At 23, most chase stable jobs and a predictable future. But this young and dynamic entrepreneur had a different vision – to build something innovative — fueled by ambition, innovation, and the relentless drive to disrupt the Web3 space.
Instead of settling for the ordinary, he set out to build something extraordinary. Meet the visionary entrepreneur – Raj Brahmbhatt – the driving force behind Zeebu, leading the charge in revolutionizing blockchain-powered telecom payments.
His innovative ideas and strategic leadership have been instrumental in Zeebu's success, earning him a coveted spot in Forbes 30 under 30 list in the Technology and Entrepreneurship category and leading to Zeebu being named a Top Cryptocurrency Company in 2024.
Moreover, he worked as a financial analyst at Bankai Group, a telecom investment company run by his family where he firsthand experienced the challenges and inefficiencies in telecom settlements.
About Zeebu
On Starting His Journey
Raj Brahmbhatt's journey into the world of DeFi began in 2016 when he first encountered Bitcoin. However, it wasn't until 2019 that his interest truly took flight. By then, he had started investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP.
He mentioned, "My journey from securities trading to the world of cryptocurrency began during the 2020 market crash. During the COVID lockdown, I immersed myself in the Bitcoin white paper and made investments in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) at favourable prices.
While exploring beyond the established players, I developed a keen interest in altcoins, particularly XRP. It was interesting how it connected banks with settlements, but relying on banks felt inefficient to me.
With traditional settlements, telecom carriers struggled with high bank fees, slow cross-border exchange processes, especially in emerging markets – their profit
margins had reduced from 30% to a mere 4-5%.
My vision was to create a decentralized platform connecting businesses directly with KYC/AML compliance, ensuring secure and seamless peer-to-peer transactions.
That's when I decided to elevate the pain points of telecom carriers. And that’s how Zeebu was born".
What Does Zeebu Do?
Zeebu is transforming the telecom industry with its blockchain-powered settlement platform, enabling instant, seamless, and frictionless global transactions. Backed by the cutting-edge blockchain technology and the ZBU token, Zeebu has already facilitated over $5.6 billion in settlements, with 139+ telecom institutions leveraging the platform to streamline cross-border invoice settlements effortlessly.
Moreover, Zeebu has launched the ZBU Protocol to shape its vision of making DeFi available to accessible to everyone.
The ZBU protocol is a next-generation liquidity protocol designed to drive decentralization, enhance scalability, and boost efficiency in telecom settlements. It fosters a distributed and decentralized ecosystem, empowering the community to participate actively and earn rewards.
How Does Zeebu Bring Value?
Raj says," At Zeebu, we've identified three critical pain points in the telecom industry that we're addressing for our clients:
Business Development Hurdles: Telecom margins have shrunk dramatically over the years—from an average of 35% in the early 2000s to just 5-6% today. This isn't due to market decline; the CAGR remains stable at 3%. The root cause lies in lower barriers to entry, leading to market saturation and cut-throat competition. This saturation compounds business development issues, particularly in managing relationships with counterparties.
Pre-Funding and Payment Delays: The industry predominantly operates on a pre-funding basis, where payments must be made in advance to trade voice, SMS, or data traffic. If payments aren't timely, counterparties reallocate routes to others who can pay promptly. This creates a significant challenge for businesses reliant on steady cash flow, as delayed payments hinder operations and disrupt partnerships.
High Transaction Costs and Clunky Processes: With razor-thin margins, operators can't afford excessive costs like high currency conversion fees or banking charges. Even when they accept delays or fees, they impact counterparties, who may need immediate cash to meet operational needs. This forces them to factor in their invoices, incurring interest payments that further eat into their margins.
At Zeebu, we're not just addressing these core issues, we're solving them with a streamlined, blockchain-based solution. By enhancing cash flow, reducing transaction costs, and eliminating inefficiencies, we're empowering telecom businesses to survive and thrive".
The result: Zeebu has already processed over $5 billion in settlement volume, a number that is growing by the minute.
On Zeebu’s Vision
From the beginning, Zeebu has focused on harnessing blockchain technology and Web3 principles to create user-friendly solutions for traditional Web2 institutions.
"Our long-term vision extends beyond the $120 billion telecommunications market. We aim to unlock the global economy's potential and empower the next billion users," says Raj.
To achieve this, we're launching the Zeebu Protocol, designed to boost liquidity within our ecosystem and seamlessly integrate Web2 and Web3."
Join the ZBU waitlist and become a part of an inclusive ecosystem.
By incorporating blockchain technology with DeFi, Zeebu is revolutionizing how enterprises handle settlements, offering unmatched efficiency, transparency, and scalability.
As Raj Brahmbhatt leads Zeebu to new success, his journey is an example of how entrepreneurs can transform traditionally-led businesses with the help of technology, innovative ideas, and strong leadership.