In global money transfers, excessive fees and operational complexity have persisted as major obstacles. Billions cross borders annually, yet transfer costs remain prohibitively high. DTR’s Unit-e platform aims to disrupt this landscape by creating a mobile application that simplifies money transmission to the level of text messaging while eliminating substantial fees.
Market Context
Unit-e operates in the competitive fintech sector, targeting the international remittance market. In 2023 alone, UK residents transferred £20.9 billion overseas, with £4 billion directed to India. Despite competition from established providers like Wise, transfer costs remained steep.
Unit-e differentiates itself by applying blockchain principles to eliminate intermediaries and substantially reduce user expenses.
The Challenge in Remittance Markets
Traditional money transfer services impose significant fee burdens on both consumers and businesses. Standard providers charge fees combining flat rates with percentage-based charges that quickly accumulate for frequent or large transfers. Users also face processing delays, multiple intermediaries, and banking system complexities that make cross-border payments both expensive and time-consuming.
“Individual fees may appear modest, but they compound for frequent senders or larger amounts.” — Marc, Chief Product Officer, Unit-e
Building with Candide
Unit-e selected Candide to deliver blockchain advantages without exposing users to cryptocurrency complexity. The platform abstracts away technical barriers including gas fees, blockchain addresses, and wallet management requirements.
Zero-Fee Transactions
Unit-e implemented zero-fee capabilities using Candide’s Paymaster API, sponsoring blockchain transaction costs entirely. The response from users was immediate.
“Users actually questioned whether there’s a catch when we tell them they can send money for free.” — Adrian, Lead Engineer, Unit-e
This fee-free model provides competitive advantages in markets historically dominated by high-cost providers. It particularly benefits students supporting families abroad and freelancers receiving international payments.
Stablecoin Strategy
Unit-e leverages stablecoins pegged to traditional currencies like USD to provide fast, secure, cost-effective transfers while avoiding cryptocurrency volatility. Stablecoins enable Unit-e to bypass traditional banking intermediaries, facilitating instant transfers across borders without exchange rate fluctuation risks.
“Stablecoins give us the ability to offer real-time transfers while keeping costs at zero for our users.” — Marc, Chief Product Officer, Unit-e
Security Through Safe Accounts
Unit-e prioritized security and infrastructure stability by implementing Safe Accounts via Candide’s AbstractionKit library, built on ERC-4337 standards. Safe Accounts currently secure over $100 billion across blockchain networks.
The stability of the underlying infrastructure matters as much as features for a fintech product.
“AbstractionKit’s stability allowed developers to focus on improving the user experience without worrying about our underlying infrastructure constantly shifting.” — Adrian, Lead Engineer, Unit-e
Future Development
Unit-e plans to expand capabilities through passkey authentication and recurring transfer scheduling. The company remains committed to security, user experience, and transparency as core priorities.
The foundation is built. The roadmap points toward making international money transfers as routine and frictionless as any other consumer finance action.
“Candide’s technology was crucial in helping us deliver a secure, user-friendly platform without the complexity of blockchain jargon. It allows us to offer zero-fee transactions while safeguarding our users’ funds, and that’s something every fintech leader must prioritize.” — Adrian, Lead Engineer, Unit-e
Unit-e’s partnership with Candide has not only made cross-border payments more accessible but also laid the groundwork for broader financial inclusion.
“What we’re seeing is a growing readiness from users across all demographics to embrace a new way of adopting stablecoins.” — Marc, Chief Product Officer, Unit-e