MoonPay vs Paybis: Wallet On-Ramp Integration and Fee Comparison

Key Takeaways:

MoonPay charges up to 4.5% platform fee plus a 1-3% embedded spread in the quoted price, making the true cost difficult to calculate before checkout. We show fees as a separate line item before the user confirms: service fee starting from 0.49% after the first card transaction (first card transaction: 0%), processing fee of 4.5-8.5% for card transactions over $50, and a variable network fee set by miners. We compress integration from months to hours via three modular options: a standalone signed URL requiring zero backend changes, a Web SDK, and a full server-to-server API with shared KYC and SSO support. We hold FinCEN, FINTRAC, and VASP registrations, are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant, and have recorded zero security breaches since 2014, operating in 180+ countries with 20+ payment methods and 90+ cryptocurrencies. Our multi-acquirer cascade routing (automatic retry across payment processors on decline) and ~2-minute verification reduce the two highest-friction points in first-time user onboarding.

Brand recognition doesn’t equal conversion. When users see an unexpected spread baked into the exchange rate at checkout, they abandon the transaction regardless of the logo on the widget. For a Head of Product or CTO evaluating on-ramp infrastructure, the question is straightforward: does the provider make your users trust the checkout, or does it quietly erode it?

This guide covers the exact fee structures, integration timelines, compliance registrations, and UX metrics for both MoonPay and Paybis so you can make that decision with hard data instead of marketing claims.

The True Cost of Wallet On-Ramps: Spread vs. Transparent Fees

Every crypto on-ramp charges fees. The real question is whether those fees are visible to the user before they commit, or buried in the exchange rate after the decision is made. For platforms integrating an on-ramp widget, this distinction matters directly: when a user sees a discrepancy between the quoted price and what actually leaves their card, that dispute lands in your support queue, not the provider’s.

The technical term for this gap is an embedded spread: the difference between the real-time market rate and the rate the provider quotes to the user. It does not appear as a fee. It appears as a worse exchange rate, and most users only notice after the transaction completes. The hidden fees landscape across crypto gateways has been a persistent source of user complaints and platform churn.

How MoonPay Structures Fees and Embedded Spreads

MoonPay charges up to 4.5% as a platform fee on top of a 1-3% spread embedded in the displayed exchange rate. MoonPay’s own pricing disclosure confirms: “MoonPay USA LLC may include a spread in the asset price shown to you during your transaction… All spreads are included in the price of the digital asset shown to you during your checkout flow.” So a user buying $500 of ETH sees a rate already 1-3% worse than the real-time market price, then pays a 4.5% platform fee on top. Total effective cost runs approximately 5.5-8.5% depending on the asset and payment method.

Crypto-native users who monitor rates in real-time tend to notice the discrepancy post-transaction, generating support tickets and community friction. For a B2B partner, the spread variance also makes net-received modeling unreliable: if the spread shifts 1-3% per transaction, your margin calculations carry that same variance.

MoonPay carries real strengths worth acknowledging. Its widget is embedded in 300+ wallet apps, it holds registrations in multiple jurisdictions including FinCEN (#31000301673327), FINTRAC (M24701825), FCA (FRN 944746), and the AFM in the Netherlands (#41000002), and it operates in approximately 160 countries. For platforms whose users already recognize the MoonPay brand from prior exposure, those network effects are real. The tradeoff is predictability.

Paybis Fee Breakdown and Revenue Share Model

We use a three-component transparent fee structure. We list every component as a separate line item before the user confirms:

For a $500 card purchase after the first transaction, that translates to approximately $2.45 in service fees, $22.50-$42.50 in processing fees, and a variable network fee ranging from under $1 to $5 or more during peak congestion. The user sees this breakdown before clicking confirm. No post-transaction surprise.

Paybis’s B2B revenue share model allows partner platforms to set their own end-user margin on top of a base rate. You know what Paybis takes, you set what your platform takes, and the user sees the combined total as a transparent fee breakdown. For product teams that model margin scenarios before committing engineering resources, that predictability is directly valuable.

