The world of payments is undergoing a radical transformation—and at the core of this shift lies crypto infrastructure. From Bitcoin Lightning and Solana Pay to stablecoin rails and cross-chain bridges, the crypto payment stack is evolving rapidly—from experimental protocols to enterprise-grade solutions.
This post breaks down everything you need to know: layers, tools, players, and where the industry is heading.
Customer selects crypto (e.g. USDC, BTC) on merchant’s site
2. Payment Link
GatewayGatewaygateway
A service that authorizes and processes card payments for online merchants. Examples include Stripe, Adyen, and PayPal. (like NOWPayments) generates QR code or wallet address
3. Wallet Interaction
Customer confirms via wallet (e.g. MetaMask, Phantom)
4. Network Confirmation
Payment is confirmed on-chain or L2
5. Fiat Conversion
Gateway converts to fiat (optional)
6. Reporting
Merchant dashboard updates with receipt and analytics
💡 Gateways often provide real-time conversion to fiat, so merchants don’t need to hold volatile crypto assets.
MAS stablecoinStablecoinstablecoin
A type of cryptocurrency pegged to a stable asset (like USD), used to avoid volatility in crypto transactions. framework in motion
🧭 What’s Next in Crypto PaymentsCrypto Paymentscrypto-payments
Payments made using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or stablecoins, often processed through crypto wallets or exchanges.?
Trend
Description
Embedded wallets in apps
Game or creator apps handling payments natively
One-click pay UX
Abstract gas, L2 routing, walletless UX
Regulated stablecoin rails
Fiat-backed tokens with clear AML/Travel Rule layers
Crypto Merchant of Record (MoR)
Enables global crypto checkout without regulatory burden for merchants
Vibhu is a global payments leader and PhD researcher in real-time payments, dedicated to making payments simpler, smarter, and more inclusive. With 20 years of payments experience across Citibank, Adyen, IKEA, Snapdeal, iPayLinks — and markets spanning India, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Australia— he brings a truly global perspective to the future of money. Vibhu is also the founder of PaymentsPedia.com, a knowledge hub where he shares insights on cards, crypto, cross-border flows, and real-time rails.📧 vibhu@paymentspedia.com | LinkedIn
