TON Building Infrastructure for Stablecoin Payments

The latest Payments Pulse episode features Nikola Plecas, VP of Payments at TON Blockchain, exploring three key developments: - **TON x WalletConnect Integration**: Details on how this partnership will enhance connectivity and user experience across the TON ecosystem. - **DeFi's Payment Evolution**: Analysis of why decentralized finance is positioned to become a mainstream payment solution, moving beyond speculation and trading. - **Fee Competition**: Discussion on how significantly lower transaction costs in crypto could disrupt traditional card payment systems. The conversation examines practical infrastructure changes needed for crypto payments to achieve mass adoption.

**WalletConnect Pay has officially launched on Base**, bringing quick and compliant payment infrastructure to the Layer 2 network. **Key Details:** - The payment solution is now live and operational on Base - Focuses on regulatory compliance alongside speed - Survey data collected from 1,442 incentivized participants This integration expands Base's payment capabilities while maintaining compliance standards. WalletConnect Pay aims to streamline transactions for users and developers building on the network. The launch represents another step in making web3 payments more accessible and regulation-friendly.

**Cost and Speed Advantages** - Crypto and stablecoin payments are up to **5X cheaper** than traditional card transactions - Settlement times reduced from **days to minutes**, significantly improving merchant cash flow - **88% of merchants** reported increased revenue after enabling crypto payments **Market Scale** - Stablecoins processed **$33 trillion** in transaction volume during 2025 - Crypto payments surged **70% year-to-date**, exceeding $10 billion in real-world settlements - Over **700 million people** globally now hold crypto, creating a substantial payment user base The data demonstrates that crypto payment infrastructure has reached commercial viability, offering merchants tangible benefits in cost reduction and faster access to funds while tapping into a growing customer base.

**TON blockchain has joined as an official sponsor of WalletCon**, taking place March 31 in Cannes. The platform focuses on making blockchain accessible through its integration with Telegram. TON aims to transform blockchain infrastructure into everyday digital ownership tools that work at scale. This sponsorship follows Ledger's announcement as a sponsor earlier this month. The hardware wallet provider is known for secure crypto transaction signing. WalletCon brings together builders and companies working on practical crypto applications and infrastructure.