Crypto Processing: What It Is and How Does it Work

If you’ve been active in the crypto industry lately you would have noticed that it’s not just about Bitcoin anymore, in fact the entire blockchain landscape is booming like never before.

Here’s three incredible statistics about how blockchain is growing at incredible speed:

• Market Growth: The global blockchain market is projected to grow from $20.1 billion in 2024 to a staggering $248.9 billion by 2029, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 65.5% during this period.

• Investment Surge: Worldwide spending on blockchain solutions is expected to reach nearly $19 billion by 2024, with a CAGR of 46.4%.

• Industry Impact: Blockchain technology is anticipated to contribute approximately $1.76 trillion to global GDP by 2030, which represents about 1.4% of the total.

These trends are a big deal, showing not just the widespread appeal of cryptocurrencies but also the crucial role that crypto processing solutions play in making this growth possible.

By enabling secure, efficient, and international transactions, crypto payment processors are central to this digital currency revolution.

They’re giving both businesses and consumers the tools to dive into the expanding digital economy.

With all of that data in mind, we’re going to break down what crypto processing is all about.

We’ll explore why businesses might want to jump on board, look at the pros and cons, and give you a hint on which processor might be the best fit if you’re looking to cash in on these advantages while keeping things secure.

Let’s get started.

What is Crypto Processing?

At its core, crypto processing is all about helping businesses accept crypto payments while managing the ups and downs of cryptocurrency values and conversions.

When a customer makes a purchase with digital currency, the crypto payment gateway converts that digital currencies into a fiat currency (like USD or EUR) and transfers it to the merchant’s bank account.

Alternatively, merchants can choose to keep the payment in cryptocurrency if they’re up for the risk.

Businesses might decide to integrate a crypto processing gateway for several main reasons such as:

• Global Reach: Cryptocurrencies aren’t tied to any country, so businesses can accept payments from anywhere without stressing over exchange rates or international fees.

• Lower Transaction Fees: Compared to traditional online payments that can charge fees up to 3.5%, crypto transactions usually come with fees around 1% or less, saving money for both businesses and customers.

• Enhanced Security and Reduced Fraud: Thanks to blockchain tech, crypto transactions are secure and can’t be changed, which cuts down on fraud and eliminates chargebacks, boosting a company’s liquidity.

• Market Expansion: Accepting crypto can attract customers who prefer using digital currencies, helping businesses reach new audiences.

• Innovation and Competitive Edge: Offering crypto payments shows a business is forward-thinking, appealing to tech-savvy customers and positioning the company as a leader in new tech.

As cryptocurrency adoption keeps growing, adding a crypto payment option could be a smart move for businesses looking to stay ahead and tap into the digital economy’s potential.

How Do Cryptocurrency Processors Work?

Crypto processors, or crypto payment gateways, are the bridge between traditional finance and the decentralized world of blockchain, making it possible for businesses to accept crypto for goods and services.

Here’s a quick rundown of how it works from a merchant’s perspective:

Integration and Setup

Businesses start by signing up with a crypto payment processor, setting preferences for currency conversion, settlement options, and the types of cryptocurrencies they’ll accept.

The processor provides an API or plugins to integrate with the merchant’s e-commerce platform, enabling their site to connect with the crypto processing system.

Payment Initiation

When a customer chooses to pay with crypto, the gateway generates a payment option at checkout, allowing them to select their preferred cryptocurrency.

The gateway calculates the crypto amount needed based on real-time exchange rates, ensuring the merchant gets the correct fiat equivalent.

Invoice and Wallet Address Generation

An invoice is created, showing the amount due in the chosen cryptocurrency along with a unique wallet address and a QR code for easy payment.

The customer has a limited time to complete the transaction to avoid price fluctuations.

Transaction Processing

The customer sends the specified crypto amount to the provided wallet address.

The transaction is then verified on the blockchain, and once confirmed, the processor either converts it to fiat currency and transfers it to the merchant’s account or credits the merchant’s digital wallet.

Reporting and Reconciliation

Merchants get detailed transaction reports to help reconcile payments, manage accounting, and track any retained crypto payments.

While this is the standard process, things can get more complex depending on the situation, such as in play-to-earn gaming, which might require a different setup to handle a high volume of quick transactions.

Types of Crypto Processing

There are a few different ways to handle crypto transactions. Here’s a look at the three main types:

• Cryptocurrency Payment Gateways: These platforms act as middlemen, letting businesses accept crypto payments and either convert them to fiat or keep them as digital assets. Payments can be made directly from a customer’s digital wallet, usually by scanning a QR code. Merchants can also generate payment links to send to customers via email, SMS, or messaging apps.

• Crypto Point of Sale (PoS) Systems: These systems are designed for in-person payments in physical stores. Customers can pay by scanning a QR code with their mobile wallet.

• Direct Wallet-to-Wallet Transfers: This method skips intermediaries, allowing direct transfers between the payer’s and receiver’s digital wallets. It reduces fees but doesn’t offer conversion or instant settlement services.

Each method has its own perks, whether it’s lower fees, better security, or more convenience.

The best choice depends on the specific needs of the business, like transaction volume, preferred cryptocurrencies, and whether they want instant fiat conversion or are okay with holding crypto.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Crypto Payment Gateways

Advantages:

Lower transaction fees

Easy global transactions

Enhanced security

Fast transactions

Innovation and market expansion

Disadvantages:

Price volatility

Regulatory uncertainty

Technical complexity

Security concerns

While these downsides can be a challenge, many of them can be managed with the right cryptocurrency payment gateway, like CryptoProcessing.com, which offers rate guarantees and instant fiat conversion to make the process smoother and more secure.

What’s the Best Cryptocurrency Payment Processing Gateway?

We’ve mentioned CryptoProcessing.com a few times already, and trust us, it’s for good reason.

It’s known for top-notch security, leadership in the field, and some of the best fee structures around.

They were even named the best cryptocurrency processing service at the EGR B2B Awards 2023.

With over a decade of experience and handling more than €700M in crypto transactions monthly, CryptoProcessing.com is a trusted choice for businesses across various industries.

Whether you’re in e-commerce, iGaming, retail, or luxury goods, CryptoProcessing.com offers a reliable solution for processing crypto payments. They even provide a business-specific crypto wallet to enhance their services.

Final Thoughts

As cryptocurrencies become more popular, having a secure and efficient payment gateway is crucial.

Crypto gateways offer perks like lower fees, global access, and better security, but they also come with challenges like price fluctuations and unclear regulations.

Choosing the right partner, like CryptoProcessing.com, can help you overcome these hurdles and get the most out of crypto payments.

If you’re interested in adding crypto payments to your business, check out CryptoProcessing.com.

Just visit their site, fill out a form, and a sales rep will help you get started.

Modernize your business with CryptoProcessing.com.

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