Jonathan Low found peace in prison, not excuses

Jonathan Low once ran Singapore’s nightlife scene – fast cars, packed clubs, and a wedding to a Thai actress. But it was in a cramped Thai prison, surrounded by up to 1,000 men, that he found something very different: peace, purpose, and a second chance.

“Prison was the biggest blessing I ever had in my whole life,” Low told The Crypto Radio. “That was where I really, really found that it's within – to find peace and happiness is really within.”

Today, Low is the founder of Biptap, a crypto payment infrastructure startup that has raised $2 million and employs 140 people. But his route to the crypto industry wasn’t typical – and neither is his outlook.

The crash that changed everything

At just 17, Low was running a model agency and multiple nightclubs in Singapore. “Business was really good,” he said. “I was driving an SLK – in Singapore, that was pretty baller.” He had money, influence, and a sense of invincibility. “You start to think you're smarter and better than everyone.”

Then came the collapse: a whirlwind of personal issues, divorce, and a three-year prison sentence in Thailand. “Everything just went crashing down.”

Yet inside the chaos, something shifted. “I started meditating and praying every single day,” he said. “After a month or two, I started becoming very spiritual.”

He read constantly – starting with a self-help book, The Secret, and moving on to business books. He created a vision board in his cell, writing down goals and dates. Years later, he rediscovered it in a box. “I totally forgot about it… and I saw that about 70% of it had actually come true.”

His biggest takeaway from those years wasn’t regret. It was accountability. “Everything that I needed to change, I managed to change when I was in prison.”

Jonathan Low’s early success came from running nightclubs in Singapore, where luxury and excess defined his fast-paced lifestyle. Photo: Unsplash / Mehd Mhamdi

Crypto as a second shot at building

When he got out in 2019, Low had no passport, no digital footprint, and no safety net. But he saw an opportunity – especially as he began accepting crypto payments while running a club.

What started as an experiment evolved into a real business idea. “People had crypto but no easy way to spend it,” he said. “The best way to onboard the real masses is not to shove new technology into their faces – it’s to integrate it seamlessly.”

That insight led to the creation of Solswipe, which rebranded twice – first to XSwipe, then to Biptap. The project’s goal was clear: make crypto off-ramping and real-world spending easier, especially for non-technical users.

Biptap went on to develop what Low says is the world’s first crypto card that can be loaded directly from self-custody wallets like MetaMask. It also integrated offshore banking infrastructure and now operates with 140 staff members globally.

“It’s banking-as-a-service for the crypto world,” he said. “We’re solving that conversion gap – helping people use crypto like cash.”

A 'founder with fire' – and nothing to hide

Low says fundraising success came not from pitch decks, but from being open about his past. “When people tell me, when investors ask me, what I did before this… I just tell my story.”

One investor told him, “I invest in you, not your project.” Another said, “I back founders with fire – who have a chip on their shoulder.”

Still, it wasn’t smooth sailing. A launchpad deal with a major Solana exchange fell through. Banking partners were difficult to secure. Navigating global regulations took time. But Low kept pushing.

“I think starting crypto is not for you if you want quick and easy success,” he said. “Not everyone is built for it. You need to network. You need to understand the landscape. You need to suffer through the cycles.”

Investors backed Jonathan Low not just for his business idea, but for his resilience and personal journey. Photo: Unsplash / Rock Staar

Web3, AI, and what’s coming next

Low is bullish on the future of web3 and blockchain – though he's also quick to point out its flaws. “It’s not as good and beautiful as we see it is.” But he believes mass adoption is inevitable. “Sooner or later, I believe everything will be web3.”

He now splits time between Singapore and Dubai and sees the latter as a fast-moving hub for crypto. “Singapore is home. But Dubai? You can set up in a week and start raising.”

The key, he believes, is simplifying the user experience. “Don’t expect people to learn the jargon. Build tools that feel familiar.”

Biptap’s focus is now on scaling – expanding integrations, building partnerships, and refining its core product for non-crypto natives. “Our long-term goal is making crypto invisible. Just swipe and go.”

Measuring success by growth, not glamour

Low is now part of the Forbes Business Council and runs an eight-figure business. But those aren’t the milestones he focuses on.

“When I was in prison, I started seeing everything as lessons,” he said. “I wanted to be a better son, a better human, a better person.”

He carried that mindset forward, practising the habits he developed behind bars – meditation, journaling, and staying grounded.