One verified G2 reviewer describes the experience directly:

Integration Speed and Developer Experience

Building fiat rails in-house typically takes 12-24 months of engineering time, covering licensing, processor relationships, KYC operations, and fraud infrastructure. Paybis compresses that timeline into hours with three modular integration paths, each with a different complexity-to-speed tradeoff:

1. Standalone signed URL: The fastest option. Build a signed URL with custom query parameters and launch our widget with no API calls required. The only backend requirement is generating an HMAC signature. This can typically be implemented in hours.
2. Web SDK: Platform-independent and deployable without backend changes for most use cases. New feature updates deploy automatically to the SDK without requiring changes on the partner side, which reduces ongoing maintenance overhead.
3. Full server-to-server API: Enables shared KYC, Single Sign-On (SSO), one-click checkout, and frictionless off-ramping for wallets. The most capable option is giving full control over the user flow.

Native iOS and Android SDKs are also available for mobile-first wallets. Our widget also supports webhooks for KYC status updates and transaction state changes, enabling real-time funnel monitoring without custom backend work.

MoonPay claims integration can be completed in “minutes” according to their marketing materials, though their developer documentation focuses on technical implementation rather than detailed timeline estimates. Comparative analysis notes that MoonPay’s embedded model means verification often routes through partner platforms in some configurations, extending implementation scope.

Global Reach, Payment Methods, and Asset Support

Paybis operates in 180+ countries with 20+ payment methods and 90+ cryptocurrencies. Payment method coverage includes local options that matter for non-card markets: PIX for Brazil, Webpay for Chile, and FPS for the UK. These local methods are pre-integrated, so platforms expanding into LATAM or Europe skip separate PSP contract negotiations for each market.

MoonPay operates in approximately 160 countries. Its embedded presence in 300+ wallet apps provides distribution advantages for platforms whose user base already has MoonPay familiarity. For asset coverage, MoonPay publishes its full supported cryptocurrency list in its developer documentation.

The practical gap shows up at geographic edge cases. When a user in Brazil, Chile, or a non-card-dominant market hits your on-ramp widget, they need a payment method they actually use. Our local payment method coverage covers those markets without additional integration work.

“What stands out to me most about Paybis is the remarkable speed and smoothness of the crypto-buying process. When I purchase with my card, the transaction is completed in just moments, and the cryptocurrency is delivered straight to my wallet without any unnecessary steps.” – Egor N. on G2

Regulatory Coverage and Security Infrastructure

Regulatory exposure ranks among the top risks for crypto-native platforms expanding into new markets. Pre-acquired licensing offloads compliance operations without eliminating the partner’s own obligations.

We hold the following registrations, all verifiable through public databases:

• FinCEN (US): MSB #31000272911973 (US entity), #31000277275964 (PL entity)
• FINTRAC (Canada): PL entity C100000816, CA entity C100000646, UK entity M22061209
• Revenue Chamber in Katowice (Poland): RDWW-805 (VASP registration)
• PCI DSS Level 1: The highest payment security certification in the industry

MoonPay holds FinCEN registration (#31000301673327), FINTRAC registration (M24701825), FCA registration in the UK (FRN 944746), and AFM registration in the Netherlands (#41000002), as documented on their public licenses page. MoonPay also documents SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS compliance on their security page.

Known exclusions for our on-ramp services: We do not support standard card purchases in New York or Louisiana. Additional restrictions apply to specific cryptocurrencies (BNB, TRX) in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Vermont, and Washington state. Canadian users cannot purchase stablecoins per CSA regulations. We document these exclusions upfront, not at checkout.

On security, we have recorded zero breaches since our founding in 2014, across $1.2B+ annual transaction volume (last 12 months as of October 2025). Our PCI DSS Level 1 certification means we encrypt, store, and manage cardholder data to global payment security standards. For a platform whose community scrutinizes smart contract audits and private key infrastructure weekly, a counterparty’s zero-breach track record over 10+ years is a verifiable data point, not a marketing claim.

