Paying for coffee with crypto shouldn’t feel like solving a math problem. But for most users, it still does. Clunky wallets, confusing tokens, and unpredictable fees are still common issues tripping up the average person.
At Startup House, that’s changing. Builders are now creating tools that make crypto payments feel like any other app — fast, seamless, and invisible. Using Starknet’s infrastructure, they’re solving real UX challenges and creating solutions for everyday use.
The next wave of payments apps is about widespread utility. With account abstraction, smart contract wallets, and near-zero fees, Starknet is giving founders the tools to reach real users. And Startup House is where they’re turning those tools into products that scale.
Why Starknet is built for payments
For crypto payments to work at scale, the experience needs to feel effortless for both users and developers. Starknet makes this possible with a tech stack purpose-built for speed, security, and intuitive UX.
With ultra-low fees and ZK rollup security, Starknet enables real-time, micro-level transactions without compromising safety. Features like social logins, invisible wallets, and gasless transactions remove friction from onboarding, so users don’t even need to know they’re using crypto.
For founders, Starknet is composable by design, meaning payments can plug into any vertical, from gaming and Bitcoin to DeFi and consumer apps. Under the hood, Cairo — Starknet’s native language — gives developers the power to write complex business logic directly on-chain.
This enables advanced functionality that Web2 backends simply can’t support. The result is a Web2-quality user experience powered by Web3 infrastructure, bolstered by a technical foundation that’s designed to scale out of the box.
ChipiPay, Starknet, and the new crypto payments UX
ChipiPay is an app built on Starknet that’s reimagining what crypto payments can look like in the real world. Based in Mexico, the app is targeting over 50 million unbanked citizens and thousands of merchants by offering seamless, stablecoin-powered payments with no crypto expertise required.
Users pay via QR codes, NFC, or direct transfer, enjoying an experience that feels as intuitive as Venmo or Square. But behind the scenes, it’s powered by Starknet.
Here’s what makes ChipiPay work:
- Invisible Wallets & Social Logins —Users create wallets automatically using their Google or Meta accounts. No seed phrases, no complexity.
- Smart Contract Wallets — Built with Argent’s contracts and StarknetJS, ChipiPay enables programmable payments that just work.
- Gasless Transactions —Through Avnu’s Paymaster, ChipiPay covers gas fees, so users never even see them.
- Massive On-Ramp Network —With over 270,000 participating shops, users can buy stablecoin gift cards with cash, creating Mexico’s largest cash-to-crypto gateway.
For merchants, this means accepting stablecoins and receiving fiat instantly, without the 3–5% fees that plague traditional POS systems. For users, it means fast, low-cost payments with no crypto jargon or technical hurdles.
With Starknet’s infrastructure and Startup House support, ChipiPay is proving that Web3 payments don’t have to feel like crypto. ChipiPay is just the tip of the iceberg for user-friendly crypto, and we’re keen to dig into your payments idea at Startup House.
Why you should build payments at Startup House
Payments are one of the clearest paths to real-world Web3 adoption, and the Starknet Foundation is all-in on supporting the founders making that future real. At Startup House, you’ll join a focused cohort of serious builders tackling similar UX, onboarding, and scalability challenges.
It’s a community workspace and launchpad where founders will get access to:
- Seed and growth grants to help you ship faster and grow smarter.
- Direct mentorship from Starknet core teams and technical advisors.
- Integrated tools like the Argent wallet stack for instant user onboarding.
You don’t necessarily need to reinvent the wheel, just deliver frictionless crypto payments to the people who actually need it. And Startup House is where your payments app idea can become the next big everyday user experience.
Crypto payments for all kicks off in Cannes
Real users don’t care about gas fees, ZK rollups, or cryptographic proofs. They care about payments that are fast, simple, and trustworthy. Starknet provides the tech to make that possible, while Startup House gives you the environment to turn it into something people actually use.
If you’re building crypto payments that feel invisible to the user and possess the ambition to scale across borders, this is your moment.
Ready to build? Apply for Startup House today.
