What Standard Economics’ $9M Raise Reveals About Global Money Access
Sending money internationally can cost users up to 7% in fees on average, a crippling burden for many in developing countries. Standard Economics, a startup founded by former SpaceX and X employees, just raised $9 million to tackle this friction with its new app Uno, launching first in Mexico.
But this isn’t just about cheaper remittances—it’s a strategic bet on stablecoins and financial inclusion that creates a **systemic lever** to reach the unbanked globally. “Our goal is to make it unbelievably easy for anyone on earth to access money,” says CEO Evan Jones.
Rethinking Financial Inclusion Beyond Local Apps
Conventional wisdom holds that regional remittance apps like Félix suffice by leveraging existing messaging platforms per country. Yet, these remain fragmented and vary widely in features and trust. Uno challenges that fragmentation by offering a unified, multi-country platform powered by stablecoins that cuts both fee and latency constraints.
This contrasts with siloed approaches and exposes a critical constraint few identify: the absence of seamless cross-border value transfer mechanisms designed for users without bank accounts. Systems that unify access unlock higher leverage, and Standard Economics is showing us how.
Stablecoins as the Hidden Leverage Engine
Standard Economics centers its infrastructure on stablecoins, cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar, enabling near-instant settlements without traditional banking rails. While regulators and giants like Congress and Wall Street weigh crypto integration, Standard Economics is proactively embedding stablecoins as a foundational service for emerging markets.
This sidesteps high international wire costs and slow processing for locals excluded from banks—a massive leverage point over existing fintech. Unlike costly Instagram ad user acquisition or fragmentary country-by-country apps, this is infrastructure bet akin to OpenAI scaling ChatGPT—they’re building core infrastructure that runs without constant intervention.
Cross-Border Payments Made Invisible
The Uno app launched on iOS and Android in Mexico enables free domestic and international payments, unifying several free banking tools in one interface. Its roll-out plan includes Argentina, the Philippines, and other Latin American and Asian countries. Currently with just six employees, the startup leverages code and systems designed by ex-SpaceX and X talent to automate payment flows and compliance, removing common bottlenecks.
By doing so, Standard Economics unlocks a constraint most overlook: the complexity of providing currency access for unbanked people. This is a leap beyond traditional fintech or remittance models, as explained in structural leverage failures—this startup is architecting a new money system for billions currently left out.
A Global Platform, Not a Country-by-Country Copy
Where existing competitors create local islands of payments, Standard Economics positions Uno as a scalable global platform. Paradigm partner Caitlin Pintavorn calls it the “Starlink for money”, underscoring the ambition to create a single network accessible across borders. This approach reapplies network effects made famous by major tech platforms for finance, magnifying impact without incremental cost per user.
“My dad was like, ‘You seem to have built a bank,’” recounts Jones. This is telling: Standard Economics has engineered a platform functioning as a global digital bank aimed at bypassing slow, costly, and exclusionary legacy banking systems.
What This Means for Operators and Investors
The underlying constraint that shifted is control over cross-border liquidity and access, traditionally stuck in sovereign banking and legacy rails. Stablecoins and programmable money are proving their worth as strategic levers for building financial infrastructure at scale in developing markets.
Operators eyeing emerging markets now must consider infrastructure beyond compliance or user acquisition costs—control over money flow is the real moat. Countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia can replicate this model to accelerate financial inclusion.
“Financial infrastructure that works globally without human friction creates leverage that compounds exponentially.”
Related Tools & Resources
For those who are striving to optimize payment processes internationally, tools like Bolt Business can significantly enhance your ability to manage cross-border transactions efficiently. It aligns perfectly with the insights from Standard Economics, ensuring that financial access is streamlined and cost-effective for all users. Learn more about Bolt Business →
Full Transparency: Some links in this article are affiliate partnerships. If you find value in the tools we recommend and decide to try them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools that align with the strategic thinking we share here. Think of it as supporting independent business analysis while discovering leverage in your own operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problem does Standard Economics aim to solve?
Standard Economics tackles high international money transfer fees, which can reach up to 7%, especially burdening users in developing countries. Their new app Uno offers cheaper, faster cross-border payments by leveraging stablecoins.
How much funding did Standard Economics recently raise and why is it significant?
Standard Economics raised $9 million to develop and expand Uno, a unified cross-border payments app launching first in Mexico. This funding supports their goal to improve global money access and reduce remittance costs using stablecoins.
What is the Uno app and which countries will it serve?
Uno is a mobile app that enables free domestic and international payments, initially launching in Mexico with plans to expand to Argentina, the Philippines, and other Latin American and Asian countries to enhance financial inclusion globally.
How does Uno differentiate itself from other remittance apps?
Unlike fragmented regional apps, Uno provides a unified multi-country platform powered by stablecoins, reducing fees and payment latency while serving users without bank accounts with an automated, scalable system.
What role do stablecoins play in Standard Economics’ platform?
Stablecoins, cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar, enable near-instant settlements on Uno without relying on traditional banking rails, bypassing costly international wires and serving unbanked populations in emerging markets.
Who are the founders or key team members behind Standard Economics?
Standard Economics was founded by former SpaceX and X employees. The CEO, Evan Jones, emphasizes building a platform that makes it easy for anyone worldwide to access money.
What is the main challenge in global money access that Standard Economics addresses?
The main challenge is the absence of seamless cross-border value transfer systems designed for people without bank accounts. Standard Economics leverages programmable money and stablecoins to overcome this barrier.
How does Standard Economics plan to scale its financial infrastructure?
By creating a global platform similar to "Starlink for money," Uno aims to leverage network effects and automation for cross-border payments, minimizing human friction and compliance bottlenecks to reach billions globally.