“Paystand: Purpose in Motion!”

Hi There! My cup is still full from the Bitcoin 2025 conference! As I’m still sorting through all the gems shared throughout that week, there’s one moment that keeps rising to the top, my time at the Women in Bitcoin Brunch with the powerhouse team from Paystand.org.

I’ve been in this crypto space for a minute. I’ve sat in on the panels, done the education work, and built community with other advocates. So it is real rare to come across a corporation that doesn’t just talk the talk but lives out a mission of global financial inclusion using Bitcoin as the vehicle. Sitting with the Paystand.org team was witnessing purpose in motion. Every handshake, every story, every smile carried intention.

Special shoutout to Alexandra Navarro, the incredible Chief Impact Officer, her lovely daughter, and members of the team who welcomed me and Keri to their table. What followed was something I’ll never forget…honest conversations, shared vision, and an undeniable sense of community. I also want to say thank you to Paula, Lesly, Andrea, Seema, and other members of the team. You all showed up with your whole heart. Your passion in the room was lived. It was human. More importantly, it was deeply aligned with everything the Rhoda Report stands for.

Their impact speaks for itself. In 2024 alone, Paystand.org supported over 40,000 people across three continents fueling Bitcoin Circular Economies (BCEs). These are ecosystems that embed Bitcoin into daily life, helping communities earn, save, and grow without waiting on traditional systems to catch up. From local markets to school classrooms, the ripple effect of what Paystand.org is building is real and lasting.

Let’s not sugarcoat it….the centralized financial system as we know it wasn’t built for all of us. It locks out billions of people, especially in underserved regions. According to the Paystand.org team, “in Latin America alone, 70% of the population is unbanked or underbanked. Further, in places like Argentina, families are battling inflation rates over 50%, trying to stay afloat. Meanwhile, the old guard keeps charging high fees, which averages 6.8% per transaction and can take up to 5 days to move funds across borders”. That’s time and money people simply can’t afford to lose.

Paystand.org is changing that story. Their work with Bitcoin reduces those costs down to just 1-3%, and transfers clear in minutes, not days. Also, they’re giving people the tools and knowledge to take charge of their financial future.

It was also an honour to meet CEO and Co-Founder Jeremy Almond. His humility and care were evident in every interaction with his team; a team that is proud, connected, and clearly playing for something bigger than themselves.

To the entire Paystand.org family: thank you! For your heart. For your mission. For reminding me and my readers that real impact starts with intention and expands through community.

Scroll down to the Special Tools section if you want to learn more about Paystand corporation and the incredible business services they offer.  

Alright, let’s dig in!

U.S. Markets Recap (June 1 - June 7, 2025)

Last week, Wall Street kicked off June with a summer sizzle. U.S. stocks logged a strong week, brushing aside trade tensions and rate uncertainty in favour of upbeat jobs data and a brighter economic outlook. Growth stocks, led by the Nasdaq, outperformed as the market welcomed signs of a “soft landing” for the economy.

Overseas, European and most Asian markets climbed higher amid regional policy shifts and post-election optimism. Meanwhile, bond yields rose as investors dialed back expectations for near-term rate cuts, and commodities rebounded sharply behind stronger oil and metals.

Equities:

Stocks advanced in four out of five sessions, boosted by:

• A surprise rebound in job openings (JOLTS)

• Last Friday’s nonfarm payrolls showing steady hiring

• Positive, though vague, signals from U.S.–China trade talks

• Easing fears after a brief social media spat between Trump and Elon Musk

• Tech outperformance, led by the Nasdaq’s strength

• Broadcom (AVGO): Pulled back despite beating estimates; expectations were sky-high

• Lululemon (LULU): Slipped after lowering full-year guidance, citing tariff impacts on margins

Fixed Income:

Bond markets sold off, pushing yields higher:

• 2-Year Yield: +14 bps; 10-Year Yield: +9 bps

• A strong 7-year Treasury auction briefly boosted demand

Commodities and Currencies:

The Bloomberg Commodities Index bounced back, led by:

• Crude Oil:

  • Spiked on Ukraine drone attacks in Russia

  • OPEC+’s output hike signaled confidence in economic recovery

  • Rig counts in the U.S. dropped to 2021 levels

  • Wildfires in Canada threatened additional supply

• Gold: Extended its rally, but trimmed gains late in the week as risk sentiment improved

• Silver & Copper: Outperformed gold over the last five days on industrial demand

• The U.S. Dollar Index ended the week flat.

