Paysafe Partners with MoonPay for US Crypto Deposits
Paysafe, a specialized payments platform with a significant footprint in the global gaming industry, announced the launch of its 'Pay with Crypto' product for the US market. The feature, which went live on April 7, 2026, integrates directly into Paysafe's existing payment gateway for operators in regulated iGaming and daily fantasy sports (DFS) jurisdictions. This move allows players to use cryptocurrency as a funding source for their accounts.
The underlying technology is provided by MoonPay, a company that builds payment infrastructure for cryptocurrency. According to the official announcement, when a player initiates a deposit, they can select 'Pay with Crypto', connect a crypto wallet, and choose from various cryptocurrencies, including USDC and other stablecoins. MoonPay processes the transaction, converting the crypto into US dollars that are then credited to the player's casino or DFS account.
This isn't about playing games with a fluctuating Bitcoin balance. It's a funding mechanism. The core function is a conversion that enables crypto holders to move value into the regulated, fiat-based gaming ecosystem.
The Corporate Mechanics: Who Benefits?
This partnership connects two distinct worlds. Paysafe has deep-rooted relationships and compliance bona fides within the state-by-state regulated gaming framework in the US. MoonPay brings the technical rails to connect to the decentralized world of crypto wallets and exchanges. For Paysafe, it's a way to modernize its offerings and capture a new, tech-savvy player demographic.
For MoonPay, it represents a significant entry point into the highly-coveted and tightly-controlled US online gaming market.
According to Paysafe, operators using its platform can simply enable the new option. The choice of settlement currency, fiat or stablecoins, offers operators a degree of treasury management flexibility. An operator could, for instance, accept player deposits initiated with crypto but receive the final settlement in US dollars, mitigating their exposure to cryptocurrency market volatility.
"Through MoonPay infrastructure, they can settle in stablecoins or in fiat currencies.", Paysafe Press Release
This dual-path settlement is a critical feature for risk-averse operators who are interested in the payment method but not necessarily in holding digital assets on their balance sheets.
Following the Data: Is There Player Demand?
Paysafe's decision appears to be backed by significant market data. The company's announcement highlights that an estimated 70.4 million American adults own cryptocurrency. What does that mean for gaming operators?
Internal research from Paysafe suggests a strong crossover interest. A company report found that 83% of US players surveyed are interested in using cryptocurrency payment methods for online gaming. This indicates a large, untapped market segment that may prefer the speed and familiarity of crypto transactions over more traditional methods like credit cards or bank transfers.
By integrating a crypto deposit option, operators like Stake US or Duelbits, who already cater to a crypto-native audience in the sweepstakes space, could find a familiar tool if they were to enter regulated US markets. The system bypasses the need for players to manually sell crypto on an exchange and then transfer the resulting fiat funds, a multi-step process that can be slow and cumbersome.
Hurdles to Adoption: Regulation and Operator Hesitancy
While the technology provides a bridge, its adoption rate will hinge on two factors: regulatory comfort and operator appetite for risk. State gaming regulators, who operate with an abundance of caution, will undoubtedly scrutinize the new payment rail. The primary concern will be ensuring that Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols are not just met, but are ironclad. Any perceived weakness in tracing the source of funds could make regulators in states like New Jersey or Pennsylvania hesitant.
Furthermore, not all operators will be immediate adopters. Larger, publicly-traded gaming companies are often highly protective of their brands and may be wary of any association with cryptocurrency's volatile reputation. Despite Paysafe and MoonPay handling the conversion, the simple act of accepting crypto-originated funds could be seen as a reputational risk until the method becomes widely accepted and vetted by regulatory bodies across multiple jurisdictions. Early adoption will likely come from more agile, challenger brands looking for a competitive edge.
Bridging Crypto and Regulated Gaming
This product launch is a notable development in the convergence of cryptocurrency and the US regulated gaming sector. It provides a formal bridge for crypto capital to enter the ecosystem through established compliance and payment channels.
For years, crypto's main association with online gaming in the US has been through offshore casinos or sweepstakes platforms operating under different legal frameworks. 'Pay with Crypto' operates differently by positioning itself squarely within the licensed market. By mandating a conversion to USD at the point of deposit, the system sidesteps many of the regulatory questions that surround wagering directly with volatile assets.
From a player perspective, the experience is designed to be streamlined. Instead of entering credit card details, a user can scan a QR code with their crypto wallet to authorize the payment. This could appeal to players focused on privacy and transaction speed.
What comes next will be determined by operator adoption and regulator response. The success of 'Pay with Crypto' will depend on how many major iGaming and DFS brands choose to integrate it. Its performance and security record will be watched closely by competitors and regulatory bodies alike, potentially setting a precedent for how digital assets are handled in US regulated gaming going forward.
