Moonpay Acquires Solana-Powered Payment Processor Helio in $175 Million Deal
Moonpay, a leading crypto onramp, has announced the acquisition of Helio, a Solana-focused payment processor, in a $175 million deal. This strategic move positions Moonpay to leverage Helio’s technology to advance decentralized payment solutions and expand its reach in the crypto commerce ecosystem.
Helio Joins Moonpay as a Subsidiary
With over 6,000 merchants and millions of customers, Helio integrates Solana Pay with popular platforms such as Discord and Shopify. Following the acquisition, Helio will continue to operate as a separate brand under Moonpay, with its team remaining at the helm. Employees will also become shareholders, and no layoffs have been announced as part of the deal.
A Leap Toward Decentralized Payments
Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO and co-founder of Moonpay, emphasized the significance of this acquisition in driving innovation in crypto payments.
“Helio’s technology and expertise strengthen our ability to deliver efficient, secure, and scalable solutions for crypto commerce, trading infrastructure, and marketplaces,” Soto-Wright stated.
Stijn Paumen, CEO and co-founder of Helio, echoed these sentiments, expressing excitement about accelerating the adoption of crypto payments.
“Joining forces with Moonpay, we’re excited to unlock crypto’s potential by replacing slow, costly merchant payments with fast, affordable, and decentralized solutions,” Paumen noted.
Unlocking Crypto’s Potential
According to Helio, only 10% of crypto holders actively use their assets. This presents an opportunity to tap into a largely untapped market, enabling a decentralized payment network that unlocks the spending power of millions.
This acquisition also positions Moonpay to benefit from an anticipated increase in cryptocurrency adoption in the U.S., driven by pro-crypto policies expected from President-Elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20. With traditional payment fees under scrutiny, decentralized solutions like Helio’s are poised to gain traction.
By acquiring Helio, Moonpay takes a significant step toward making crypto payments faster, cheaper, and more accessible, aligning with its mission to drive widespread adoption of decentralized financial solutions.
