AirTM, a cross-border payments network built on Stellar, reduces international payroll processing from days to minutes while saving companies 20-25% on fees. The company processes over $1 billion in stablecoin payments and serves 650,000 people across 192 countries by converting USDC to local currency in six minutes across 488 payment methods.
AirTM CEO Ruben Galindo discussed the company's approach to global payroll infrastructure in a conversation with Stellar Development Foundation's Denelle Dixon on the block by block podcast. AirTM addresses the traditional friction in cross-border payments by focusing on the "last mile"—converting stablecoins to local currency quickly and cheaply. The company operates in underserved markets like Honduras, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, Angola, Egypt, and Turkey where traditional payment providers struggle. By using USDC on Stellar through Bridge (a Stripe company), AirTM enables direct payouts from businesses to workers with conversion fees below 2.5%. The company's model demonstrates that stablecoins serve as infrastructure for open, interoperable payment systems rather than closed networks, allowing workers to access earnings without delay and companies to hire talent in previously inaccessible markets.
