Web3 move-to-earn game, STEPN, is embracing mainstream payment solutions by integrating Apple Pay for in-app purchases, marking a strategic step towards accessibility and widespread adoption. This development allows players to easily link their credit card to Apple Pay to buy non-fungible token (NFT) sneakers, an essential in-game asset.
By leveraging Apple Pay, a fiat payment option native to iOS users, STEPN eliminates the need for a crypto wallet, a hurdle that often deters potential players. Shiti Manghani, COO of STEPN, envisions this integration as a gateway to onboard the next 100 million users to Web3. STEPN is proud to be the first blockchain gaming app to secure Apple Pay integration.
Manghani shared, "It's very prestigious, and a privilege, to be approved by Apple for this kind of integration... These big platforms give us exposure to bigger audiences. Our attempt has always been to diversify and expose both the app and Web3, and the benefits it can bring to an audience not limited just to within the Web3 community."
Despite achieving over 700,000 monthly active users in May 2022, data from Dune Analytics shows a decline to about 23,000 users. Jerry Huang, co-founder of Find Satoshi Labs (FSL), the company that developed STEPN, sees the hybridization of Web2 and Web3 technologies as a key strategy for attracting more users.
Huang explains, "With this Apple Pay integration, we are making the user journey much more seamless, removing barriers to entry for all who want to move-to-earn, and ensuring that the Web3 space reaches a level of maturity it requires in order to go mainstream."
In November, Find Satoshi Labs unveiled its native NFT marketplace MOOAR, allowing users to acquire in-game assets directly within the application. Prior to the crypto winter onset, STEPN reported impressive Q2 profits of $123 million in July 2022. This strategic integration of Apple Pay is set to augment STEPN's drive towards mainstream adoption, potentially rejuvenating its active user base.
