Aethir Selects Bolt to Support Direct Payments for Games Distributed Beyond App Stores

Partnership follows Bolt's expansion into gaming and aligns with Aethir's $100M ecosystem fund to support direct-to-player monetization

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bolt, the checkout, identity and payments leader powering faster, smarter commerce, today announced a partnership with Aethir, the world's largest distributed GPU cloud infrastructure provider, to power open-web checkout for games distributed beyond traditional app stores. Under the agreement, Bolt is the payments provider of choice for studios building on Aethir's decentralized GPU cloud platform.

The partnership enables game developers to sell digital items directly to players across browser-based environments and social platforms, including Telegram, TikTok, WhatsApp and WeChat, using Bolt's one-click checkout.

"For studios distributing games on the open web, payments need to operate inside the gameplay experience," said Kyle Sye, Head of Games at Bolt. "Aethir selected Bolt because our checkout lets developers sell directly to players through the browser, retain more revenue, and operate outside app store payment systems. This partnership gives studios a practical way to monetize where their players already are."

Through the integration, studios hosted on Aethir's decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure can use Bolt's browser-based checkout for in-game purchases, bypassing app store payment flows and associated platform fees. Purchases are completed in a secure browser pop-up and confirmed in real time, with transactions passed back into the game without interrupting play.

Aethir's gaming ecosystem includes established publishers and studios such as Animoca Brands, Mythical Games, Immutable, and Parallel, underscoring the scale and credibility of developers positioned to benefit from open-web monetization enabled by the partnership.

The agreement with Aethir builds on Bolt's recent entry into gaming through its Playfinity partnership, marking continued momentum as the company expands its commerce infrastructure into interactive and creator-driven environments.

Aethir recently launched a $100 million ecosystem fund to support studios building on its platform. As part of the partnership, funding from the program may be used to support user acquisition, player incentives, and go-to-market activities for games that adopt Bolt's browser-based checkout.

"Our focus is giving developers infrastructure that actually supports scale," said Paul Thind, Chief Revenue Officer at Aethir. "Payments are a core part of that. By working with Bolt, we're enabling studios to sell directly to players through browser-based checkout, avoid app store payment flows, and control pricing, data and player relationships."

In-game spending continues to grow. According to Sensor Tower's State of Gaming 2025 report, players spent $82 billion on in-app purchases in 2024, underscoring the demand for alternative payment models as distribution expands beyond app stores.

The partnership follows recent regulatory and legal developments that require app stores to permit third-party payment options, further accelerating adoption of browser-based checkout across gaming platforms.

About Bolt
Bolt is the checkout, identity and payments leader powering faster, smarter commerce. Its B2B and B2C offerings form a complementary ecosystem. Merchants like Revolve, Kendra Scott and Lilly Pulitzer use Bolt to boost conversion and loyalty, while more than 80 million shoppers benefit from one-click checkout and a secure, cross-site identity. Bolt's core product suite, CheckoutOS, and the SuperApp, a new all-in-one finance and crypto hub, help merchants grow while giving consumers convenience and control. From high-risk processing to one-click subscriptions, Bolt replaces fragmented tools with future-ready infrastructure that scales. The result is a trusted journey for shoppers and durable growth for businesses of all sizes. To learn more, visit Bolt.com.

About Aethir
Aethir is the world's largest distributed cloud GPU network, with over 439,000 enterprise-grade GPU containers across 94 countries. The platform provides scalable, cost-efficient cloud GPU services for AI, machine learning, gaming, and rendering applications, connecting users to distributed resources through a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN). By making high-performance computing more accessible and efficient, Aethir is transforming how AI and enterprise applications are powered. To learn more, visit aethir.com.

SOURCE Bolt