Our corporate service overview details the compliance infrastructure available to B2B partners.

User Experience: Verification Speed and Conversion Rates

The two highest-friction points in a first-time on-ramp session are KYC abandonment and card payment failure. Both directly affect your platform’s net revenue per acquired user.

• Verification speed: We complete identity verification via photo ID and selfie in approximately 2 minutes for the majority of users, with most completing under 5 minutes. By comparison, MoonPay’s verification routes through partner platforms in some integration configurations, making timing variable and unpredictable.
• Card payment failures: Our payment infrastructure includes multi-processor routing capabilities. When a card transaction encounters issues at one payment processor, the system can retry through alternative processors. For wallets serving users across multiple regions, transaction routing is optimized based on card characteristics and geographic factors.
• Transaction speed: First-time buyers typically receive crypto in their wallet within 15 minutes of payment approval. The purchased crypto goes directly to the user’s wallet address, whether that is a MetaMask wallet, Coinbase Wallet, Exodus, or any external address the user specifies.
• Support: We provide 24/7 live human support with an average response time of 1-2 minutes across 9+ languages. MoonPay routes initial support queries through an AI chatbot before escalating to human agents. For a platform integrating an on-ramp widget serving first-time crypto buyers, the difference between a 1-minute human response and an AI escalation path has a measurable impact on conversion recovery.

Trustpilot reviewers across 30,180+ reviews with a rating of 4 or “Great” (as of March 2026) describe this experience directly:

The 99Bitcoins Paybis review and the FX Empire analysis both note speed and support responsiveness as primary differentiators.

Which On-Ramp Fits Your Platform’s Growth Stage?

MoonPay is a defensible choice for platforms where brand familiarity matters and whose user base is concentrated in its core supported markets. Its widget distribution across 300+ wallet apps means some users will recognize the checkout, reducing friction for repeat buyers.

Paybis fits platforms that need to go live fast without a multi-month compliance detour, serve users in diverse payment geographies, and want their community to trust the checkout experience. Our transparent fee model eliminates post-transaction disputes at the source. Our cascade routing and ~2-minute verification target the two highest-abandonment points in the first-time buyer funnel. Our revenue share model gives product teams a calculable per-transaction margin before the first line of integration code is written.

Here is the full feature comparison:

We have processed $1.2B+ in annual transaction volume (last 12 months as of October 2025) with 5M+ retail users, operating since 2014 with zero security breaches.

To discuss revenue share structure and volume-based pricing for your transaction profile, our corporate service team handles integration conversations directly. No SDR sequence required.

The BeInCrypto Paybis review provides an independent assessment of our position within the broader on-ramp landscape. Try your first Paybis on-ramp right here!

Key Terminology

• Embedded spread: The difference between the real-time market exchange rate for a cryptocurrency and the rate quoted to a buyer at checkout. It functions as an additional fee built into the displayed price rather than listed as a separate line item, making the true transaction cost difficult to calculate before purchase.
• Cascade routing: An automated payment processing mechanism that retries a declined card transaction through a second (or third) payment acquirer without requiring the user to re-enter card details or complete a new 3DS authentication. It increases card approval rates by routing each transaction to the acquirer most likely to approve it based on BIN region and card type.
• Direct settlement: A model where purchased cryptocurrency goes directly from the on-ramp provider to the end-user’s specified external wallet address, without the integrating platform needing to hold or custody the assets. It eliminates withdrawal logic from the partner’s integration scope and removes the platform from the custody chain.

Written by

Konstantin Vasilenko

Konstantins is a blockchain and digital payments executive with over 20 years of IT experience. He co-founded Paybis in 2014, helping build it into a global crypto platform serving users across 180+ countries. He brings deep technical and business expertise to Paybis' growth and partnership strategy. He is also a co-founder of the Latvian Blockchain Association and is a regular speaker at major industry events, where he represents Paybis' vision of making crypto accessible and useful for both individuals and businesses worldwide.