key Products:
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ZBD Earn — A Unity SDK and API that lets studios reward players with real money for in-game achievements and engagement. Rewards can be displayed as in-game currency (gems, coins) or real value and paid out via bank transfer, Cash App, Coinbase, gift cards, and more. Studies show up to +44.5% ARPDAU uplift and +142% D14 retention.
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Debit Cards — Branded debit cards that earn players virtual currency on every purchase, turning everyday spending into in-game rewards and keeping studios top-of-mind beyond gameplay.
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Payouts — On-demand real-money payouts to players, creators, and winners directly to their bank accounts (USD & EUR) or other financial rails like Cash App, Kraken, and Coinbase.
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Embedded Accounts — Licensed banking accounts built into games, enabling player-to-peer transfers, creator economies, and full financial relationships without third-party apps.
ZBD is fully licensed as a US Money Transmitter (NMLS 2188007), holds EU EMI and MiCA licenses, and is SOC 2 certified. One integration replaces fragmented vendors with global coverage, sub-second Lightning Network settlements, programmable money flows, and end-to-end compliance handling.
Pros
- Proven player engagement uplift — TapNation's Idle Bank reported +44.5% ARPDAU, +142% D14 retention, and +28.5% D1 retention after integrating ZBD Earn rewards.
- Single API suite replaces multiple vendors — one integration covers rewards, branded debit cards, payouts, and embedded banking accounts for the full money lifecycle.
- Bitcoin Lightning Network enables instant, near-zero-fee microtransactions and real-time payouts directly within gameplay.
- Strong financial backing with proven traction — raised $40M Series C (Jan 2026) led by Blockstream Capital Partners, processes 120M+ annual transactions with doubled game integrations year-over-year.
- Full regulatory compliance across major markets — holds US Money Transmitter Licenses (NMLS 2188007), EU EMI and MiCA licenses, and is SOC 2 certified.
Cons
- Real-money reward model tied to gameplay may face reclassification risks under gambling regulations in certain jurisdictions.
- SDK/API integration requires engineering resources, creating a barrier for smaller indie studios without dedicated development teams.
- Real-money rewards are not universally effective — ZBD's own case studies show slower adoption in games without a natural thematic connection to earning mechanics.
- Platform is purpose-built for games only — not suitable for non-gaming businesses seeking general-purpose payment infrastructure.
- Dependence on Bitcoin Lightning Network means any Lightning scalability or liquidity issues directly impact ZBD's core payment and reward functionality.