Bitcoin Lightning Startup TMRW Raises $1.3 Million Funding

Miami-based Bitcoin startup TMRW has raised $1.3 million in pre-seed Funding to develop its social payments app powered by the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Maple VC led the funding round, and Bitcoin angel investors like Brad Mills joined the round.

TMRW aims to leverage the Lightning Network's speed and low costs to enable cross-border peer-to-peer payments via Lightspark and ZeroHash. The app uses Universal Money Addresses, an open payment standard built on Lightning, to send fiat and Bitcoin instantly across borders.

This allows TMRW to facilitate fast, affordable remittances to regions like the Caribbean, where traditional providers charge high fees. Remittances are a major use case for Bitcoin and Lightning as they offer significant cost savings compared to legacy finance.

TMRW co-founder Alexandra Lutchman said the app shows how Bitcoin can unlock borderless payments for family and friends worldwide. The startup wants to illustrate Bitcoin's everyday utility and make payments social.

The app includes features like adding messages, emojis and images to payments. TMRW also helps onboard new users by allowing them to earn Bitcoin rewards and see how their contacts use Bitcoin.

TMRW is running pilots in the Caribbean and has opened its iOS beta to U.S. users. The Funding will help expand into the American market and make Bitcoin and fiat transfers available globally.

Bitcoin lightning has seen growing adoption for remittances and cross-border transfers, as it offers significant cost savings compared to traditional providers. Remittances are a major early use case for Bitcoin and Lightning, making sending money abroad cheaper and faster.