MoonPay acquires Helio: an advance for cryptocurrency payments in retail

This acquisition reflects MoonPay's ambition to become a key player in the transition to a decentralized economy, relying on robust technologies and strategic partnerships to shape the future of cryptocurrency payments.

FACTS

• MoonPay, a Web infrastructure player3 and key player in the cryptocurrency sector, formalized the acquisition of Helio, a cryptographic payment processor based on the Solana blockchain. This operation, estimated at $150 million according to Fox Business, marks the largest acquisition ever made by MoonPay.

• Helio, founded in 2022, simplifies payments in cryptocurrency for more than 6,000 traders and millions of users through integrations with Shopify, Discord and WooCommerce.

• The platform claims a transaction volume of over $1.5 billion through its tools to accept cryptos such as SOL, ETH and BTC.

• Helio will operate as a separate subsidiary, while working closely with MoonPay to develop solutions such as access ramps and cross-selling opportunities.

ISSUES

• Become a leader in cryptographic payments: This acquisition is part of MoonPay's strategy to become the leader in chain cryptographic payments. According to Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO of MoonPay, helio technology strengthens their ability to provide efficient, secure and scalable solutions for traders and creators.

• Benefit from synergies on joint initiatives: For Helio, integration within MoonPay allows him to access a wider ecosystem and benefit from synergies on joint initiatives. This could, in particular, speed up innovation in Defi and the business of creators, while improving user experience through simplified tools.

• Strengthening its presence on the European market: With this operation, MoonPay also strengthens its presence on the European market, after recently obtaining the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) certification, a key regulation to operate legally in the European Union.

PERSPECTIVE

• The acquisition of Helio is part of a context where cryptocurrency payments are gaining in popularity, particularly with online traders. Strategic partnerships such as that between Helio and Shopify illustrate an increasing demand for innovative payment solutions integrated into e-commerce platforms.

• At the same time, the Web3 infrastructure market is being significantly strengthened. The objective of the actors is to create global solutions, able to compete with traditional payment systems. The rise in regulation, like MiCA in Europe, also requires strict compliance, obliging companies to structure their operations and strengthen their credibility.

• Finally, MoonPay will face the challenge of facing a competitive environment marked by major players such as Stripe, PayPal and Coinbase, who also invest heavily in cryptographic payments.

Traduit automatiquement via Libretranslate / Automatically translated via Libretranslate