A Peer-to-Peer Alternative to MoonPay
MoonPay is a brokered fiat-to-crypto onramp: you buy crypto from the provider, usually by card or bank transfer, after completing identity verification. Peer takes a different approach. It's a peer-to-peer marketplace where you buy crypto directly from another person, pay them with an app you already use (Venmo, PayPal, Revolut, Cash App, Zelle, Wise), and the payment is verified privately. Funds stay non-custodial, and crypto is released from onchain escrow to your own wallet.
Two different models
Who you buy from
Peer
Another person. Peer is a two-sided marketplace where prices are set by peers competing for your order.
Brokered onramps
The provider. Brokered onramps like MoonPay sell you crypto directly and set the quote themselves.
Custody
Peer
Non-custodial. Crypto sits in onchain escrow until your payment is verified, then goes straight to your wallet.
Brokered onramps
The provider processes the purchase and delivers crypto to the address you give it.
Identity verification
Peer
No additional verification is required. You connect a wallet and use payment apps you already have; the payment itself is verified privately.
Brokered onramps
Brokered onramps are regulated money services and require identity verification (KYC) before you can buy.
How you pay
Peer
Payment apps you already use: Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Revolut, Zelle, Wise, Mercado Pago, and more, in 30+ currencies.
Brokered onramps
Typically card payments or bank transfers processed by the provider.
Payment privacy
Peer
Only the amount, recipient, and timestamp are shared; no bank details, transaction history, or personal information.
Brokered onramps
The provider processes your payment details and identity documents as part of the purchase.
Neither model is wrong; they solve the problem differently. A brokered onramp gives you a single counterparty and a card checkout. Peer gives you a market of peers, self-custody, and payment apps you already trust, with private payment verification instead of institutional review.
MoonPay alternative FAQs
Is Peer an alternative to MoonPay?
Yes, for buying and selling crypto. The model is different: MoonPay is a brokered onramp where you buy from the provider after completing identity verification, while Peer is a peer-to-peer marketplace where you buy from another person, pay them with an app like Venmo or Revolut, and receive crypto in your own wallet, with no additional identity verification beyond connecting a wallet.
Why choose a peer-to-peer onramp?
Prices are set by a market of peers rather than a single provider, funds stay non-custodial in onchain escrow, and you pay with accounts you already have. Your payment is verified privately, sharing only the amount, recipient, and timestamp.
What does Peer charge?
Peer applies up to a 0.95% taker service fee to orders. If you bridge to another chain, up to a 0.5% bridge fee also applies.
How fast is Peer compared to a card onramp?
On Peer, crypto is released from onchain escrow as soon as your payment is verified; there is no card processor or provider approval queue in the middle. Timing varies by payment rail, verification, and any bridge route.
What can I buy on Peer?
You buy USDC on Base, then bridge to Solana, Hyperliquid, Ethereum, and 20+ other chains. Available order sizes depend on each seller's configured range, current liquidity, and route validation.