MoonPay's Ivan Soto-Wright Bets on a Non-Custodial, API-First Future for Crypto

MoonPay, led by CEO Ivan Soto-Wright, is positioning itself as a key infrastructure provider for Web3, serving over 30 million users in 160 countries. Initially focused on simplifying wallet top-ups, MoonPay now offers API-driven solutions for DeFi apps, aiming for a “headless” model similar to Stripe. Its recent $175 million acquisition of Helio, a Solana-based payment processor, supports this vision. With 112% year-on-year growth and a lean team of 300, MoonPay emphasizes efficiency and non-custodial finance, predicting cryptocurrency wallets will replace bank accounts. Soto-Wright foresees decentralized exchanges (DEXs) surpassing centralized ones (CEXs), with DeFi gaining market share. MoonPay earns through transaction fees but is exploring zero-fee products like “Balance.” Future plans may include a stablecoin, and the company remains open to further acquisitions to accelerate growth. Show Less