MoonPay Acquires Helio for $175M to Boost Crypto Payment Services

MoonPay, a leading fiat-to-crypto on-ramp solution, has bought Helio, a Solana-based payment processor, for $175 million.

This partnership aims to expand MoonPay’s current crypto payments network through the incorporation of Helio’s blockchain solution. It allows for payments with digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and USD Coin.

In a statement, the company said that the acquisition will enhance the functionality and flexibility of the crypto payments.

Helio has been able to offer unique payment solutions. The platform has been able to facilitate more than 6,000 merchants and has processed more than $1.5 billion.

The move is in line with MoonPay’s strategy to enhance its offering as a multi-vertical crypto payment solutions provider. It intends to use Helio’s technology to phase out conventional payment gateways.

Helio’s Role in the Crypto Ecosystem

Helio has emerged as one of the key players in the digital payment ecosystem. It offers solutions to e-commerce, subscription-based services, and digital goods. At the moment, it is integrated with popular social media platforms like Shopify, Discord, WooCommerce. It will enable merchants to begin receiving payments in crypto.

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Stijn Paumen, the CEO, and co-founder of Helio said that the company aims to bring crypto payment into mainstream use. He said that this goal will be advanced by the partnership with MoonPay. It will aim to bring cheap and efficient payment solutions to millions of customers.

This acquisition of Helio marks another major milestone for MoonPay and comes after a series of successful strategic partnerships and regulatory approvals. MoonPay was granted permission in December 2024 to operate as a crypto asset service provider under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation to provide services in the Netherlands.

The approval is a step in the right direction and MoonPay CEO and co-founder Ivan Soto-Wright explained the move as an attempt to boost the usage of cryptocurrencies in the economy.

This acquisition supports MoonPay’s goals to grow its merchant service and develop its crypto trading and marketplace services. The company’s user base, of which was more than 20 million users in 160 countries in December, is to be provided with the benefits of Helio’s superior technology.

Emerging Role of Decentralized Finance

MoonPay’s recent actions and the recent acquisition also present how DeFi is slowly altering the payments industry. This is seen with MoonPay engaging Helio to replace conventional rails with blockchain as a way of increasing efficiency and reducing transaction costs.

Market watchers believe the deal may trigger more consolidation in the cryptocurrency sector especially given the pro-crypto stance of the incoming Trump administration. MoonPay’s association with payment giants like PayPal and Venmo and the acquisition of Helio also reveal that MoonPay is ready to make blockchain a part of the masses when it comes to commerce and finance.

By combining Helio’s expertise with its existing infrastructure, MoonPay aims to offer customers more robust and versatile crypto payment solution.

The acquisition enhances MoonPay’s position in the constantly growing crypto sector. It aims to provides the opportunity for future developments in the DeFi sector.