MoneyGram, Vodafone’s Pairpoint, and eToro to Operate Founding Privacy-Enhancing Blockchain Nodes for Midnight
Dubai, UAE – March 10, 2026
The Midnight Foundation announced MoneyGram, Pairpoint by Vodafone, and eToro as operators of founding nodes for Midnight, a zero-knowledge blockchain delivering rational privacy to Web3. This partnership strengthens network security and reliability before transitioning to community-driven production later in 2026. The initiative addresses privacy needs for real-world financial applications.
Overview
Midnight will launch with 10 founding federated nodes operated by selected partners, including MoneyGram, Pairpoint by Vodafone, and eToro, alongside Google Cloud, Blockdaemon, Shielded Technologies, and AlphaTON Capital (for Telegram). MoneyGram operates in over 200 countries while eToro serves over 35 million users. Transaction volumes remain undisclosed. The timeline targets mainnet stability before full decentralization later in 2026.
Announcement Specifics
Midnight will launch with 10 founding federated nodes operated by selected partners, including MoneyGram, Pairpoint by Vodafone, and eToro, alongside Google Cloud, Blockdaemon, Shielded Technologies, and AlphaTON Capital (for Telegram). MoneyGram operates in over 200 countries while eToro serves over 35 million users. Transaction volumes remain undisclosed. The timeline targets mainnet stability before full decentralization later in 2026.
Stakeholder Perspectives
“The organisations stepping up to operate the network reflect the standard we’re setting as we approach mainnet. In a network’s early stages, operational reliability matters as much as protocol design. By launching with operators that already maintain large-scale, always-on systems, we’re ensuring our community has a stable environment to build and deploy against.”
— Fahmi Syed, President at Midnight Foundation
Why it matters: This underscores the focus on institutional-grade infrastructure for privacy technology adoption.
“MoneyGram has been delivering real-world crypto solutions for years, focusing on making the benefits of digital finance accessible to the people who actually need them. Working with Midnight and running blockchain nodes fits naturally into this strategy, allowing us to help ensure that privacy, compliance and reliability are built in from day one.”
— Luke Tuttle, Chief Product and Technology Officer at MoneyGram
Why it matters: Critical for remittances in regions like MENA, where MoneyGram operates agents in Riyadh and the UAE.
Industry Context
Blockchain privacy via zero-knowledge proofs enables compliant, confidential transactions, bridging regulated finance and cryptocurrency. MoneyGram is exploring blockchain for cross-border payments, Pairpoint is integrating for IoT ‘Economy of Things’ applications, and eToro is advancing data protection for trading platforms. In MENA, where remittances drive fintech innovation, this development enhances privacy for high-volume transfers. Vodafone’s regional telecommunications presence via Pairpoint could enable IoT-blockchain pilots in Dubai innovation hubs.
Conclusion
This alliance signals blockchain’s shift toward privacy-compliant infrastructure, positioning the technology to unlock DeFi, remittances, and IoT applications. Accelerated developer adoption is expected post-launch, with MENA fintechs potentially leading regional integration efforts.
Sources: The Fintech Times, Midnight Network, MoneyGram Riyadh, MoneyGram UAE
