Zoey Jiao
Hong Kong — August 31, 2026 — PhotonPay, a next-generation financial operating system powered by stablecoins, recently announced that it has secured Money Transmitter Licenses (MTLs) in Maryland and North Dakota. With these new approvals, PhotonPay now holds MTL licenses across 18 U.S. states, marking a significant acceleration in its U.S. expansion strategy. Rather than relying on intermediary partnerships, PhotonPay operates as a directly regulated entity across Hong Kong, the UK, Canada, and the U.S. — a compliance-first approach that underpins its global expansion.
These licenses allow PhotonPay to expand its localized payment capabilities for businesses transacting across the United States, supporting faster settlement and compliant fund flows in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
“Each state MTL requires its own review of our fund safeguarding, risk management, and governance practices — Maryland and North Dakota are no exception,” said JP, Group Chief Compliance Officer at PhotonPay. “As we build out our licensed footprint across the U.S., we’re giving our global clients a compliant, transparent path to move money into and out of the American market.
Executing Localized Growth in the U.S. Market
PhotonPay’s regulatory milestones go hand-in-hand with its operational expansion. As state licensing deepens, PhotonPay is continuously elevating its local infrastructure and service matrix in the U.S.
USD Collection & Payouts: Localized multi-currency accounts let global trade partners collect, hold, and pay out USD through U.S. payment rails, cutting down on the extra hops and delays that come with cross-border wire transfers.
Corporate Treasury Tools: Automated tools help international enterprises manage multi-currency cash flow, keep USD liquidity where it’s needed, and consolidate capital management across multiple U.S. entities.
Local Teams on the Ground: PhotonPay has added client management, legal, and operations staff based in the U.S., giving American clients and partners a team that understands local requirements directly.
The Architecture Behind the Expansion
Compliance at PhotonPay isn’t a checklist that follows the business. It’s built alongside it. The same risk and security framework the company runs globally is what’s now scaling into its U.S. state licensing.
Global Local Operations: PhotonPay runs 16 centers worldwide, each with its own local operations and compliance team. That’s how it keeps up with FinCEN rules and state statutes in the U.S., and AML requirements everywhere else it operates.
Intelligent Risk Management & AML: PhotonPay uses its proprietary risk engine to run real-time transaction monitoring, automated sanction screening, and fraud prevention before settlement.
Data Security & Privacy: Customer data is fully protected across its lifecycle, backed by ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type I, and PCI-DSS Level 1 security standards.
Fund Segregation & Safeguarding: Customer funds are held separately in dedicated accounts at regulated banking institutions under strict oversight.
PhotonPay expects to add more state licenses in the coming months as part of its broader U.S. build-out. The company currently holds 25+ licenses and registrations across Hong Kong, the UK, Canada, and the U.S., with additional approvals in progress in Singapore.
