MoonPay, a leading crypto payments infrastructure company, has acquired payments startup Meso as part of its push to build a broader international payments network. The deal, announced Monday, reflects MoonPay’s ambition to connect banks, card providers, stablecoins, and blockchains under a unified regulatory framework spanning both U.S. licenses and Europe’s new MiCA regime.
“We’ve built trusted ramps that brought millions into crypto; now we’re building the global network that will move money across every form and in every market,” said MoonPay co-founder and CEO Ivan Soto-Wright in the announcement.
As part of the acquisition, Meso’s co-founders, Ali Aghareza and Ben Mills, will join MoonPay in senior roles. Aghareza steps in as Chief Technology Officer, while Mills takes on the position of Senior Vice President of Product. Both bring prior experience from major payment platforms, including Braintree, PayPal, and Venmo. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The move continues a string of acquisitions by MoonPay this year. The company has also acquired Solana-based payments provider Helio, stablecoin infrastructure firm Iron, and on-chain payments tool Decent.xyz. These additions are designed to expand MoonPay’s capabilities, allowing users to purchase digital assets through credit cards, bank transfers, and mobile payment methods.
Despite its aggressive growth strategy, MoonPay has also made cutbacks. In June, the company reduced its workforce by 10% in response to high costs and lower-than-expected operating margins. Founded in 2019, MoonPay was valued at $3.4 billion following a $555 million Series A round in 2021, backed by investors such as Tiger Global and Coatue.
Emily Nicolle
The acquisition of Meso underscores MoonPay’s commitment to building a seamless payments ecosystem that bridges traditional finance with the crypto economy—an ambition that could help shape how digital money moves globally.
