What’s stopping crypto payments from taking off? The 2025 State of Onchain UX report offers clues
Even with stablecoins rising and fintech giants jumping in, crypto payments remain a secondary use. The 2025 State of Onchain UX report shows what keeps this utility from going mainstream.
Table of ContentsHow users actually use cryptoMulti-wallet use is the new normOne chain doesn’t rule them all anymoreUse is broadening, but favorites are still narrowConfidence is up, so are the scamsCrypto has to feel effortless
How users actually use crypto
As crypto moves further into everyday use, the experience of interacting with on-chain tools is becoming just as important as the tools themselves.
The 2025 State of Onchain UX report, published by Reown with support from Nansen AI, takes a detailed look at how people are actually using wallets, apps, and on-chain services, and what that experience looks like today.
The report draws on data from 1,038 active crypto users in the U.S. and U.K., surveyed between Feb. 19 and 26. More than half of the participants (51%) were from the U.S., and the rest from the U.K.
A slight majority were men (59%), and most respondents fell in the 18 to 34 age group, with smaller but consistent representation from older age brackets. Only 17% considered themselves beginners, while 43% had more than two years of active crypto experience.
Participants also identified the ways they used crypto, with the most common categories including traders (56%), DeFi users (45%), and those using crypto for real-world payments or transactions (47%).
In addition to survey data, the report incorporates infrastructure usage from Reown and WalletConnect, as well as wallet-level transaction analysis from Nansen.
Let’s explore those findings in depth, to understand where users are today, what they need next, and how developers, platforms, and infrastructure providers might better support the growing variety of on-chain participants.
Multi-wallet use is the new norm
For most users, the wallet is their first point of contact with the on-chain world. It is how people store assets, access apps, sign transactions, and manage identity.
The 2025 report shows that wallet adoption is growing steadily across regions. Europe recorded the highest rate of new wallet creation last year, while Asia led in actual wallet connection growth.Â
In comparison, activity in North and South America remained low, largely due to continued regulatory uncertainty in countries like the U.S.
Use of multiple wallets has increased. Today, 62% of participants rely on two or more wallets. The most common reasons are access to different chains (48%) and security concerns (44%), both of which have risen since the previous year.
Among users with more than two years of crypto experience, over half reported using exchange-linked wallets such as Binance and Coinbase.Â
Trust Wallet, MetaMask, and Phantom also ranked high, suggesting that users with deeper exposure to on-chain tools tend to stick with brands they know well.
Mobile wallets remain the most preferred option, with more than half of users identifying them as their primary interface. However, this preference has seen a slight decline compared to last year.Â
Hardware wallets, once limited in appeal, have gained modest traction, especially among those who describe themselves as experienced or security-focused.
Social wallets have seen growing awareness and experimentation, but long-term usage remains low. The main concerns include limited control, lack of trust in their security, and poor interoperability with other dApps or chains.
Across all wallet types, users consistently cited a similar set of needs. These include lower transaction fees, broader support for tokens and chains, a simpler design, and better protection against scams.
More users feel confident about wallet security than they did the year before. Even so, concerns around phishing and blind signing continue to stand out.
One chain doesn’t rule them all anymore
Not long ago, most blockchains aimed to do everything. Today, that picture has shifted. The report highlights a growing trend toward specialization, with different chains focusing on distinct functions rather than competing across the same use cases.
Ethereum (ETH) continues to serve as the primary settlement layer. It processes the largest transaction volumes and supports a broad range of applications across decentralized finance, NFTs, and infrastructure.Â
Solana (SOL), in contrast, has positioned itself as the leading network for high-frequency activity. It is widely used for memecoins, token launches, and fast-paced trading, largely due to its speed and low transaction costs.
Nansen data reinforces this distinction. While Ethereum wallets have a median age of 123 days, Solana wallets average just 51 days. This gap suggests faster user turnover on Solana, driven by short-term experimentation and high-velocity trading, particularly through platforms like pump.fun and Jupiter.
Base, the layer 2 network backed by Coinbase, is emerging as an innovation hub. Wallet activity on Base spans a mix of experimental applications and cross-chain utilities. Its momentum is also visible in on-chain metrics, with fee revenue rising more than 460% year-over-year.
However, this growth has not yet translated into habitual usage. Only 10% of respondents identified Layer 2 chains as their most-used platforms, pointing to the continued influence of familiarity and network effects in shaping user behavior.
BNB Chain (BNB) offers a different model. Its activity remains closely tied to the Binance ecosystem, with most users relying on exchange-driven services and low-cost trading.Â
Wallet data shows that BNB Chain users conduct smaller, more frequent transactions and interact with fewer third-party applications. While this limits flexibility, it appeals to users who value speed and cost-efficiency over variety.
