MoonPay is a crypto payments company whose checkout appears inside many self-custody wallets, and which also runs its own app. It lets you buy crypto with a card, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo or a bank transfer and have it delivered straight to a wallet, and sell crypto back to fiat. That convenience is priced in: card purchases can carry a MoonPay fee of up to 4.5% plus a network fee and a spread. This review explains every line of a quote, using MoonPay’s published disclosures rather than hands-on testing, so you can decide when the convenience is worth it.
Key takeaways
- MoonPay’s US pricing disclosure lists a MoonPay fee of up to 4.5%, with a minimum of up to $3.99 (direct) or $4.50 (via a partner wallet) on small orders, as of October 2026.
- The spread is built into the price you are quoted, so the visible fee is not the whole cost.
- Card and wallet-pay purchases cost more than bank transfers; MoonPay Balance purchases carry no MoonPay fee under the disclosure.
- MoonPay is a registered money services business; a Canadian subsidiary was fined about C$537,000 by FINTRAC in late 2025 and has appealed.
- Crypto delivered to a wallet cannot be pulled back, so a card chargeback will not protect you from a scam seller.
What MoonPay is and where you meet it
Most people never go looking for MoonPay; they tap “Buy” inside MetaMask, Phantom, Trust Wallet or another app and land on a MoonPay checkout. In that role MoonPay is an on-ramp: it takes your fiat payment, buys the crypto, and sends it to the wallet address the app supplies. The reverse, crypto to fiat, is an off-ramp.
MoonPay also offers a direct account through its website and mobile app (download it from the official app stores, reached from moonpay.com typed in yourself). On April 16, 2026, MoonPay said its app had added more than 300 additional tokens on Base and Ethereum for eligible US users outside New York, delivered to users’ non-custodial wallets. In May 2026, MoonPay also launched an app inside ChatGPT’s app directory that lets users start crypto purchases from a chat. Product scope changes often, so check the app listing for what it currently includes.
Who it suits: someone who wants a modest amount of crypto delivered directly into a self-custody wallet, quickly, with a familiar payment method. Who it does not suit: regular or larger buyers who are comfortable with an exchange, where costs are usually lower. For the full map of purchase routes, see our how-to-buy-crypto hub.
Anatomy of a MoonPay quote: fees and spread
A MoonPay quote has up to four cost components. Only some appear as separate lines.
| Component | What MoonPay’s US disclosure says (October 2026) | Shown as a line? |
|---|---|---|
| MoonPay fee | Up to 4.5%; minimum up to $3.99 direct or up to $4.50 via partner referral on orders below a threshold; varies by payment method, asset, volume and location | Yes |
| Network fee | Covers the blockchain transfer; varies with congestion and operating costs | Yes |
| Partner (ecosystem) fee | Some wallets add their own percentage on top | Yes, at confirmation |
| Spread | Built into the asset price; base prices refreshed from a third-party source every 10 seconds | No |
MoonPay’s help centre has listed 4.5% for cards and Apple or Google Pay and 1% for bank transfers, each “or minimum”; the disclosure adds that using a funded MoonPay Balance carries zero MoonPay fee. Treat these as a dated snapshot and read your own quote screen.
An illustrative $100 quote, itemised
The numbers below are hypothetical, chosen to show how the pieces combine. They are not a live quote and your figures will differ.
| Line | Illustrative amount | Running total of crypto value |
|---|---|---|
| You pay by debit card | $100.00 | $100.00 |
| MoonPay fee at the 4.5% cap | −$4.50 | $95.50 |
| Network fee (assume $0.50 on a low-cost chain) | −$0.50 | $95.00 |
| Partner fee (assume none) | $0.00 | $95.00 |
| Spread (assume the quoted price is 1% above market) | about −$0.95 | about $94.05 |
In that example, roughly $94 of crypto at market value arrives for $100. To find the spread on a real quote, divide the amount you pay (after the listed fees) by the crypto you will receive, and compare that implied price with the live market price on a major exchange or price site at the same moment. On small orders the minimum fee dominates: a $20 card purchase could face a fee near $4, which is around 20% before network costs.
Payment methods and limits in the US
According to MoonPay’s April 2026 announcement, eligible US users of its app can pay with Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal, MoonPay Balance, debit cards and credit cards. Bank transfers (ACH) fund MoonPay Balance. A few practical notes:
- Credit cards: many issuers code crypto purchases as cash advances, triggering a cash-advance fee and immediate interest. Our guide to buying crypto with a credit card covers this in detail.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay: charged like card payments. See our Apple Pay guide for which apps accept it.
- New York: several MoonPay products and payment methods have been unavailable or restricted for New York residents. Confirm at checkout.
