While crypto evangelists are willing to navigate clunky UX, poor payments integration will be a breaking point for mainstream adoption. As wallets look to expand their user base, implementing smooth payments flows will be critical.

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the popularity and power of wallets

Cryptocurrency wallets like MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, Trust Wallet, and others have millions of users. By securely storing private keys, they allow users to receive, store, and send tokens and NFTs as well as interact with dApps.

As adoption grows, wallets are becoming gatekeepers. They provide a window into Web3 applications, games, metaverses, and more. Making payments easy helps attract and retain mainstream users.

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payments—the missing piece

For all their core functionality, most wallets lack convenient payment capabilities. Sending crypto payments often involves lengthy addresses instead of a fast email or ID lookup.

Built-in access to fiat offramps is limited too, particularly for unbanked users. However, these features are the table stakes in traditional finance. Users expect payments to be fast and frictionless.

Without payments innovation, wallets risk becoming disconnected from real-world use cases. 

Payments are the killer app that can link crypto's potential to everyday utility.

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building better payment experiences 

Wallets should take inspiration from popular fintech and social apps that nail payments UX. Solutions like Square’s Cash App and Venmo make sending money seamless through features like:

• Contacts lookup by username or phone number
• Instant push notifications when receiving payments
• QR scanning to send to vendor accounts
  

Crypto wallets need similar set-and-forget convenience. Imagine paying merchants, P2P payments, and cashing out rewards in one frictionless flow.

Payment capabilities can reinforce wallets' positioning as financial hubs for digital asset users. An integrated payments experience is key to converting more mainstream consumers into long-term Web3 users.

With competition heating up, wallets that master payments will have an edge in expanding their platform power. User experience makes or breaks products—even in decentralized finance. For cryptocurrencies to truly go mainstream, payments are the UX challenge wallets need to solve next.