One theme emerges clearly. Most users are no longer loyal to a single chain. Instead, they choose networks based on purpose, using different chains for different tasks. This shift also explains the increasing reliance on multiple wallets.
When asked how important cross-chain compatibility was to their web3 activities, over 80% of users rated it as either very or somewhat important. Only 5% said it was not important at all.
Use is broadening, but favorites are still narrow
User behavior on-chain continues to center around a few core actions. Trading remains the dominant activity, even as many users express long-term interest in areas like payments, gaming, and decentralized social tools.
Bitcoin is still the most widely held token, with 64% of respondents including it in their portfolio. Stablecoins have seen strong adoption, with ownership rising from 20% last year to 37% in 2025. Memecoins have also gained popularity, particularly on newer chains like Solana.
Despite growing interest in practical applications, the actual preference data tells a different story. When users were asked to name their favorite on-chain activity, only 12% selected payments, and just 3% chose governance. Trading and speculation continue to dominate user engagement.
DeFi use remains steady but limited in preference. While 45% of participants said they had interacted with DeFi in the past three months through activities like staking, lending, or liquidity mining, only 8% named it as their top use case.
Across user segments, Degens were the most active in DeFi. Interestingly, Newbies ranked second in participation, suggesting that newer users are exploring staking and yield tools early in their crypto journey.
NFTs have evolved in both function and perception. A growing number of users now view them less as speculative assets and more as collectibles or tools for participation. Still, only 19% of NFT collectors named NFT-related activity as their favorite part of being on-chain.
Governance remains a low-engagement area. Just 6% of users reported taking part in a vote within the past three months, and only 3% cited governance as their preferred activity.
Token ownership and platform usage also vary across age groups. Older users are more likely to hold Bitcoin, with ownership reaching 74% among participants aged 55 and above. Younger users, especially those between 18 and 34, are more drawn to Solana, NFTs, and DeFi-related tools.
Confidence is up, so are the scams
Security remains one of the most critical factors shaping how users interact on-chain. Confidence has improved, with 69% of users now saying they feel safe when using crypto products and services. This marks a clear rise from 50.5% in 2024.
At the same time, phishing attacks have increased. Last year, 14.4% of users reported being affected. That number has climbed to 21% in 2025.
The increase in reported incidents suggests that while crypto tools are improving, security threats are evolving just as quickly. Many users continue to approve transactions without fully understanding the risks involved.
Blind signing remains widespread, even as new features are introduced to make transaction details more transparent. Interfaces like Clear Signing are gaining attention, but adoption remains limited.
Most users feel that wallets and apps are not doing enough to protect them. Only 35% believe existing platforms offer adequate security. In contrast, 56% think stronger safeguards are needed, and 6% say protection should not be the platform’s responsibility at all.
This gap between perceived safety and actual outcomes highlights an unresolved issue. Users may feel more secure, but the data does not show a corresponding improvement in real-world protection.
Hardware wallets have seen renewed interest, particularly among more experienced users. However, they still represent a small portion of total wallet usage. Social and mobile wallets continue to be more popular, though they expose users to higher risks from phishing and malicious smart contracts.
A generational divide also exists. Older users tend to be more cautious and selective in their tools. Younger users are generally more open to adopting new interfaces, even when they carry greater risk.
Crypto has to feel effortless
Payments remain one of the most widely discussed use cases in crypto, but actual behavior does not always reflect that enthusiasm. While 54% of users said they had used crypto to buy goods or send funds, only 12% listed payments as their favorite on-chain activity.
Stablecoin adoption has nearly doubled in the past year, increasing from 20% to 37%. This growth suggests a rising demand for reliable, low-volatility instruments, particularly for cross-border and peer-to-peer transfers.
Enterprises are also stepping in. Companies like Stripe, PayPal, and Paxos are building crypto payment infrastructure into their services, extending the reach of on-chain transactions into traditional commerce.
Despite this momentum, key barriers persist. High fees, poor user experience, and inconsistent app quality continue to create friction. Interoperability issues often require users to juggle multiple wallets and manually switch between networks, leading to frustration even among those comfortable with crypto systems.
The infrastructure is improving, but it remains far from seamless. Many apps are still siloed, and funding a new wallet frequently involves several steps that can introduce confusion or added costs.
There is also a clear geographic divide. In regions with unstable currencies or limited access to banking, crypto payments offer tangible advantages.Â
Meanwhile, in the U.S. and U.K., where most survey participants were based, traditional payment systems are often faster and cheaper for everyday use. As a result, crypto payments tend to serve as a backup rather than a primary option.
Overall, progress is visible, but friction remains high. For on-chain utility to rival traditional finance, it must go beyond novelty. It must offer the consistency, speed, and simplicity users already expect.
2025-04-30 21:00:00
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