MoneyGram Bridges Fiat and Crypto with Solana Blockchain Integration

DALLAS, TX – August 11, 2026 – MoneyGram, a legacy giant in global payments, has taken a significant leap into the world of decentralized finance by launching its MoneyGram Ramps service on the Solana blockchain. The move makes its extensive cash-to-crypto and crypto-to-cash network available to one of the world's largest blockchain ecosystems, aiming to dissolve the barriers between traditional fiat currency and digital assets.

The integration provides developers, exchanges, and wallet providers on Solana with direct API access to a compliant and trusted fiat on- and off-ramp. Rift, an AI-powered trading platform, becomes the first wallet within the Solana ecosystem to integrate the service, offering its users a seamless bridge between their digital holdings and physical cash.

A Multichain Strategy to Bridge Two Worlds

This expansion is a cornerstone of MoneyGram's evolving strategy to position itself as a critical infrastructure layer in the burgeoning Web3 economy. With a history spanning over 85 years, the company is leveraging its established global network to move beyond traditional remittances and meet customers in the expanding on-chain financial landscape. The Solana integration is not an isolated experiment but part of a deliberate multichain approach, following previous collaborations, including a partnership with the Stellar Development Foundation for USDC-powered payments.

By connecting to multiple leading blockchains, MoneyGram aims to build an open, interoperable payments network where value can flow freely across different digital ecosystems and local currencies. This strategy acknowledges that the future of finance is unlikely to be dominated by a single blockchain, and true utility lies in connecting these disparate networks.

"The future of payments is built on access," said Anthony Soohoo, Chairman and CEO of MoneyGram, in a statement. "Every platform we connect expands the reach of our network. Every customer we serve makes that network more valuable. Bringing MoneyGram Ramps to Solana is another step toward building a truly open, global payments network."

This vision treats blockchain as a powerful back-end tool to make cross-border transactions faster, cheaper, and more transparent, ideally without the end-user needing to understand the underlying technology.

Powering the Solana Ecosystem with Real-World Access

The collaboration provides a significant boost to the Solana ecosystem, which has long prioritized high throughput and low transaction costs to attract developers building scalable applications. A major hurdle for any blockchain ecosystem striving for mainstream adoption is providing simple, reliable ways for users to convert their local currency into crypto—an "on-ramp"—and convert it back—an "off-ramp."

MoneyGram Ramps directly addresses this challenge. Through a simple API, developers on Solana can now integrate fiat connectivity into their applications in minutes, without the immense overhead of building proprietary banking infrastructure or navigating the labyrinth of global financial regulations. The service is also embedded within the Solana Developer Platform's payments module, further lowering the barrier for builders.

"Solana is infrastructure for the more than six billion people on the internet, powering a faster, more open, global financial system," noted Lily Liu, President of the Solana Foundation. "By connecting our ecosystem to MoneyGram's global payments network through MoneyGram Ramps, developers are able to more easily build financial applications with real-world utility at global scale."

Demonstrating a deeper commitment to the network, MoneyGram also recently became a Solana validator, participating directly in the blockchain's security and operations.

The Competitive Edge: Cash in a Digital-First Market

In a crowded market of crypto on-ramp solutions, MoneyGram's primary differentiator is its unparalleled physical footprint. While digital-native competitors like MoonPay and Banxa focus on credit card and bank transfer transactions, MoneyGram brings its network of nearly half a million retail locations to the table. This allows the Ramps service to support cash deposits in over 25 countries and cash withdrawals in more than 170 countries and territories.

This physical network is a game-changer for financial inclusion. It opens the door for individuals in cash-heavy economies or those who are underbanked to participate in the digital asset ecosystem. For many around the world, the ability to walk into a local MoneyGram agent and convert physical cash into stablecoins on a Solana wallet—or vice-versa—is a far more accessible option than navigating online banking systems.

This capability not only expands the potential user base for Solana applications but also strengthens the real-world utility of stablecoins, transforming them from speculative assets into practical tools for daily finance and remittances.

Rift Wallet: A Glimpse into the Future of Integrated Finance

The immediate impact of this integration is best seen through its first adopter, Rift. As an AI-powered trading platform offering access to equities, commodities, crypto, and forex, Rift can now provide its users with an exceptionally streamlined financial experience. A Rift user can now off-ramp their crypto profits by generating a transaction in their wallet, walking to a nearby MoneyGram location, and picking up their funds as local currency.

This first-mover integration by Rift serves as a powerful proof-of-concept for the entire Solana ecosystem. It demonstrates a future where the lines between digital asset management and real-world financial transactions are blurred, offering a level of convenience that has been a long-standing goal for Web3 proponents. This partnership sets a new standard for what users can expect from their digital wallets, moving them from simple crypto custodians to comprehensive financial hubs.

Underpinning this entire service is MoneyGram's extensive experience with regulatory compliance. Operating for decades in the highly scrutinized world of international money transfers has equipped the company with robust Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks. By handling the regulatory burden, MoneyGram allows developers to focus on innovation while ensuring their applications operate within established legal boundaries. This fusion of legacy financial trust with cutting-edge blockchain technology represents a pivotal step in the journey toward mainstream adoption of digital assets.