Two years ago, we launched MiniPay with a simple idea: make stablecoins simple and like money you can actually use. Not just to speculate or move between exchanges, but to solve real issues everyday for real people.
Today, MiniPay is live across Android, iOS, and the Opera Mini browser in 60 countries. Millions of people now open MiniPay every day, and in the past 24 months the wallet has crossed 10 Million phone-verified activations, and processed over 270 million transactions. More importantly, the types of transactions happening on MiniPay—which include small, fast, and everyday payments—show that stablecoins like USDT are becoming part of real economic activity.
This is MiniPay two-year review.
Global Availability: From Opera Mini to Standalone App
When we first launched MiniPay inside Opera Mini to users in Nigeria back in September 2023, it was tightly focused: a lightweight wallet embedded in a browser millions of people already used. In 2024, we took a bigger step, MiniPay became a standalone app on Android. And this year, in May, we closed the loop by launching on iOS.
MiniPay is now accessible across major platforms—Opera Mini, Android, and iOS—making it usable everywhere, whether someone is on a lightweight browser or a flagship smartphone.
A Better User Experience: MiniPay Version 2 and Pockets
In July 2024, we shipped a new and improved user interface including the introduction of Pockets, powered by the Mento Protocol. Pockets let users hold multiple stablecoins (cUSD, USDT, and USDC) and swap between them with a simple drag-and-drop.
The goal was never just “let people hold a coin.” It was: make it simple to use the right coin for the right purpose, without leaving the wallet or dealing with gas fees. That’s what Pockets enables.
One-Second Settlement, Sub-Cent Fees
Stablecoins only matter if they’re faster and cheaper than the alternatives. MiniPay runs on the Celo blockchain, which recently migrated to an Ethereum L2 with one-block finality. For users, that means most transactions settle in about one second, with fees as low as ~$0.001.
That performance changes the math across the board. Legacy rails struggle with small payments where fixed fees make a $2 top-up or a $5 purchase uneconomical, but in MiniPay, they’re just as seamless as larger transfers. The same rails that move a few dollars instantly and cheaply can also handle a large business payment across borders without friction.
From Wallet to Platform: The Rise of Mini Apps
What started as a wallet has become more of a platform. MiniApps, small apps integrated directly into MiniPay, let people turn balance into action without leaving the wallet.
There are now 34 Mini Apps live in MiniPay, generating about 19 million transactions per month and opened over 16 million times each month.
One of the most powerful proof points: BitGifty, a utility and airtime MiniApp built by a local team in Nigeria. In less than two years, it has grown to handle over 300,000 monthly transactions across Africa and LATAM.
Mini Apps show where this is headed. Stablecoin balances are being spent and used in everyday ways.
On/Off Ramps: 55-Second Average Deposit Time
Bridging stablecoins and local currencies has always been the hard part. In the past year, we expanded to over 15 crypto<>fiat partners, covering most major global and regional payment methods including Apple Pay, cards, bank transfers, M-PESA, Momo, PIX, GCash, and more, Bringing average cash-in times to about 55 seconds. MiniPay has also worked with several partners to introduce zero-fee deposits and withdrawals, reducing barriers even further.
For users, this means moving between stablecoins and local money is fast, practical, and in some cases free. That’s what drives real adoption.
Flexibility by Design
We added withdrawals to exchange and cross-chain deposits powered by Daimo Pay, giving users the ability to move funds directly to and from external wallets and exchanges without needing to learn the technicalities of swapping and bridging. We also introduced user generated MiniPay Cash Links, making it possible to send a few dollars in seconds via a simple link that is instantly redeemable.
These features share one principle: Wallets should never lock people in. It’s a non-custodial wallet, and everything about the design reflects that.
Community and Recognition
Growth is one measure, but trust is another. This year:
- MiniPay reached the #1 spot in the Google Play free app category in Kenya
- The product won a Web3 Award at Africa Tech Summit back in February 2025
- Over 9,000 freelance writers are paid monthly in stablecoins via MiniPay, showing it can scale as a reliable payout rail.
- Industry leaders like Vitalik Buterin highlighted MiniPay as an example of how mobile-first stablecoin apps can bridge Web2 and Web3.
These signals confirm that MiniPay is solving real problems in ways that people recognize.
Global Momentum
The striking part of MiniPay’s growth isn’t just the numbers, it’s the consistency. In South Africa, activations surged 860% in the past year. In Ghana and Kenya, local MiniApps drive hundreds of thousands of monthly payments. Meanwhile, usage in the U.S. multiplied more than twentyfold, and Europe and Asia quietly tripled. The common thread? Whether it’s a $2 airtime top-up in Lagos or a $5,000 transfer in New York, the same rails deliver speed and near-zero cost.
The takeaway is that the same product design works across very different markets. That universality is what makes this moment different.
Looking Ahead
Two years in, MiniPay has grown from a wallet into an entry point for the everyday stablecoin economy. The next phase is about deepening that role: more services plugging into MiniApps, direct checkout flows to local payment rails, and easier access to local transfers from the US and Europe. The vision is simple: stablecoins that work everywhere, for everyone.
To celebrate the anniversary, we’re also launching a treasure hunt. We’ve hidden Cash Links throughout this post and across other older posts on our blog. Some are small, some are big. Download MiniPay to claim them in seconds and join us in celebrating two years of building.
In Conclusion
Stablecoins are often talked about in terms of trading or remittances. MiniPay shows a different story: everyday payments, at scale. From a $2 top-up to a large paychecks, we’ve spent the past two years proving that digital dollars can work in practice, not just in theory.
Here’s to year three.
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