Previously often called Lightning Pay, Stacked could be the solely Bitcoin alternate left standing after a sequence of mergers and bankruptcies within the New Zealand crypto trade. Doubling down on their imaginative and prescient to make Bitcoin “helpful as cash,” they only launched a self-custodied Lightning pockets.
Discovered at StackedBitcoin.com, the corporate has taken a unique path than bigger exchanges within the nation, which, based on Simon, co-founder and CRO of Stacked, are going all-in on promoting custodial and paper bitcoin. Exchanges like Sharesies are constructed following the Robinhood mannequin, with no path to withdraw crypto to self-custodied wallets. Whereas EasyCrypto, a well-liked swap alternate that acquired consumer fiat and despatched crypto again to consumer wallets — much like the Bull Bitcoin mannequin — was just lately purchased out by SwyFTX and shut down, funneling its userbase to the father or mother custodial alternate.
Stacked, a 4-person firm that’s seen vital development within the nation in recent times, believes that is the improper course for the native Bitcoin trade, and as such has launched a self-custodied Bitcoin and Lightning pockets that enhances their very own swap alternate providing. Customers ship fiat to Stacked and obtain Bitcoin into their self-custodied pockets of alternative. They will additionally pay utility payments and even their hire with Bitcoin by Stacked, who settle out the fiat recipients by way of New Zealand’s progressive Open Banking funds framework.
The Stacked pockets, which includes a smooth and trendy design, makes use of Breez and Spark SDKs within the again finish to supply customers a steady and easy-to-use Bitcoin expertise, with full Lightning Community integration. The app lets customers buy Bitcoin manually and on a schedule by way of Autostack a DCA type set it and overlook it buy function. Customers may handle contacts within the app to pay with bitcoin on their finish and ship fiat to recipients. The nation has no capital beneficial properties tax; as an alternative, Bitcoin income are taxed as earnings, leading to what could also be a way more favorable regulatory surroundings for hyper Bitcoinization.
Stacked has been focusing its efforts to make Bitcoin helpful as cash within the Bitcoin Basin, a rising round economic system in Queenstown, New Zealand, which boasts round Bitcoin-accepting retailers so far. The corporate has created a devoted web site for the neighborhood and hosts common occasions within the space, encouraging the native bitcoin economic system.
Within the 2025 monetary yr, 227,000 New Zealanders have been recognized as distinctive cryptoasset customers partaking in round 7 million transactions. Native cryptocurrency alternate volumes reached roughly NZ$7.8 billion. Stacked initiatives the native digital asset market will to generate income exceeding US$200 million in 2026. Practically 50% of New Zealanders are present or potential Bitcoin and digital asset buyers, based on 2024 analysis by Protocol Idea.
This submit Stacked (previously Lightning Pay) launches self-custodial Lightning pockets as New Zealand’s final main non-custodial Bitcoin alternate first appeared on Bitcoin Journal and is written by Juan Galt.
