Onchain Payments Outshine Real-Time Systems in Accessibility and Cross-Border Utility

Crypto onchain payments may not be as fast and cheap as real-time payment systems like FedNow and RTP, but they excel in areas that traditional rails can't reach. According to an analysis by Dune, crypto card spending nearly quadrupled over the past year to $492 million per month as of August 2026, with agent payments surging to 15.3 million transactions in the same period.

Real-time payment systems have leveled the playing field in terms of speed and cost, but onchain payments dominate in areas like accessibility and cross-border utility. For example, crypto cards allow users to spend directly from an onchain balance at merchants worldwide, with 142,510 users spending $492 million this way in August.

Agent payments are another area where onchain systems excel, accounting for 13.3 million transactions in August. These transfers often involve microtransactions below $0.01 and can't be processed by traditional payment systems due to high fees.