U.S. Economic Recap (June 1 - June 7, 2025)

Labour Market Held Steady

• Nonfarm Payrolls (May): +139,000

• Average Hourly Earnings: +0.4% MoM / +3.9% YoY

• Unemployment Rate: Unchanged at 4.2%

• Labour Force Participation: Ticked down to 59.7% (still below pre-pandemic levels)

Global Markets Recap (June 1 - June 7, 2025)

Europe:

• STOXX 600: Ended higher

• Germany: Announced a €46B corporate tax relief plan

• ECB: Delivered its eighth rate cut in the current cycle

• U.K.: Finance Minister signaled £113B in new spending tied to updated fiscal rules

• Eurozone Q1 GDP: Revised upward, boosting optimism

Asia:

• South Korea: Led regional gains after presidential election ended a six-month vacuum. New President vowed reform to fight stagflation

• India: Gained after a surprise jumbo rate cut

• China & Hong Kong: Posted gains on local optimism

• Japan: Lagged, weighed down by early-week tariff fears and weak auction demand

Crypto Recap (June 1 - June 7, 2025)

• Bitcoin (BTC): Ended last week up +1.32%, ranging between $100K and $111K

• Circle IPO: Stock surged over 168% from debut, valuing the firm at $18B (Link)

• Cetus Protocol: Relaunched successfully after $220M hack (Link)

• Moonbirds NFTs: Sales spiked 2,500% after IP acquisition (Link)

• Top crypto gainers last week: AB, SPX6900, ICP, INJ

All eyes are on U.S. Inflation this week!

Key U.S. Economic Releases to watch:

• Wednesday: CPI Inflation

• Thursday: PPI Inflation, Jobless Claims

• Friday: Consumer Sentiment

Fed speeches this week:

None scheduled this week. The Fed is now in pre-FOMC blackout mode ahead of the June 17–18 policy decision.

Earnings: 

Notable earnings for this week is outlined in red in the chart below.

Medium-to-High Impact Global Economic Events This Week:

Special Tools and Strategies - Paystand

Booth #1434 got my attention!

While walking the floor at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, I stopped at Paystand’s booth and I’m so glad I did. I had one of the most insightful conversations of the entire week. The team was warm, knowledgeable, and excited to share something that honestly blew me away: Paystand is Bitcoin-native to the core. They’re taking B2B payments into the future.

Who Is Paystand?

If your business deals with invoicing, long payment cycles, or is drowning in transaction fees, you need to know about Paystand.

They're not your average payment processor. Paystand is a blockchain-based, subscription-model B2B payment platform designed to speed up money movement, eliminate fees, and give finance teams more control and visibility.

Here’s What Stood Out

Paystand made their Bitcoin roots crystal clear at the conference. A few things that really impressed the Rhoda Report team:

• 1 million+ global payors use their Payment Network

• $15 billion+ in B2B transactions processed

• Bitcoin mining operations powered by 70%+ sustainable energy

• Top 50 corporate Bitcoin treasury holders

• 90% of their employees are paid in Bitcoin

• Teampay, their BTC rewards corporate card, gives teams sats for every swipe

How Paystand Works

Let’s break it down:

Think of Paystand like a modern finance toolbox built for businesses. It replaces paper checks, eliminates wire fees, and automates everything from invoicing to reconciliation.

• Customers pay through a branded self-service portal

• Payments are routed through Paystand’s zero-fee B2B network

• Your business gets paid faster, with fewer errors and better cash flow

Instead of charging a fee every time you get paid (like Stripe or Square), Paystand is subscription-based. You pay a flat monthly rate, not a percentage of every dollar that comes in plus some. That’s huge!

Blockchain in Action

Brandon from the team (shoutout to him!) explained it beautifully:

• Every payment is verifiable

• Every record can be certified on the blockchain

• You get a tamper-proof audit trail without needing third-party notaries

This is where Bitcoin becomes infrastructure.

What Makes Paystand Different?

Traditional processors charge per transaction and slow down the cash cycle. Paystand flips that script:

• No transaction fees

• Smart invoice delivery and payment routing

• Instant reconciliation (no more spreadsheet madness)

• Real-time dashboards and audit-ready blockchain receipts

It’s a full-stack revenue engine for finance teams in:

• Manufacturing

• Healthcare

• Logistics

• Construction

• SaaS and enterprise software

Paystand also integrates seamlessly with the tools you're already using: QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, Adobe Commerce, and more.

And yes, they’re operating across all 50 U.S. states and Canada.

Teampay: Bitcoin Rewards for Business Expenses

Here’s where I geeked out: Paystand launched Teampay, a corporate expense management solution that rewards your business in Bitcoin.

Yes, your company can earn Satoshis (sats) every time your team swipes the corporate card.

Teampay is a full workflow tool that connects approvals, payments, and reconciliation, all while stacking Bitcoin in the background.

Key Features:

• Real-time approvals

• Cash flow-triggered payouts

• Full visibility from purchase request to reconciliation

• Satoshi rewards on every transaction

Now that’s next-gen expense management!

From our interaction with the team, Paystand is redefining what’s possible with Bitcoin in B2B finance.

If you’re a business leader, finance exec, or operator tired of slow payments, high fees, and outdated systems then, Paystand is a platform worth exploring.

They showed up to Bitcoin 2025 and showed out!

To Learn More:

• Website: paystand.com

• Explore: Teampay by Paystand

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Always research and assess your business needs before choosing any financial platform.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is strictly educational. The information this report provides does not constitute investment, financial, trading, or any other advice. You should not treat any of the report’s content as such. Please be careful and do your research.