- Limits: MoonPay sets purchase limits per account and per payment method, and they can rise after fuller verification. It does not publish one fixed figure that applies to everyone, so check your account’s limits page rather than relying on numbers quoted elsewhere.
Selling crypto with MoonPay
MoonPay’s sell product works in reverse: you send crypto from your wallet to a MoonPay deposit address, MoonPay converts it, and pays out fiat. Its sell page lists payouts to Visa and Mastercard cards, bank transfer, PayPal and Venmo (US only), and to MoonPay Balance. Points to watch:
- Send exactly what the order specifies, on the network specified, before the quote window closes. Sending a different asset or using the wrong network can delay or lose the order.
- Price can move between your quote and MoonPay’s receipt of the crypto, especially on slow networks; read the order terms for how this is handled.
- Payout timing varies: card payouts can be quick; bank transfers can take days.
- Taxes: in the US, selling crypto is generally a taxable disposal, whichever platform you use.
For a comparison of cash-out routes, including exchanges and peer-to-peer options, see how to convert crypto to cash.
KYC, account security and is MoonPay safe?
Safety has two separate parts: whether MoonPay itself is a legitimate, regulated business, and whether you are dealing with the real MoonPay.
The company
MoonPay operates under money-transmission and registration regimes in the jurisdictions it serves and requires identity verification (KYC): typically name, address, date of birth, a government ID and sometimes a selfie, with more checks at higher amounts. Its regulatory record is not spotless. On December 18, 2025, Canada’s FINTRAC announced a C$536,853.35 administrative penalty against MP Technology Services Ltd., a MoonPay subsidiary, after a compliance examination; FINTRAC cited failures including unreported suspicious transactions. The company has appealed to the Federal Court. That penalty concerned anti-money-laundering controls, not a loss of customer funds.
Your account and your purchases
- Reach MoonPay directly: type moonpay.com yourself or use the checkout inside a wallet you already trust. Search ads and social posts can lead to lookalike sites.
- Nobody from MoonPay needs your seed phrase. Unsolicited DMs offering “support” or “refunds” are scams.
- Chargebacks do not undo crypto. If someone talks you into buying crypto through MoonPay and sending it to them, MoonPay delivered what you paid for; disputing the card charge is unlikely to recover the money and may lock your account.
- Double-check the wallet address when buying directly. Delivery is final.
If you have been defrauded, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov), and notify MoonPay support through its help centre.
MoonPay vs buying on an exchange
Here is the same goal, about $100 of crypto in a self-custody wallet, done two ways. Again, the exchange column describes cost types, not specific prices.
| Step | MoonPay inside a wallet | US exchange, then withdraw |
|---|---|---|
| Account setup | Light KYC at first purchase | Full KYC, linked bank account |
| Funding | Card, Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo | ACH often free; cards cost more |
| Buy cost | MoonPay fee up to 4.5% plus spread | Trading fee or spread; lower on advanced order books |
| Delivery to wallet | Included, network fee shown | Separate withdrawal fee, varies by asset and network |
| Speed | Minutes | Bank deposits may hold funds for days |
| Best for | Small, one-off, wallet-first purchases | Recurring or larger purchases |
If cost is the priority, our list of lowest-fee crypto exchanges compares where a bank-funded purchase tends to be cheapest. If speed and simplicity matter more, especially for a first purchase of gas for a new wallet, MoonPay’s premium may be acceptable.
FAQ
What are MoonPay fees?
MoonPay’s US pricing disclosure lists a MoonPay fee of up to 4.5%, with a minimum of up to $3.99 for direct purchases or $4.50 through partner wallets on small orders, plus a variable network fee, any partner fee and a spread built into the price. Bank-funded and MoonPay Balance purchases cost less than cards. Fees change, so read the confirmation screen before paying.
Can I use PayPal on MoonPay?
Yes, for eligible US users. MoonPay’s April 2026 announcement lists PayPal and Venmo among payment methods in its app, alongside Apple Pay, cards and MoonPay Balance. Availability can differ inside partner wallets and by state, with New York historically more restricted, so the options you see at checkout are the definitive list.
Does the MoonPay app have a wallet?
MoonPay describes app purchases as being delivered to users’ non-custodial wallets, and it continues to deliver crypto to external wallets you choose. Wallet features in the app have changed over time, so check the current app store listing and MoonPay’s help centre for whether a built-in wallet is offered in your region and how it is backed up.
Why did MoonPay ask for my ID?
MoonPay is a regulated payments business, so anti-money-laundering rules require it to verify customers. Expect to provide a government ID, address and sometimes a selfie, with more checks for larger amounts or selling. Only upload documents through the official MoonPay checkout or app, never through a link sent by email or social media.
Crypto is volatile and risky; this is education, not financial advice. Do your own research.
