WalletCon 2025 brought together top builders, innovators, and industry leaders to discuss the future of digital payments. As we returned for our third time, the conversations have shifted. The focus isn’t just on adoption —it’s about making crypto payments work at scale, solving real-world inefficiencies, and preparing for a financial system that is evolving faster than ever.

One of the biggest discussions this year was the role of legacy financial systems in crypto. In his keynote, Flexa cofounder Trevor Filter broke down why integrating digital assets with credit and debit cards isn’t the answer. Instead, the industry needs to build payments that are secure, efficient, and truly accessible—without relying on outdated infrastructure.

The urgency of fixing payments 

Crypto is at an inflection point. The regulatory landscape is shifting in the US and globally, with clearer frameworks emerging in regions like Europe and Asia. Stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are gaining traction, and traditional financial institutions are exploring blockchain in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago.

At the same time, payment networks remain expensive and exclusionary. In a world where transaction costs should be approaching zero, merchants still pay up to 3.5% in fees for card-based payments. Fraud remains a multi-billion-dollar problem, and consumer privacy is increasingly being sacrificed in exchange for convenience.

Trevor’s talk highlighted why credit cards shouldn’t be the foundation for digital payments:

• Outdated security – Credit cards weren’t built for the internet. They rely on static numbers that pass through multiple databases, creating constant security vulnerabilities.

• Financial exclusion – Access is tied to credit scores, disproportionately affecting underbanked populations and those in emerging markets.

• Unnecessary costs – Payment networks operate with some of the highest profit margins in finance, and merchants—but ultimately consumers—pay the price.

• Privacy risks—Every purchase generates data that’s tracked, stored, and monetized, creating risks for both businesses and individuals.

This is why the industry needs alternatives that don’t recreate old systems under a different name.

Digital assets IRL

The good news is that a transition is already underway. More businesses are exploring crypto payments, not just as an experiment but as a way to streamline costs and reach new customers.

Take Chipotle, for example. Their Ethereum merge campaign (Proof of Steak) offered 99.95% off burritos, and the response was overwhelming. This proves that when crypto payments are easy, people use them. This isn’t about theoretical possibilities—major brands are already processing digital asset payments without relying on traditional card networks.

Building the next generation of payments

At Flexa, we’ve spent years developing a system that makes digital transactions faster, cheaper, and more secure. Our payments network enables businesses to accept digital assets natively, without the risks and inefficiencies of legacy infrastructure.

Our payments platform, Flexa Payments, enables merchants to accept digital asset payments seamlessly—whether online, in person, or in-app. Since Flexa is chain-agnostic, merchants and wallets aren’t locked into one ecosystem. They can accept payments from any supported asset across multiple blockchains, keeping options open as the industry evolves.

The bigger picture 

Payments aren’t just about transactions—they shape economies. Businesses with better payment options can lower costs, serve more customers, and operate more efficiently. When consumers have better options, they gain more control over their finances, with fewer fees and less reliance on third-party intermediaries.

This shift isn’t just about crypto. It’s about making payments work better for everyone.

WalletCon 2025 showed that the demand is there, and the industry is moving in the right direction. If we build secure, efficient, and open payments, the rest will follow.

If you’re working on this problem, let’s talk. See you next year, WalletCon.