SCF #13
Award Completed
Pactta API

We enhance the anchor interoperability to provide a single API that enables any fintech in LatAm to offer seamless money transfers

Awarded
Awarded
Budget request:
$
120,700
*
WebsiteCode

Project Stage

Development

Category

Payments

Based in

United States

Team size

3

Active since

December, 2022
Products & Services

1. Stellar SEP6 enabled anchor crypto on/off ramps

Allows users to easily convert their traditional currency or assets into cryptocurrencies such as USDC that can later be used on the Stellar network. Building sep 6 enabled anchors gives Pactta a full perspective of the whole Stellar infrastructure technology and allows us to provide the most competitive fees in the market. This also address the lack of operating ramps in LatAm to exchange local currencies into USDC and back for retail customers.

2. Cross-border payment API

A tool designed for any businesses in LatAm to easily and securely provide cross-border payments to its users. Pactta's API orchestrates and connects two of the many crypto on/off ramps (either owned by Pactta or some of its partners) to send and receive borderless payments using USDC on Stellar as non custodial conversion mechanism. Our API takes care of all KYC requirements on both anchors and offers competitive exchange rates. Pactta accepts different payment methods and supports local currencies in LatAm such as ARS, CLP, COP, PEN, MXN and BRL. Pactta is the layer that many non-crypto fintechs need in order to be able to access the cross-border payment technology of Stellar, without needing to understand blockchain, SEPs or protocols.

3. Fiat to fiat widget

A white label, easy to integrate and user-friendly tool that enables our customers to offer fiat to fiat conversion quickly using our embeddable interface. This widget provides real-time exchange rates for the different fiat currencies, the payment methods available and the KYC requirements. This way our customers can start generating a new source of revenue within their platform, eliminating the need for their users to cash out their wallets and use third-party services or navigate complex currency conversion processes.

4. Business dashboard

This panel helps our customers manage payments statuses, download reports, and visualize financial data, all in one place. It provides real-time insights and analytics on performance, and also customization of widget and fees. With Pactta's dashboard, businesses can optimize their operations and streamline their cross-border payment offering.

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Previous Project(s)
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Progress so far
  • We were part of the SCF Startup Bootcamp!

We had the amazing experience of participating at the SCF Startup Bootcamp where we were able to get involved with the Stellar community, facilitators and many founders building solutions on Stellar.

  • We created a prototype and run tests with early adopters

During bootcamp, we successfully built a prototype of our widget and user tested it with Zumma (an investment fintech from Mexico that is one of our early customers and has signed a LOI to our API).

  • We launched our new landing page

Since we pivoted from B2C to B2B2C, we worked on a new website and are actively receiving leads on our waitlist.

  • We killed it at Techstars Demo Day!

We did an amazing pitch during Techstars demo day. This program is in partnership with Stellar and different members of the Stellar community attended to it.

  • We showcased Pactta at Web Summit Rio

We were part of the Alpha program at Web Summit Rio and the Startup Showcase activator. We were part of a panel that talked about the Future of money and Pactta got a 3' pitch slot to showcase its solution.

Goals
To get there, we request a budget of  
$
120,700
*
  to:
Additional information

Problem

Pactta is addressing the lack of infrastructure for fintechs in LatAm to enable fiat to fiat cross border payments to their users. Many non-crypto companies and wallets struggle to establish this services because they are not crypto-first businesses and cannot invest time on learning about SEPs or blockchains. Furthermore, the current suppliers in underdeveloped markets are not only scarce, but most of them don’t offer crypto to fiat retail off-ramps.

The traditional banking system exacerbates this problem even further. They’re slow, costly, and not always accessible, particularly in the LatAm market. This is where Pactta comes in, offering a simple and convenient solution through its API that enhances the anchor interoperability on Stellar, making crypto-based cross-border payments possible to be offered by any fintech while being cost-effective and compliant.

Solution

Pactta builds/connects Stellar anchors in LatAm underdeveloped market and provides a seamless API that allows any fintech business to offer fiat to fiat cross border payment to their users. Pactta handles all the complicated processes involved in cross border payments, including crypto conversions, local currency support, partnerships with anchors and compliance, leaving our clients free to focus on growing their businesses and keep their users in-app.

