The concept of hydrophilic anchoring is introduced to activate rigid oligonaphthalenediimide (O-NDI) rods as anion-pi slides for multi-ion hopping across lipid bilayers. We report that short peptide solubilizers suffice to reach the rare combination of high activity and high selectivity that is needed for anion pumping in vesicles. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.