Performa, a finance operations platform built for digital-native small and midsize businesses, has rolled out a non-custodial layer, fiat settlement capabilities, and faster self-service onboarding. The updates come roughly a year after the platform first went live.
What the new features do
The non-custodial layer lets businesses retain control of their digital assets while still using Performa for payments and treasury management. That means the company never takes custody of the crypto — a setup that can reduce counterparty risk for SMBs that want to hold their own keys.
Fiat settlement, meanwhile, bridges the gap between digital and traditional currencies. Businesses can now settle transactions in dollars or other fiat currencies directly through the platform, without needing a separate bank integration. The company says the addition makes it easier for SMBs that operate in both worlds to manage cash flow in one place.
Faster self-service onboarding is the third piece. Performa has streamlined the sign-up process so that new users can get started without waiting for manual approval or lengthy KYC checks. The company says the change is aimed at digital-native businesses that expect quick, automated setup.
Pricing model expands
Alongside the feature additions, Performa introduced a wider pricing model for companies that deal in both digital assets and fiat. The new structure is designed to give businesses more predictable costs as they scale. The company didn't disclose specific pricing tiers, but said the model is meant to accommodate a range of transaction volumes and currency mixes.
The pricing shift suggests Performa is trying to attract a broader set of SMBs — not just crypto-native startups but also more traditional small businesses that are starting to accept digital payments or hold crypto on their balance sheets.
A year after launch
Performa went live about a year ago with a focus on finance operations for digital-native SMBs. The platform originally offered basic payment and treasury tools for companies that primarily dealt in crypto. The latest updates mark a clear expansion into fiat and a push toward self-service, which could help the company compete with both crypto-focused fintechs and traditional business banking platforms.
The non-custodial approach is notable because many crypto finance platforms take custody of user assets, which can create regulatory and security headaches. By keeping custody with the business, Performa may be positioning itself as a lighter-touch option for SMBs that want the benefits of blockchain-based payments without giving up control.
The company hasn't said whether it plans to add support for additional blockchains or fiat currencies in the future. For now, the new features are live and available to all Performa users.