Why now

Cross border payments in emerging markets are growing rapidly year by year, and the fragmented global blockchain payments market and outdated traditional financial infrastructure are leaving lots of room for innovation. With the increasing crypto friendliness and digitalization in LatAm, fintechs are seeking attractive and easy to integrate cross border payment solutions, and Pactta addresses this need.

Business model

Pactta makes money by charging a transaction fee for each payment processed through its API. The potential revenue depends on the volume of transactions processed, and with a large market opportunity and increasing demand for cross-border payment solutions, Pactta has the potential to generate significant revenue.

Market size

The market opportunity for Pactta B2B2C is huge. The region has a large and growing population of immigrants who need to send money back home, with an estimated $120 billion in remittances sent to the region in 2021. Furthermore, the fintech market in LatAm is rapidly expanding, with over 2,000 fintech startups and a projected market size of $150 billion by 2025. As more businesses in the region turn to digital financial services, the demand for cross-border payment infrastructure solutions like Pactta is only expected to increase, making it a promising market for growth and expansion.

Differentiator

Unlike other players like Fireblocks or Onramper, we are focused on supporting local currencies bank transfers in underdeveloped markets such as Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Brasil. By providing a stablecoin-based cross-border payment infrastructure, Pactta can help businesses and individuals in these markets avoid the high costs and complications of traditional cross-border transactions. Additionally, with its user-friendly front-end and back-end crypto on/off ramps, Pactta can provide a seamless experience for fintechs and wallets that embed its API without learning crypto. This unique focus on supporting underdeveloped markets, enabling fiat to fiat transactions and providing a user-friendly experience is what sets us as winners.

Pitch deck
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Deliverables
First Deliverable

Our first deliverable is the creation of an open-source Ruby on Rails engine that facilitates the interaction with Stellar Horizon API and Stellar Anchors. This gem will remain open source and support improvements from the community and the team at Pactta.

The steps we’ve taken in order to complete it successfully are the following:

- We’ve created a public repository on Github

- We’ve added installation instructions in the Readme File

- We’ve added usage examples in the Readme File

- We’ve tested it on our internal Pactta Payments API, since this the same gem we will use to interact with Stellar anchors.


This is an ongoing effort and we will continue to improve and add functionality to this gem even after this first initial deliverable.

How can a reviewer check you completed your first deliverable?

A reviewer can check our deliverable by visiting the created Github repository, reading the documentation and even creating a Rails APP or API that makes use of the gem. We have added installation instructions and  some usage examples.


[GitHub - Pactta/stellarfy: Set of Ruby tools to interact with Stellar Anchors and the Stellar Horizon API] (https://github.com/Pactta/stellarfy)

Links:
https://www.loom.com/share/5beaa3792a9e4cad94d868692beef406
Pactta Inc.

Pactta aims to become the leading cross-border payment infrastructure provider in emerging markets, with a global presence and a reputation for providing accessible and innovative financial services. Our grand vision is to establish as a trusted partner for fintechs and wallets worldwide.

Team

As Latinos, our team knows best what it is like to deal with lack of financial infrastructure in challenging economies. That's why we are committed to break down the status quo of clunky international transaction making in LatAm.

Daniel Di Giovanni (@digiodaniel#6428)

Co-founder and CEO

Daniel is 29 years old, Venezuelan and had to emigrate from his country at an early age. He graduated as a business administrator from ULACIT, Costa Rica. He currently lives in Buenos Aires and is pursuing an MBA in digital business. Motivated by the migratory phenomenon in his country, before venturing into the fintech sector, he founded VeneStore, a successful e-commerce of imported food for the immigrant community in Argentina under the tagline "We Cure Nostalgia".

Marcelo Biffara (@mbiffara#2006)

Co-founder and CTO

Marcelo is 33 years old, Argentinean and currently resides in Buenos Aires. From a very young age he has been passionate about technology and personal finance. He studied computer engineering at UAI. He also has an entrepreneurial background in different sectors, from food (he founded Gula Burgers a few years ago) to technology (he is a founding partner of Ofaris, a software factory). He has more than 13 years of experience in digital platform development.

Lautaro Fernandez - Full stack developer