Lydian aims to bring crypto payments into everyday retail with Visa Platinum issued and powered by Rain

Lydian, a digital assets payment infrastructure provider, backed by Tether and Cantor Fitzgerald, is launching the Lydian Card, a co-branded Visa Platinum card issued by Rain.

Available as both a physical card and an instant issue virtual option, this allows individuals to use more than 300 supported digital assets, from stablecoins to cryptocurrencies, for everyday purchases. The card works wherever Visa is accepted - whether in-store, online, or on the go. Cardholders will be able to manage their card, fund their account, and track transactions online or through a dedicated app.

Carl Grimstad, CEO at Lydian, says: "Digital asset holders have long struggled to use their funds in everyday life. Converting tokens manually, navigating limited merchant acceptance, and wrestling with clunky user experiences has made spending crypto more complicated than it needs to be. The Lydian card turns this all on its head.”

“Whether tapping in-store or making a purchase online, the Lydian Card makes it simple to spend digital assets. Supported by Visa’s global network and powered by Rain’s infrastructure, the card enables a seamless shift from digital ownership to everyday use, helping users and merchants participate in the $4 trillion digital asset economy."

Farooq Malik, CEO and Co-founder at Rain, says: “Tokenized money and digital assets hold huge potential, but mainstream adoption only happens if spending them in the real-world is actually easy to do. Historically, getting this right has been tricky and complex."

“By using Rain’s on-chain card issuance solution, Lydian is making it convenient for cardholders to use their digital assets everywhere Visa is accepted - a critical step toward unlocking continued usage around the world.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Payments will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.