Zap (founded 2017) is an app that was created by founder Jack Mallers as a way to make buying and selling Bitcoin almost instant and easier for everyone. The free Lightning Network wallet's overall goal is to help this digital currency community to scale Bitcoin.^[3]

In August 2013, Jack Mallers and his family had bought a single Bitcoin that was priced at less than $100 at the time, and believed cryptocurrency was a financial revolution.^[1]

Mallers then was inspired to create an app called Zap back in 2017 as a way to help his family's cannabis business in Boulder, Colorado. Every customer that uses Bitcoin gets 10 percent off their purchase. Since the cannabis industry in the United States cannot use the traditional financial system it made sense to focus on Bitcoin payments.^[2]

The app started receiving a lot of attention when Mallers posted a YouTube video of his stepmother, Brooke, successfully paying him $.10 through Zap to take out the trash. After this, many groups tried to acquire Zap from Mallers, but he refused all offers.^[1]

Zap is a traditional money transaction business.

Mallers then went on to create a Venmo-like app called Strike in the beginning of 2020. This app helps let's you pay people in Bitcoin or dollars and they receive dollars in their bank account. If anyone wants to receive Bitcoin, Strike can automatically send the funds to their Zap Lightning wallet.^[5]

In the Spring of 2020, Zap partnered with Visa integrating Visa Direct to make payments faster on the app. Visa has confirmed the deal and cardholders will benefit since Zap make it easier and faster to transfer money as well as Bitcoin.^[6]

Zap raised $3.5 million in round which included Morgan Creek Capital, co-founded by hedge funder Mark W. Yusko, and bitcoin evangelist Anthony Pompliano. ^[8]