May has been a month dominated by Squads updates.
The team introduced Fuse Card and Fuse Plus, was announced as a launch partner for the Bridge x Visa global card issuing product, and also announced the launch of global bank transfers, the launch of Altitude, and the closure of a strategic investment from Haun Ventures.
That’s relentless shipping in action.
Fresh off all these milestone announcements, it’s safe to say that Stepan Simkin, co-founder and CEO, was flying high heading into Solana Accelerate this week.
We simply had to get a taste of the energy (and hope some of it rubbed off) powering their efforts, so we called in a favor and were lucky enough to catch up with Simkin for a Q&A as he and the team prepared for the event and their (another one, seriously) big announcement.
RockawayX: Solana Accelerate is set to be the biggest SOL event of the year. What’s your mindset heading into the conference?
Simkin: We are showing up with energy. This is an inflection moment for Squads, stablecoins, and the entire industry.
The past few months have been all out for Squads—new products, new markets, and new partners. Accelerate is a chance to connect with the builders pushing the ecosystem forward and show/tell the story of how we are building modern finance on stablecoin rails.
RockawayX: And as a team, what’s your strategy for maximizing the time you spend at conferences?
Simkin: We treat conferences like product launches. We come in with clear goals: who we want to meet, what we want them to leave with, and how we follow up. It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being intentional.
RockawayX: Altitude was just announced as a business-focused financial suite powered by stablecoins, with loads of positive sentiment on X. What are the key details everyone should know?
Simkin: Altitude is a modern finance app built for businesses that want to save, earn, and move dollars. It isn’t retrofitted for a stablecoin future. It’s built for it.
The new finance stack is being built on blockchains, powered by stablecoins, and designed for a world where value moves as freely as information. Altitude brings the benefits of this new stack to every business.
RockawayX: The recent blockage of the stablecoin bill was touted as a big blow to crypto. Are the worries overhyped? How far does it actually set stablecoins back?
Simkin: Headlines can be more volatile than crypto markets, but the long-term momentum isn’t slowing down. Stablecoins continue to be one of the most adopted and productized parts of crypto.
Regulation will catch up.
RockawayX: Squads recently announced its participation as a launch partner for the Bridge x Visa global card issuing product. What can you tell us about the collaboration?
Simkin: It’s been an incredible experience to work with Bridge as a core partner across multiple products. They provide orchestration behind the scenes, enabling us to offer global card issuance with Fuse Card, bank transfers, and real-world payment flow.
With Bridge, we’re connecting stablecoin-native finance to traditional rails in a way that was never possible.
RockawayX: And reflecting back on your journey to this point, what does it feel like to be now working alongside Fintech giants?
Simkin: It’s insanely motivating. We started by building tools to solve our own problems, and now we’re collaborating with the biggest names in global payments.
It’s validation that the work matters and a reminder to keep building with conviction in our mission and for the problems/opportunities we see in the world.
RockawayX: What are the key next steps for Solana domination in the United States?
Simkin: Solana’s ecosystem has the infrastructure, talent, and momentum. Now it’s about shipping consistently, telling the right story, and integrating with real-world use cases.
Fintech builders are looking for better rails, and they’re turning to Solana and teams like Squads for stablecoin-native infrastructure.
If we win that, then everything else follows.
RockawayX: Where will other teams be able to find you at Accelerate?
Simkin: We’ll be on the ground all week. You’ll find us at the Fuse kiosk, at side events, and hosting talks at both conferences. We’ll have our Squads gear on; come say hi.
