Members' Spotlight: Payhound - For seamless currency trading
Payhound reached the €1 billion milestone for payments in 2024. Managing director Elton Dimech explains how this was reached – and what it means for the future.
For those who don’t know your company, can you provide some background?
Payhound is a payment platform that provides secure and efficient crypto to fiat settlements for businesses operating in highly demanding industries such as iGaming, travel and forex. Our mission is simple: to make transacting with crypto and stablecoins as seamless and transparent as dealing with traditional currency.
Founded in Malta, we recognised early on that crypto could play a vital role in addressing some of the most common pain points for operators in iGaming. Players want to deposit and withdraw instantly, affiliates want commissions without banking delays, and operators need visibility and control across their entire payment ecosystem. Payhound was built to meet these demands.
We are licensed under the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) with a Class 3 VFA licence, which provides our clients with confidence that our operations are regulated and monitored. At the same time, we are actively preparing for the EU’s MiCA framework, ensuring our platform and processes will be fully aligned with the new standards once they come into force.
At our core, we provide infrastructure that allows operators or businesses to accept crypto deposits, instantly convert them to fiat if required, and reconcile everything in a straightforward manner. The platform supports both invoicing deposit flows and permanent channel deposit flows, offering flexibility depending on how operators want to manage funds. Beyond deposits and withdrawals, we also support affiliate commissions and mass payouts, B2B settlements, liquidity transfers, and large-scale OTC transactions.
Can you share a little-known fact about your company?
A little-known fact about Payhound is that although we are strongly positioned in the iGaming sector, our platform is also being used in other industries such as luxury and real estate. This reflects the adaptability of our infrastructure and the growing demand for secure and efficient crypto to fiat settlements beyond gaming.
What are you currently working on and what are your company’s plans and strategic priorities for the coming years?
Our current focus is on expanding further into Europe and building on the strong foundation we have already established. With the EU’s MiCA framework taking place, operators, affiliates, and merchants now have more certainty about the path ahead for crypto adoption. Payhound is actively preparing for this transition to ensure our solutions remain fully aligned with the new standards once they are implemented.
On the product side, we are continuing to refine the flows that businesses use every day. That includes improving tools for finance teams, improving OTC services for large conversions, and making integrations even smoother through our API. The aim is to make crypto adoption as effortless as possible, with systems that fit easily into existing workflows.
We are also strengthening our compliance framework. Payments are not just about speed, they are about trust. By growing these teams and investing in technology that supports transaction monitoring, KYC, and data protection, we give businesses the reassurance that every payment is managed to the highest standard.
Strategically, we are expanding our partnerships. Payhound is increasingly seen not just as a service provider, but as part of the ecosystem that supports growth. Building stronger relationships across the iGaming sector as well as luxury and real estate markets will remain a priority in the years ahead.
Are there any projects/achievements of your company that you are exceptionally proud of?
There are a few milestones that stand out for us. Processing more than €1 billion in payments in 2024 was a significant achievement. It demonstrated both the trust our clients place in us and the scalability of our infrastructure.
We are also proud of how we have expanded beyond gaming into new industries. In luxury, Payhound has supported transactions in private jet charters, yacht leasing, and high value retail. We have now also placed focus on forex, investment banking and other sectors. Entering these industries shows the adaptability of our technology and the demand for the solutions we provide.
Another achievement has been the adoption of our OTC services by businesses that need to manage large treasury movements. By negotiating directly with liquidity providers, our team has been able to secure competitive rates for transactions above €100,000, giving clients more flexibility and confidence in how they move their funds.
Finally, we take pride in the partnerships we have built. Working with operators, affiliates, merchants, and service providers who are leaders in their fields has validated our role as more than a processor. We have become a trusted partner in their financial operations.
What in your opinion makes Malta an effective jurisdiction to set up a business?
Malta has long been a hub for iGaming, and that brings significant advantages. The ecosystem here is strong. Operators, platform providers, affiliates, and service companies are all established in the same environment. That creates a natural network effect, making it easier to collaborate and to serve clients where they are based.
The regulatory framework in Malta is another strength. Having a respected authority overseeing financial services and gaming provides credibility. For companies like ours, it means we can operate with confidence, knowing that our structure and processes meet the standards expected by both regulators and clients.
Malta also benefits from a skilled workforce. There is a concentration of professionals who understand both gaming and financial services, and that mix is essential. The country’s geographic location, bridging Europe and the Mediterranean, further reinforces its role as an effective jurisdiction.
For Payhound, being headquartered in Malta has been the right choice. It has allowed us to remain close to iGaming while also connecting with luxury, real estate, and other sectors across Europe.
What kind of people/companies in the financial services community would you want to connect with?
We want to connect with operators and affiliates in iGaming who are looking for more efficient ways to manage their payment flows. The demand from players for faster deposits and withdrawals is not slowing down, and affiliates continue to push for faster and cheaper commission payouts. We can help both groups.
At the same time, we are focused on connecting with businesses in other industries that need reliable solutions for large scale transaction. Luxury goods and real estate are strong examples. Clients in these sectors want the ability to transact in the asset they hold, while receiving value in fiat. Payhound makes that possible, offering the same speed and security that we deliver in gaming.
Beyond direct clients, we are keen to engage with technology partners, financial institutions, and service providers that share our focus on secure and transparent financial operations. The payments landscape is evolving quickly, and collaboration is key to ensuring that businesses across industries can operate with confidence.
Bio:
Elton Dimech is the managing director of Payhound, a company he has led since its inception in 2019.
Before Payhound, Elton held senior roles at Sparkasse Bank Malta, where he specialised in client relations, onboarding, and operations for nearly a decade. He also gained early experience at Bank of Valletta.
Elton’s leadership combines deep financial sector knowledge with a forward-looking approach to blockchain-powered payments. Under his guidance, Payhound has grown into a fully licensed and ISO27001-certified platform, processing large-scale crypto-to-fiat transactions with speed, security, and transparency.
He is passionate about helping businesses simplify complex payment flows, reduce operational risks, and expand globally through reliable and regulated crypto payment infrastructure.