Tesoro XP Raises $5.4M Seed Round to Build the First Retail-Funded Rewards Platform for Free-to-Play Games

Former Acorns founder joins board as the company prepares for 2026 launch

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tesoro XP, a new rewards platform that enables retailers to fund in-game currency for gamers, announced it has raised $5.4 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by Treasury, a New York–based fintech fund, and TK MediaTech Ventures, a new venture firm focused on the next generation of media technologies. Jeff Cruttenden, Founding Partner at Treasury and co-founder of Acorns, has joined Tesoro's Board of Directors, and TK's Jim Ward is observing.

Tesoro opens access to premium in-game currency for the 220 million U.S. free-to-play gamers, many of whom have been unable to participate meaningfully in virtual economies. Today, just 15% of players generate more than 65% of App Store gaming revenue due to traditional pay-to-play currency models. Nearly every major game sells virtual currency, yet access is often limited, especially for young or lower-income players, creating both frustration and social pressure.

"Players often feel excluded in today's top games when they can't access the latest in-game items," said Sami Khan, co-founder of Tesoro XP and ATLAS:EARTH. "Publishers want to monetize virtual currency, but they don't necessarily care who pays for it. Retailers are already spending billions on marketing, and Tesoro connects those budgets to the gaming world in a way that's performance-based, trackable, and a win for everyone."

"For the first time since microtransactions in gaming were introduced, Tesoro is creating the next generational revenue model for free-to-play games. And for brands, we're building a marketing platform that drives loyalty outside of closed-loop systems," added Khan.

Tesoro gives game publishers a plug-and-play way to integrate real-world retail offers directly into their games. Players earn in-game currency through everyday purchases, and retailers only pay Tesoro when those purchases are verified, creating one of the first performance-driven marketing systems linking real-world spend to game engagement. While details are still confidential, Tesoro is currently in discussions with several major game studios and national retail brands as it prepares for launch.

"Gamers represent one of the most passionate, engaged consumer bases in the world," said Jeff Cruttenden of Treasury. "Tesoro has built a model that aligns incentives for retailers, publishers, and players in a way we've never seen before. This is the rare kind of category-defining innovation we look for."

"Tesoro is redefining how players, publishers, and retailers interact inside and outside the game," said Jim Ward of TK MediaTech Ventures. "This model sits at the intersection of media, technology, and consumer behavior, exactly the kind of next-generation platform we're excited to back."

The new capital will accelerate Tesoro's core product and partnership roadmap, including development of its developer SDK, expansion of the publisher portal, and growth of its merchant and publisher partner pipeline. Tesoro will also continue building its engineering and business development teams to support its planned Q1 2026 launch.

Tesoro XP was founded by Sami Khan, Tim Mahler, and Beau Button. Khan and Button previously co-founded Atlas Reality, Inc., the company behind ATLAS:EARTH, a mobile rewards gaming app that recently surpassed $100 million in lifetime revenue. Their experience building large-scale gaming and virtual economy infrastructure uniquely positions them to deliver Tesoro's vision to publishers and retailers worldwide.

About Tesoro XP

Tesoro XP is the first rewards engine that allows retailers to fund in-game currency for free-to-play gamers. Through Tesoro, game publishers can integrate real-world offers directly into their experiences, creating new revenue channels, deeper player engagement, and performance-driven marketing opportunities. Tesoro XP is backed by The Treasury and TK MediaTech Ventures. Learn more or join the waitlist at www.tesoroxp.com.

SOURCE Tesoro XP