Global payments giant MoneyGram has officially become a validator on the Solana blockchain, marking a significant step in the company's deepening involvement in blockchain infrastructure. The move, announced in early 2025, sees MoneyGram staking SOL tokens to help secure the network and process transactions, while also joining the Solana Developer Platform. This places the remittance company among a select group of traditional financial institutions directly participating in the consensus layer of a major public blockchain.
MoneyGram Chairman and CEO Anthony Soohoo emphasized that the decision reflects a strategic shift. "As blockchain infrastructure becomes increasingly important to global payments, we believe institutions that rely on these networks should also contribute to their security, resilience, and long-term development," he said. The validator role adds to MoneyGram's existing blockchain footprint, which already includes validator operations on Tempo and the privacy-focused Midnight Network. With its Stellar-based stablecoin MGUSD launched in 2023, the company has spent over five years building real-world payment solutions using blockchain and stablecoins, including cash on-/off-ramps and API integrations.
By staking SOL, MoneyGram gains direct influence over transaction processing and network governance, potentially lowering costs and settlement times for its cross-border payments business. The company processes billions in remittances annually, and this infrastructure-level participation could accelerate the development of new financial products on Solana alongside partners like Mastercard. Solana, known for high throughput and low fees, gains institutional credibility from MoneyGram's involvement, reinforcing its position as a leading network for stablecoins and payments.
