Noah raises £16.6m led by LocalGlobe with Felix Capital
This article covers Noah, a fintech startup that has raised £16.6m in a seed funding round to build infrastructure integrating stablecoins into global payments. The funds will support expansion into the US, Europe and Asia, pursuit of licences and scaling of product and engineering teams to serve businesses, NGOs, payroll providers and payment service providers seeking faster, lower-cost cross-border transfers.
Noah, a fintech startup, has raised £16.6m in a seed funding round to build infrastructure that integrates stablecoins into global payments. The London-founded company says the capital will be used to expand into the US, Europe and Asia, pursue licences and scale its product and engineering teams — a timely bet on faster, lower-cost cross-border transfers as businesses and NGOs explore alternatives to legacy banking rails.
Why it matters
Cross-border payments remain slow, opaque and costly for many businesses and individuals. Stablecoins — digital tokens pegged to fiat currencies — promise near-instant settlement, 24/7 availability and greater transparency compared with correspondent banking and SWIFT-dependent flows. That potential has drawn growing attention from payments firms, crypto infrastructure providers and policymakers.
Noah’s fundraising matters because it channels venture capital into a narrowly focused infrastructure play: converting between fiat and stablecoins and connecting local payment systems to a global network. The startup argues that this layer is necessary if stablecoins are to move from niche use cases into mainstream payroll, remittances, PSP and enterprise payments. The broader market context includes a recent peak in stablecoin market capitalisation, which the company cites at about £180.1bn ($238bn), and rising institutional participation from issuers holding Treasury securities.
Inside the product
Noah offers APIs and checkout integrations that let businesses convert funds between fiat and stablecoins across what the company describes as a network covering over 50 currencies and 70 countries in real time, with transaction visibility and compliance controls. Target customers include payroll providers, payment service providers, neobanks and exchanges in Latin America, where dollarisation and volatile local currencies make stable digital assets attractive.
The company highlights partnerships with stablecoin issuers Circle and Paxos to route liquidity and support remittances, NGO disbursements and enterprise-level flows. Noah says its stack is built around stablecoins rather than treating them as an add-on to existing payment products.
In the announcement, Elisabeth Carpenter, Chief Strategic Engagement Officer at Circle, said:
For too long, financial systems have failed the very people who need them most – from families in volatile currencies, to refugees without access to bank accounts, to NGOs slowed down by bureaucracy when every second counts. Stablecoins can help right these wrongs. They enable money to move instantly, transparently and across borders, even where infrastructure is broken or trust is scarce. We’ve already seen NGOs using stablecoins to deliver aid directly into the hands of those in crisis. Now we have the opportunity, the technology, the backing, and the impetus to build on that. Not just as a stop-gap, but as a long-term foundation for a more equitable financial system. This isn’t just innovation, it’s economic empowerment at scale; giving the world access to better money – and the stability, dignity and opportunities that come with it.
Who are the investors?
Noah’s £16.6m seed was led by LocalGlobe and includes participation from Felix Capital and FJ Labs, alongside several high-profile angel investors: Joe Lonsdale (Palantir), David Helgason (Unity), Alexander Matthey (former Adyen CTO) and Tom Stafford (DST Global). The backers reflect confidence in the founding team’s payments experience and the perceived timing for stablecoin infrastructure.
LocalGlobe’s involvement brings a London-based early-stage investor known for backing fintech founders. Felix Capital is a growth investor with fintech exposure across Europe. FJ Labs is a US-based investor active in marketplaces and payments.
In the announcement, Ashmina Arora, Partner at LocalGlobe commented:
Noah isn't passively observing the future of stablecoins; the team is actively building it. By seamlessly converging fiat, local payment rails, stablecoins and robust compliance into a single layer, Noah establishes itself as the indispensable foundation for anyone serious about modern global money movement.
The round will be used to hire across product and engineering, secure regulatory licences in target jurisdictions and accelerate commercial partnerships with issuers and payment providers.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
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Founder perspective
Noah was founded by Shah Ramezani (CEO) and Thijn Lamers (Co‑Founder and President). Ramezani has framed the company as building the backbone that businesses need to take advantage of rapidly growing stablecoin liquidity and use cases.
In the announcement, Shah Ramezani, CEO/Founder of Noah, said:
The rise of stablecoin represents a fundamental reshaping of global finance. We foresee an exponential acceleration, projecting a £0 ($2 trillion) market by 2028. Our platform is building the vital infrastructure for businesses to fully leverage this revolution, making international payments as fluid as data transmission and equipping them for this profound evolution in how value moves.
In the announcement, Thijn Lamers, Co-Founder and President of Noah, said:
Having seen Adyen's growth firsthand, I recognise that stablecoins represent an even more profound shift. Traditional processors optimize within existing constraints. We're eliminating those constraints entirely. Our platform gives businesses the fastest, cheapest, most transparent way to move money globally and our mission is to make legacy cross-border payment methods look antiquated.
Both founders point to prior payments experience — including roles at Adyen, Visa and Onfido — as a reason investors should trust their operational and compliance approach.
The bigger picture
Noah’s raise sits at the intersection of two trends: venture capital chasing payments infrastructure that reduces frictions in cross-border flows, and a push from crypto-native firms to bring stablecoins into regulated business use. Its focus on compliance, licences and partnerships with established issuers is a direct response to regulatory and commercial barriers that have stalled broader stablecoin adoption.
For the UK and Europe, the company’s expansion plans will test how quickly regional regulators and banks integrate with stablecoin-based rails. If firms like Noah can combine fiat on‑ and off‑ramps, local payment rails and clear compliance controls, they may accelerate practical uses from payroll to humanitarian aid. The round also signals continued appetite from fintech investors for infrastructure plays that bridge traditional finance and crypto-native settlement.
They've invested in Noah
Get to know these fintech investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 LocalGlobe( ) LocalGlobe is a venture capital firm that partners with founders from pre-seed a... London  | ||||
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 FJ Labs( ) NYC, US  | ||||
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| Angel Investors | Location | Connect | Investment Focus | Startup Investments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Joe Lonsdale | ||||
David Helgason | ||||
Alexander Matthey | ||||
Tom Stafford | NoahTERN GROUP | |||
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