Walmart's OnePay to Offer Bitcoin and Ether Trading: A New Era for Digital Finance
Walmart-backed fintech platform OnePay is set to introduce trading and custody services for Bitcoin and Ether within its finance app by the end of the year. This move positions OnePay—which already serves millions—as a major player in the evolving race to build the “super app” for US consumers.
Key Takeaways
- OnePay, backed by Walmart, will enable users to buy, sell, and store Bitcoin and Ether in 2025.
- The new feature, powered by crypto infrastructure firm Zerohash, mirrors digital finance trends seen in apps like Venmo and PayPal.
- The initiative targets the broad demographic frequenting Walmart locations, including those underserved by traditional banks.
- This launch aligns with global fintech ambitions to merge banking, payments, and crypto into user-friendly "super apps."
OnePay’s Move Toward a Financial Super App
Founded in 2021 in partnership with Walmart and Ribbit Capital, OnePay was conceived as an all-in-one solution for modern finance. Its suite already includes high-yield savings accounts, debit and credit cards, peer-to-peer payments, and buy-now, pay-later options. By integrating popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether, OnePay intends to diversify financial tools, reaching users who seek both traditional and emerging payment methods.
OnePay’s crypto rollout will occur via a partnership with Zerohash, a well-funded firm specialized in securing and processing digital asset transactions for financial institutions. This collaboration ensures robust infrastructure and regulatory compliance—critical for a mainstream consumer launch.
Positioning Against Rivals and Industry Trends
The addition of crypto to OnePay’s platform brings it into direct competition with established fintech apps like Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal, all of which already provide similar digital asset trading services. However, OnePay’s unique relationship with Walmart’s nationwide retail footprint gives it a substantial potential user base, particularly among Americans overlooked by mainstream banks.
Regulators are beginning to embrace platforms that consolidate multiple financial services—including crypto—under one roof. Recent comments from key US regulators suggest openness to more flexible frameworks, which could pave the way for broader adoption of such “super apps”.
Global Race for the Super App
The pursuit of a true financial “super app” is heating up worldwide. Influenced by Asia’s WeChat and Alipay, Western platforms are striving to integrate diverse services like payments, lending, investing, and crypto. Whether through messaging giants, traditional fintechs, or crypto-first ventures, the goal is the same: a seamless digital hub for all aspects of financial life.
In parallel, companies like Brazil’s Mercado Bitcoin are shifting from pure crypto trading to versatile platforms blending blockchain-based products with familiar financial services. This trend suggests the future of banking will be unified, streamlined, and, increasingly, blockchain-powered—though often invisible to end users.
What Comes Next For Consumers
If successful, OnePay users will gain the ability to manage, spend, and invest in both fiat and crypto directly from a single app—spanning everyday purchases at Walmart to digital asset trading. This ease of use, combined with Walmart’s scale, could accelerate mainstream consumer adoption of cryptocurrency, making digital assets more accessible than ever before. As the industry awaits OnePay's official announcement, all eyes are on how this move could shape the next generation of digital banking in the US.