Move Over Apple Pay: How SpacePay and Crypto’s Boldest Projects Are Reinventing Checkout by 2025

The payment wars just got interstellar. While legacy systems cling to plastic, a new wave of crypto-native solutions—led by SpacePay—are rewriting the rules of commerce with zero middlemen, near-instant settlements, and fees that make credit card processors blush.

Why your wallet's obsolete

Traditional finance still treats cross-border payments like it's 1995. Crypto checkout protocols slice through legacy inefficiencies like a hot knife through butter—settling transactions in seconds for fractions of a cent. No wonder Visa's been quietly hoarding stablecoin patents.

The contenders changing the game

SpacePay isn't alone. From decentralized loyalty token ecosystems to self-custody checkout plugins, these projects are building the infrastructure for money that actually works for users—not just banks collecting rent on every swipe.

The bottom line

As merchants wake up to paying 3% just for the privilege of accepting digital dollars (that settle in 3 days), crypto's value proposition becomes undeniable. Wall Street will still find a way to package it into a fee-laden ETF, but the genie's out of the bottle.

SpacePay: The Crypto Checkout System Built for the Real World

lets people spend their crypto directly at shops using the same card machines that already exist. You do not need special hardware or a new device; merchants just install SpacePay’s APK on their Android POS terminal, and they are ready to accept crypto.

This makes SpacePay different from Apple Pay as it does not require a bank or a specific smartphone brand. It works with over 325 crypto wallets, including MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, and Coinbase Wallet, and various cryptocurrencies.

SpacePay also protects merchants from price swings. When you pay in crypto, it instantly converts to local fiat money. So if you pay $10 worth of Ethereum, for example, the store gets exactly $10 in their local currency. There is no waiting or guessing what the final amount will be.

Fees are also low as merchants only pay 0.5% per transaction. That is much cheaper than traditional payment networks like Visa or Mastercard.

The whole system runs on SPY, the SpacePay token. Holding SPY gives users some extra perks. There are loyalty rewards, governance votes, early access to new features, and even a share of the platform’s revenue. Token holders also get to attend private webinars with the SpacePay team and can even participate in charity matching.

And right now, SPY is in an ongoing presale. That means people can buy the token at a discounted price before it launches fully. The presale has already raised over one million dollars. It is a chance to support a live product while it is still early.

How to Buy SPY Crypto in the Ongoing Presale

To join the SPY presale, head to. You can connect a wallet like MetaMask or Trust Wallet. Then you fund it using ETH, USDT, BNB, AVAX, MATIC, BASE, or even your bank card. Use the built-in widget to buy SPY tokens directly. The current presale price is $0.003181.

TON Payments for the Telegram Generation

TON, which stands for The Open Network, is closely tied to Telegram. The whole idea is to turn Telegram into a global super app where people can chat, share content, and also pay with crypto.

TON is already integrated into Telegram, and users can send each other crypto, tip creators, and buy products inside the app. There are mini apps built on TON that act like small stores or services inside chats.

It works well for microtransactions, fast transfers, and sending money across borders. TON is growing quickly in places like Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe, where Telegram has a huge user base.

TON is not trying to replace the checkout machines in physical stores like SpacePay is. Instead, it is focused on digital payments inside apps and social platforms. It may not power your next coffee run, but it could be what you use to buy something online or tip a friend.

Ripple XRP: The Global Engine Behind Cross-Border Payments

Ripple is different from both SpacePay and TON. It is not aimed at individuals at checkout. Instead, it helps banks and institutions MOVE large amounts of money across countries.

With RippleNet and the XRP token, banks can settle international payments within seconds. It is faster and cheaper than the old SWIFT system. Big names like SBI, Santander, and Tranglo already use it.

Ripple has also been pushing for more regulatory clarity. There are even talks about an XRP spot ETF coming soon. That WOULD bring in more attention from big investors.

You may not use XRP to pay for groceries, but it is helping build the global layer that allows crypto payments to work between countries, banks, and businesses. If SpacePay is focused on local retail, Ripple is focused on the back-end.