Borderless AI launches crypto payroll for global staff

Borderless AI has launched a crypto-native payroll service that lets businesses pay domestic and international workers in cryptocurrency.

The service allows employees to allocate part of their pay in crypto through Borderless AI's payroll platform. Based in Toronto, the company operates as an employer-of-record and global payroll provider for businesses hiring across borders.

The launch comes as payroll providers face growing demand from employers and workers for a wider range of payment options. The system is designed to let employees manage crypto contribution requests within the same platform used for payroll, with status updates and the option to amend or stop contributions before payroll deadlines.

Borderless AI positioned the product as part of a broader shift in how employees want to receive and manage their earnings. It said workers increasingly want payroll arrangements that align with their saving and investment preferences, especially in internationally distributed teams where currency and banking systems vary by country.

As part of the backdrop to the launch, the company cited rising global use of digital assets. It said cryptocurrency transaction volumes are projected to exceed USD $3 trillion and that the number of users worldwide has reached nearly 559 million.

It also pointed to growing merchant acceptance in some markets. In the US, Borderless AI said four in 10 merchants accept cryptocurrency at checkout, while in Switzerland and Japan, bitcoin is not legal tender but is accepted by some merchants.

Payroll shift

Borderless AI said the product is intended to mirror how other payroll-linked allocations are handled. It compared crypto allocations with retirement deductions such as RRSPs in Canada and 401(k) plans in the US, which are typically processed before payroll is finalised rather than after employees receive their wages.

That distinction matters for workers who would otherwise need to transfer funds themselves after being paid. In those cases, they may face delays and changing exchange conditions between receiving payroll and converting funds into crypto.

For employers, the appeal is different. Companies hiring internationally often struggle to balance benefit flexibility with payroll administration and compliance, especially when operating across multiple jurisdictions and paying staff in different currencies.

According to Borderless AI, its system keeps those controls within the payroll process while giving employees visibility into how requests are progressing. Workers can submit and manage contribution requests through a single interface, track whether requests are under review, approved or processed, and see when changes will take effect.

Hiring market

The launch reflects broader competition for talent in cross-border hiring. Employers recruiting internationally have expanded remote work policies in recent years, but payroll arrangements have often remained more standardised than the labour markets they serve.

Willson Cross, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Borderless AI, linked the product to those changes in employee expectations.

"We're seeing a fundamental shift in the global employment market: the conversation has evolved beyond allowing people to work anywhere to empowering them to be paid in any way that matches their own investment and currency preferences," said Cross. "When you look at a global workforce, a one-size-fits-all no longer applies when you take into consideration each country's currencies and savings options. The global hiring market remains competitive, and companies that adapt and offer flexible options to employees, including crypto, go a long way in building an invested workforce."

Borderless AI says it serves companies in more than 170 countries through a mix of legal entities, payroll tools, local benefits administration and compliance services. Its customers include businesses in financial technology, software, crypto and consumer brands.

The company described crypto payroll as part of a broader push toward more flexible payroll experiences, aimed at letting workers make regular, timed contributions into the savings or investment formats they prefer.