Imagine trying to buy a coffee with crypto, only to come unstuck through wallet mismanagement. Or even worse, incurring sky-high fees due to network demand. Thankfully, the growing number of slick payment systems, apps, and cards means we don’t have to worry. For many, crypto is now a part of daily life: trading digital assets in-app or tapping a mobile or card to make a payment is becoming the norm. As a consequence, it’s hardly controversial to suggest payments will drive the next wave of growth. Indeed, a recent survey by onchain UX platform Reown bears this out. The survey, conducted in tandem with YouGov, polled over 1,000 crypto users in the US and UK and found that over a third (37%) believed digital payments and AI were the “leading drivers of crypto adoption.” Let’s unpack how these forces are reshaping crypto’s future — and what it means for your wallet. The Payments Push Among other findings of the Reown survey, two stood out: around a third (34%) of users now use crypto for payments more than farming or staking – though less than trading. While 27% predict that on-chain payments will be the “dominant onchain experience for mainstream users” in 3–5 years, hinting at a world in which grocery shopping with crypto becomes commonplace. It’s easy to understand payments as a crypto use-case. After all, the clue’s in the name: cryptocurrency. While not all digital assets make sense as day-to-day currencies, many of them do – particularly, while the dollar remains viable, stablecoins or so-called cryptodollars like USDT and USDC. As well as collating survey responses, the Reown report included the views of various industry figures and execs like Crypto.com SVP Esther Wong, who noted “a growing demand for smoother, more practical ways to use digital assets in daily life, especially for payments.” Pantera Capital General Partner Marco Santori, meanwhile, suggested “pending stablecoin and market structure legislation in the US Congress will drive growth, as will official guidance from independent regulators like SEC and CFTC.” This isn’t just hype — projects like Dash are making it a reality. An open-source blockchain and cryptocurrency focused on payments, Dash’s bolt-on privacy features and username-based payment system (DashPay) have elevated user experience for many, making sending crypto as easy as dispatching a text message. It’s the kind of UX that could bring millions of new users into the fold. Infrastructure and AI But where does AI come into this? Perceived by some as crypto’s secret weapon, artificial intelligence can help in many areas to streamline clunky web3 processes. From real-time fraud detection to intuitive chatbots and personalization, the tech could boost efficiency and trust throughout the cryptosphere. It could, and increasingly does, help DeFi traders optimize portfolios by identifying market signals. Crypto growth doesn’t just hinge on payment and AI, though: it depends on better plumbing. Users need secure, compliant transactions – no-one wants to operate in a regulatory gray area. Robust settlement systems and intuitive UX are non-negotiable to make crypto a facet of everyday life. Two entities currently helping to drive adoption are Mastercard and Telegram. In the case of the former, its Multi-Token Network and Mastercard Crypto Credential help enable stablecoin transactions at scale. While their partnerships with major exchanges and protocols (Chainlink, Coinbase, Gemini) let the latter issue crypto-fiat cards that are spendable at any outlet in its vast global network of 150 million merchants. As for messaging platform Telegram, its roll-out of the built-in TON wallet saw over 100 million activations last year – and that was before it hit the US. Built into the messaging interface, the non-custodial wallet supports stablecoin transfers, token swaps, and zero-fee purchases via MoonPay, turning chats into financial hubs. It’s crypto so simple, anyone can use it. Road to the Mainstream Whether payments, AI or some combination of the two are crypto’s ticket to billions of users remains to be seen – but the Reown survey certainly reflects the views of many. Providing web3 infrastructure continues to improve, it’s easy to imagine blockchain and digital assets becoming more and more prevalent, not just in mainstream culture but also in mainstream life.