Ontop Launches 3% APR Rewards on USD Balances for Global Workers with OpenTrade

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OpenTrade helps Ontop turn idle payroll balances into USD yield

Ontop and OpenTrade have teamed up to offer a new rewards program for global workers. It provides around a 3% annual return on USD balances, helping people earn money on their paychecks in less than a month.

Summary

  • Ontop launches ~3% APR rewards on USD balances for global workers
  • OpenTrade provides plug-and-play institutional-grade yield and infrastructure
  • Pilot hit $1m in two weeks, now $3m+ in user funds under management

As an investor, I’m excited to see Ontop evolving beyond just handling payroll and payments. They’re clearly building a more comprehensive financial platform designed for globally distributed teams, and that feels like a really smart move. It opens up a lot more potential for them.

Ontop, a platform for managing a global workforce, is now offering a rewards program with around a 3% annual percentage rate (APR) on US dollar balances held in its Global Account. This is possible through a partnership with OpenTrade, which provides the technology for stablecoins and earning interest on money. The program launched after Ontop successfully processed over $1 billion in payroll for workers in more than 150 countries. It’s designed to help Ontop’s users earn rewards on their US dollars between paychecks, protecting them from issues like inflation, currency fluctuations, and the difficulties of moving money across borders, no matter where they are located.

This partnership was built to easily integrate with Ontop’s current systems. OpenTrade took care of the legal aspects, managed the investment portfolio, and automated reporting, allowing Ontop to launch their new rewards program (offering around 3% APR) in less than a month with minimal extra work. The companies state the program is fully integrated into the Ontop account, appearing to users as a standard feature, not a separate investment or outside platform.

Turning idle balances into yield and revenue

We launched a trial version of our rewards program in December 2025 with 1,300 users, and they quickly deposited over $1 million within two weeks. We’ve since expanded the program to all Ontop customers, and total user deposits now exceed $3 million. OpenTrade’s technology connects directly to Ontop’s systems, giving us up-to-date information on account balances and performance. This all happens within a single Ontop account, making it a central place for remote workers to receive payments, save money, transfer funds, and now earn rewards.

This integration creates a new source of income for Ontop, beyond its usual subscription and payroll fees. Now, Ontop earns a profit on the funds it directs to OpenTrade, transforming it from a simple payroll and payments platform into a complete financial system for international teams – all without the cost and effort of building its own treasury department. New short-term financial products with varying interest rates and terms are planned for release in the next few weeks.

According to OpenTrade’s COO, Jeff Handler, their partnership demonstrates how fintech companies using older systems can easily access high-level investment returns without completely overhauling their technology. He explained to crypto.news that most fintechs still rely on traditional banking methods, but that shouldn’t prevent them from benefiting from better yields. OpenTrade was specifically built to integrate with existing systems, like Ontop’s, without requiring them to rebuild their infrastructure.

Building a financial OS for global workers

Julian Torres, co-founder of Ontop, explained that the new rewards program is a core part of their mission to modernize financial tools for a global workforce. He stated, “Ontop is creating the financial backbone for people working around the world. Work is becoming increasingly global, but the systems for managing money haven’t kept up.” He added that their Global Account does more than just process payments – it provides a secure place for workers to save, transfer, and invest their earnings. The collaboration with OpenTrade, he believes, is crucial for unlocking financial potential for users worldwide.

OpenTrade, supported by Circle and a16z Crypto, provides financial infrastructure for fintech companies, neobanks, and payroll services. They’ve already processed over $268 million in transactions, and their investments are managed by Five Sigma Finance, a UK-based firm that oversees more than $6 billion. Ontop offers a complete system for companies that hire and pay international teams and freelancers. They’re adding new rewards features to help companies stand out in the competitive global employment and payment space.

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2026-05-20 16:27