Zebedee Debuts Global Payment Service Powered by Bitcoin’s Lightning Network

Bitcoin gaming and payments company Zebedee has debuted a payment feature on its app that allows users to instantly send any amount of money to five jurisdictions, including the Philippines and Brazil, for little to no cost using Bitcoin’s Lightning Network.

The feature enables users to connect their Zebedee accounts directly to platforms run by bitcoin (BTC) payment firms including Philippines-based Pouch and Brazil-based Bipa, according to a release. Bitcoin’s Lightning Network is a layer 2 scaling system that enables cheaper and faster bitcoin payments.

The new functionality could add to the competition in the global market for remittances. Last year, digital payments firm Strike launched its own Lightning-based remittance service – Send Globally – that operates primarily in the Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.

A key aspect of Zebedee's new feature is shielding users from the complexity of sending and receiving Lightning payments. The solution requires “no prior knowledge of cryptocurrency or blockchain,” according to the release.

“A user in Brazil can earn bitcoin playing a game like Solitaire, then instantly transfer that money to Bipa and exchange it for Brazilian reais,” the release states. “A user in the U.S. can lend a friend in the Philippines money for a cup of coffee. They can easily transfer funds to their friend on the other side of the world, who can then immediately spend these funds in Philippine pesos, through Pouch.”