The bank that performs the banking.
For every dollar spent on banking software, six dollars are spent on banking services. Vayan is being built to replace the services layer for regional banks through an agent-operated, dual-rail operating model.
Autopilot banking, not copilot tools
Copilot vendors sell productivity tools to bank employees. Vayan is being built to perform the repetitive work directly: compliance screening, settlement orchestration, treasury optimisation, and continuous reporting under structured governance.
Network operator, not software vendor
Vayan performs banking back-office work for partner banks rather than selling them tools to do it themselves. Revenue comes from shared operating savings and transaction throughput, not licence fees.
OYO model applied to banking
The partner bank keeps the licence, charter, clients, capital, and brand. Vayan provides the operating layer: compliance, settlement, treasury orchestration, and continuous reporting.
Dual-rail architecture
Fiat and stablecoin settlement designed as one balance-sheet reality from day one. Policy-driven routing across both rails with pre-settlement compliance and continuous evidence.
Agent-operated, human-governed
Multi-Agent Consensus means no single agent can execute alone. Material transactions and threshold events route to named human officers. Governance is structural, not procedural.
Revenue aligned with operating savings
Revenue per bank
arrow_forward Operating-layer fee: basis points on transaction volume processedarrow_forward Treasury yield share: percentage of optimisation upside above benchmarkarrow_forward Compliance-as-a-service: fixed monthly for continuous examination readiness
Target unit economics
arrow_forward Operating ratio target: <22% (vs. 55-65% industry)arrow_forward Design target: 5 humans per $1B AUM under managementarrow_forward Marginal cost per additional bank decreases as network data compounds
Network compounding
arrow_forward More banks generate more transaction dataarrow_forward More data improves compliance intelligence and risk modelsarrow_forward Better intelligence lowers cost per bankarrow_forward Lower cost attracts more banks. The loop is structural.
Why the window is open now
Three structural changes converged in 2025-2026 that make this model possible for the first time. None of them existed three years ago.
Stablecoin regulation is arriving
The GENIUS Act and MiCA are creating the first clear regulatory perimeters for payment stablecoins within the banking system. This is not speculative anymore.
AI crossed the reasoning threshold
Large language models can now perform multi-step financial reasoning, compliance screening, and structured evidence generation at a quality level that was impossible 18 months ago.
Regional banks face an existential cost problem
Compliance costs scale linearly with headcount while margins compress. The current operating model is not sustainable for banks under $5B AUM without structural change.
No one is building the operating layer
Every competitor is either selling copilot tools (productivity), building neobanks (competition), or running crypto exchanges (speculation). No one is building the autopilot that does the back-office work for existing banks.
Licensing path and jurisdictional sequence
Vayan is pursuing a phased licensing strategy starting with UK EMI authorisation, followed by a US bank charter pathway, and DFSA Innovation Testing Licence engagement.
| Jurisdiction | Entity / Licence | Status | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | Company formation | Preparing for launch | Active |
| Switzerland | FINMA Banking Licence | Pre-application dialogue | Q4 2026 – Q1 2027 |
| DIFC | DFSA Category 2 (Providing Credit) | Counsel engagement | Q4 2026 – Q1 2027 |
| UK | FCA EMI | Preparation underway | Q3 2026 |
| US | OCC De Novo (Deferred) | Series B activation | Series B (deferred) |
Where we are and what comes next
check_circle Architecture defined (dual-rail, MAC, Observer Agent)check_circle Website and positioning livecheck_circle Cadastral hypothecation module specifiedcheck_circle Three-jurisdiction strategy locked
check_circle UK entity incorporationcheck_circle Ctrl Alt and SettleMint outreachcheck_circle Swiss and DIFC counsel engagement
check_circle FINMA and DFSA pre-application dialoguecheck_circle EMI application submittedcheck_circle First cadastral hypothecation pilotcheck_circle Series A first close
check_circle FINMA banking licence grantedcheck_circle DFSA Category 2 operationalcheck_circle Dubai/Saudi cadastral loans livecheck_circle US OCC pathway activated (Series B)
Indicative use of proceeds
The seed round is designed to take Vayan from architecture to first deployment: build the core operating layer, submit the EMI application, and sign the first partner bank.
Built by operators, not consultants
Hubert Knapp
Previously built and operated regulated banking infrastructure. Brings licensed-bank operating experience to the prudential and regulatory design of the Vayan model. The architecture is approached as a banking problem first, not a technology problem.
Yves R. Burri
Institutional markets, capital strategy, and infrastructure architecture. The core thesis is that future financial activity will be increasingly software-originated and banks need an operating layer that can absorb that shift under continuous regulatory scrutiny.
Diligence access
Qualified institutions, strategic partners, and investors can request architecture discussions, operating model deep-dives, and data-room materials.
Stakeholder FAQ
Direct answers to the questions that matter for diligence conversations.
What is Vayan?
Vayan is a banking institution in formation and a network operator for regional banks. It is being built to perform compliance, settlement, treasury orchestration, and regulatory reporting through an agent-first dual-rail operating model.
Who is the primary customer?
The primary commercial customer is the partner bank. Institutional principals and developers are secondary audiences who benefit through partner-bank or direct Vayan workflows over time.
What does the partner bank keep?
The bank keeps the licence, balance sheet, customer relationship, brand, credit appetite, and governance authority. Vayan performs the repetitive work underneath.
How is this different from banking software?
Software vendors sell tools that help bank employees work faster. Vayan performs the work directly. The difference is between a copilot and an autopilot: one improves productivity, the other changes the cost architecture.
How is Vayan different from a crypto company?
Vayan is not an exchange or speculative crypto platform. Stablecoins are treated as one rail inside a broader bank-grade operating model. The focus is regulated institutional settlement, not retail trading.
What is the revenue model?
Revenue comes from basis points on transaction volume processed, a share of treasury optimisation upside, and fixed compliance-as-a-service fees. This aligns Vayan's revenue with the partner bank's operating savings.
What regulatory authorisations are required?
EMI authorisation in the UK for payment services. A bank charter pathway in the US for deposit-taking and lending. Additional Innovation Testing Licence engagement planned for the DFSA sandbox.
What does a successful first deployment look like?
One partner bank, one tightly scoped use case, one governable rollout perimeter, and one clear proof that the operating model reduces cost and improves control without degrading the bank's franchise.
What is the seed raise for?
Engineering the core operating layer, submitting the EMI application, signing the first partner bank LOI, and building the team to execute the first deployment.
What stage is the company at?
Pre-revenue, pre-licence. Architecture is defined. Company formation is underway. The founding team is in active conversations with prospective partner banks and regulatory advisors.
Begin the architecture conversation.
The best way to evaluate the model is a technical conversation with the founding team. We prefer depth over volume.