Crypto mobile payments strive for adoption with Apple Pay leading the way

Cryptocurrency payment platforms are gradually being integrated into major e-commerce platforms and retail stores, but they still fall short in terms of user experience and performance compared to Apple Pay.
In an exclusive interview with Cointelegraph, Stijn Paumen, the CEO of Helio, a growing crypto payments platform, describes the sector as being in its early stages.
Paumen explains that while Bitcoin and Ethereum are leading the way in decentralized blockchain protocols, the underlying infrastructure of these chains cannot match the performance and functionality of traditional financial systems. He sets Apple Pay as the benchmark, highlighting its convenience and speed.


Helio, based in London with a team of 15 people, was founded by Paumen and Chief Technology Officer Jim Walker in March 2022. The duo, having previously exited a successful startup, ventured into the crypto sector. Paumen says they were drawn to Solana’s high transaction per second (TPS) and fast finality, which formed the foundation for their new crypto payment platform.
“Crypto payments became a thing ever since someone paid 10,000 BTC for a pizza. However, the user experience was poor. Payments took 20 minutes or sometimes weren’t processed at all,” Paumen said.
Related:
How Solana developers are addressing congestion challenges on the network
Helio’s platform enables merchants and e-commerce websites of all sizes to accept cryptocurrency payments. According to Paumen, the platform facilitates $30 million in monthly payments, but its primary focus is still on the Web3 space for both users and merchants.
The platform has also made a significant impact in the Solana ecosystem, facilitating the sale of approximately 80,000 Solana mobile phones through its payment plugin. Helio’s notable integrations include managing the Solana Pay plugin on Shopify and its WooCommerce plugin.


Helio has been operating the Solana Pay plugin on Shopify since December 2023. Source:
Helio
The platform supports Bitcoin (BTC), Solana (SOL), Solana-based USD Coin (USDC), SPL tokens, and Ethereum-based payments. Helio also facilitates ticket sales for the annual Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC), which connects to their Bizzabo event software.
Related:
Boba Guys, Shopify users showcase adoption of Web3 tools — Solana Breakpoint
Paumen believes that the challenge for Web3 payments to compete with mainstream industry players lies within the ecosystem.
“If you have a Phantom wallet and know how to use it, you can make payments on a Helio checkout with a single tap, just as fast as Apple Pay. But you have to assume that you’re a crypto-savvy user, which is a very small percentage,” Paumen admits.
He expects progress to be gradual as more curious users enter the Web3 space and make payments in their preferred tokens. Additionally, Paumen emphasizes the need for improved onboarding user experience to cater to a broader user demographic.


Helio’s platform allows merchants to accept various cryptocurrencies as payment for goods and services. Source:
Helio
Internally, Helio refers to the concept of “crypto granny,” which entails enabling someone like a grandmother to purchase a Bored Ape hoodie for her grandson without owning any cryptocurrency or even understanding blockchain technology, Paumen added.
The CEO of Helio concludes by suggesting that in the future, payment settlement on their own blockchain could be possible for platforms like Apple Pay. However, he firmly believes in the idea of a decentralized global money transfer system “without intermediaries, with fast or instant settlement, and low fees.”
While integrating with major e-commerce platforms is the easiest way to achieve mass adoption, Paumen also sees streaming platforms like Vimeo and even OnlyFans as excellent opportunities for the utility of crypto payments.
Magazine:
Big Questions: How can Bitcoin payments stage a comeback?