Back-to-back: Block Earner wins two 2026 Finder Innovation Awards

Sydney, September 3, 2026: Block Earner has been named a winner at the 2026 Finder Innovation Awards for the second consecutive year, taking home both Digital Assets & Web3 Innovation and Most Innovative Team, and earning finalist recognition in three further categories including, Lending Innovation, Tech Innovation, Property Innovation for its Bitcoin-backed home loan.

Two years in a row. The Finder Innovation Awards aren't pay-to-play, and every category is assessed by an independent expert panel. That's what makes this one mean something to us. The result caps a year in which Block Earner also won Excellence in Consumer Lending at the 2026 Finnies, FinTech Australia's national industry awards, judged against established traditional lenders.

"What I'd point to isn't the trophies, it's which categories they're in. This year we've won Most Innovative Team, and Excellence in Consumer Lending against traditional lenders, not a niche crypto category, a lending category. That tells you the market has stopped treating crypto-backed credit as a novelty. Bitcoin-backed home loans are the next test of that, and the Property Innovation nod says the industry is ready to have the conversation." said James Coombes, Director and CCO of Block Earner.

The Finder Innovation Awards are assessed by an independent expert judging panel. The program is not pay-to-play: there is no fee to enter and no charge to use the badge. Finder notes the distinction is meaningful to consumers, with 79% of Australians saying they place more trust in unpaid awards.

"Winning once says you had a good year. Winning the same categories two years running says something about how the team operates," said Charlie Karaboga, CEO and co-founder of Block Earner.

Digital Assets & Web3 Innovation recognises Block Earner's crypto-backed lending platform, which allows Australians to borrow AUD against Bitcoin, Ethereum, Wrapped Bitcoin and XRP without selling their holdings, with funding available within 24 hours.

Most Innovative Team recognises the team behind Australia's first crypto business to be granted an Australian Credit Licence by ASIC.

Lending Innovation for a credit product built around an asset traditional lenders don't accept. Block Earner offers both a revolving line of credit and fixed-term loans from $50 to $5 million, with no early repayment fees, no impact on the borrower's credit score, and a 30-day grace period to restore LVR if the crypto value moves.

Property Innovation for Block Earner's Bitcoin-backed home loan pilot, delivered with Century 21 Home Loans, which allows borrowers to put Bitcoin toward a property deposit while retaining their exposure to the asset.

Tech Innovation for the infrastructure underneath the loan book: Fireblocks institutional-grade custody, continuous loan-to-value monitoring, and a platform that is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and SOC 2 Type 1 attested. Block Earner won this category outright at the 2025 Finder Innovation Awards.

Being a pioneer in an evolving regulatory environment was never going to be the easy path. We came through that chapter focused on doing things the right way. A defining moment was receiving our Australian Credit Licence, the same regulatory foundation that underpins mainstream consumer lenders in Australia. Credit through Block Earner is provided under an Australian Credit Licence, with a focus on security, compliance and consumer safeguards.

Our platform is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and SOC 2 Type 1 attested, and we're registered with AUSTRAC as a Virtual Asset Service Provider. Customer crypto security is held in Fireblocks institutional-grade custody, with continuous loan-to-value monitoring and a 30-day grace period if the market moves against individual borrowers.

That foundation is what lets us build crypto-backed lending products Australians can trust.

The Property Innovation recognition matters to us for a specific reason. Using Bitcoin toward a home deposit sounds exotic until you realise it's just a lender accepting an asset the borrower already owns.

Our Bitcoin-backed home loan pilot, delivered in partnership with Century 21 Home Loans, lets borrowers put Bitcoin toward a property deposit while keeping their exposure to the asset. Getting independent judges to look at that and recognise the innovation for property, not just crypto, is the signal we were hoping for.

Crypto, blockchain and traditional finance are converging. We're building the infrastructure to deliver crypto-backed lending to every Australian, responsibly and at scale. We're not slowing down, and there are big announcements coming soon.

A huge thank you to Finder for recognising the innovators in our industry, and to the entire Block Earner team who made this happen.

If you're holding crypto and want to unlock its value without selling, Block Earner offers fast, flexible crypto-backed AUD loans.

Explore crypto-backed loans or book a call with our team to learn more.

Block Earner is an Australian crypto-backed lender holding Australian Credit Licence 542689, offering AUD loans secured by Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP, and Bitcoin-backed home loans. Founded in Sydney, Block Earner is the back-to-back winner of the Finder Innovation Awards for Digital Assets & Web3 Innovation and Most Innovative Team (2025, 2026) and winner of Excellence in Consumer Lending at the 2026 Finnies.

Media contact: marketing@blockearner.com.au

Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog is general in nature and is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Block Earner does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information presented. You should consider your own personal circumstances and seek professional advice before making any financial or investment decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investments carry risk. Crypto-backed loans carry real risks. The value of your crypto can fall sharply, rapidly increasing your LVR and reducing any initial buffer. This may require you to add security or repay part of the loan and could result in some or all of your crypto being sold. Approved applicants only. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply. Credit provided by Web3 Loans Pty Ltd ACN 668 516 952 and managed by Web3 Ventures Pty Ltd trading as Block Earner (ACN 655 090 869) under Australian Credit License 542689.