According to an official announcement, the blockchain gaming platform STEPN has become the first app to integrate with Apple Pay. This project was launched in 2018, during the crypto craze driven by the Bitcoin bull run, as one of the first to reward users with a token for undertaking an activity.

Apple And STEPN Partnered To Offer Convenience To Crypto Users

The project will likely enter a new era of adoption as millions of people can access the platform via Apple Pay. Per the announcement, users can purchase the project’s non-fungible tokens (NFTs) Sneakers with the convenience of the service.

USDC, the Circle-based stablecoin, will support the new partnership. To acquire one of these assets, users must buy 10 SPARK credits and access the In-App marketplace.

The team behind the project stated:

This integration will also enable a long awaited update to the STEPN Marketplace on iOS, which will be available from within the STEPN app improving user experience for our community.

In addition, STEPN will implement a new reward system called “Badges & Achievement,” exclusively for iOS users. The system will allow people to reach milestones, complete challenges, and complete their collections.

Per the announcement, the partnership with Apple Pay will allow the project to bridge Web2 with the so-called next evolution of the internet Web3, supported by blockchain-based products, such as STEPN. As a result, the team behind the project expects to onboard more users worldwide.

The team added the following, calling the Apple Pay integration a “monumental milestone”:

This milestone would not have been possible without the continued support from Apple since STEPN’s launch in 2021. We thank Apple for their support and hope you join us in celebrating this achievement!

Until now, tech giant Apple has shown animosity towards the crypto industry. Several projects in the nascent sector have denounced the obstacles they need to circumvent to launch a product on the App Store.

As Bitcoinist reported, in April this year, popular decentralized exchange (DEX) Uniswap had to overcome difficulties to launch their mobile wallet on iOS fully. Eventually, the project was greenlighted, but after suffering several delays.

It’s possible that the integration of STEPN and Apple Pay could signal a new era of collaboration between the tech giant and the burgeoning industry. However, only time will tell.

STEPN’s native token experienced a rally, rising by over 3% in the last hour since the announcement. As of this writing, STEPN trades at $0.3.

Chart from Tradingview