Web3 feels like a wild west of projects and protocols. Newcomers and veterans alike often struggle to figure out which decentralized apps (dApps) or platforms to trust. As MoonPay puts it, navigating this space can feel “vast, untamed and unexplored.” The noise is real — thousands of dApps, hundreds of sites, Telegram threads, Discord groups, and a million marketing claims.

For fintech startup founders, it’s both a goldmine and a headache. Huge opportunity, but very little guidance.

MoonPay, known for simplifying crypto payments, just launched something called MoonPay Discover. It’s their shot at bringing some structure to the chaos. Think of it like a curated gateway to the Web3 world — but with one big twist: everything in there already plugs into MoonPay’s tools.

The Web3 Discovery Problem

Trying to find your way in Web3 is like trying to move to a new country with no map, no street signs, and no idea what’s safe. Most users still bounce off the onboarding. Wallets, seed phrases, chain IDs, gas fees, unfamiliar terminology — it’s a maze.

So it’s no surprise that “Web3 discovery” has become its own little niche. Platforms like DappRadar, Alchemy’s dApp Store, and CoinMarketCap’s project listings all attempt to list and sort the madness. But these directories are often overwhelming — tens of thousands of entries, many of them inactive or unvetted. Not exactly confidence-inspiring.

MoonPay wants to fix that by curating a trusted shortlist. Not everything. Just the good stuff. Verified, partner-integrated, safe-to-explore stuff.

What is MoonPay Discover?

MoonPay Discover is part guide, part portal, part marketing engine. It’s a Web3 directory — but with rules. Every app or project listed on Discover is:

• Vetted by MoonPay’s team
  
  
• Integrated with MoonPay’s payment infrastructure
  
  
• Designed to work seamlessly with your MoonPay account

If you’ve already done KYC and added your payment methods with MoonPay, that same account becomes your all-access pass. No new logins. No repeated identity checks. Just click and go.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• One account, many apps: Your MoonPay profile becomes your “Web3 passport.” It holds your verified identity, wallet addresses, and preferred payment methods. Wherever MoonPay Discover is accepted, you’re good to go.
  
  
• Curated trust: MoonPay staff manually verify all listed dApps and platforms. No wild cards. That means users can browse with more confidence and less paranoia.
  
  
• Vote for your faves: You can upvote a partner once a day — a small, Reddit-style mechanic that helps promote popular picks.
  
  
• Discover by interest: Whether you’re into DeFi, iGaming, NFTs, DAOs, or memecoin chaos, Discover filters the noise and helps surface what’s relevant.

For users, it’s simplicity. For partners, it’s distribution.

A Shortcut to Growth. For Some

MoonPay Discover is also a play to help MoonPay partners grow. If your dApp is listed, you’re automatically promoted to MoonPay’s existing user base. And that user base is already KYC’d and ready to spend — so you’re not just getting eyeballs, you’re getting qualified users.

But there’s a catch: this isn’t an open directory. You don’t just submit your app and wait for approval. You have to be a MoonPay partner, and your dApp has to integrate their on-ramp. It’s curated — like an app store, not a message board.

So for startups, it’s both an opportunity and a strategic decision. Want access to the MoonPay Discover pipeline? Then you’ll need to join their ecosystem.

What Fintech Founders Can Learn From This

Here’s the part that’s really interesting from a product strategy lens. MoonPay isn’t just solving user pain. They’re reframing onboarding as platform leverage. By making KYC and payments part of the user account — and then spreading that account across an ecosystem — they’re reducing friction and creating lock-in.

If you’re building a fintech product, this is worth thinking about:

• Can you reduce repeat friction (e.g. signups, verification) across your product suite?
  
  
• Can your user identity travel with them across services you offer?
  
  
• Are you curating your own ecosystem — or just one product at a time?
  
  
  

Even if you’re not in Web3, these are strong principles. Think less about adding features and more about stitching together a trusted, fluid experience.

Another angle: trust signaling. In Web3, everyone’s skeptical. A curated directory, endorsed by a known brand, reduces the anxiety of trying something new. If your startup relies on ecosystem growth, consider how your users can “discover” your partners or plugins with similar confidence.

MoonPay Discover isn’t groundbreaking tech. It’s smart product packaging. And that’s often what makes the difference.

Key takeaways for fintech startups

• Reduce onboarding friction: Reuse identity, KYC, or payment credentials across multiple experiences.
  
  
• Curate trust: Don’t just list everything — highlight only what’s verified, safe, and relevant.
  
  
• Use discovery as distribution: Help users find new experiences within your own ecosystem.
  
  
• Leverage accounts as platforms: A strong, secure account can be more than a login — it can be a passport.
  
  
• If you’re a Web3 startup: Partnering with infrastructure players like MoonPay can help with both credibility and user acquisition.

MoonPay Discover won’t fix all of Web3’s messiness — but it’s a step toward clarity. For startups, it’s a reminder that onboarding, discoverability, and trust are where users are won or lost. Even more than features.

And if you’re trying to figure out your own product, onboarding, or ecosystem strategy — we’re here to help. Contact us.