Exclusive | MoonPay to put down roots in NYC with new US headquarters leading to predicted crypto real estate boom

Crypto continues to stake its claim in the financial capital of the world. MoonPay, the global leader in crypto payments, is opening a new 5,000-plus square-foot U.S.headquarters in SoHo, NYNext can exclusively report.

With the move, the company becomes the latest digital currency firm to expand its presence in NYC. “As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, New York stands out as a beacon of opportunity that blends regulatory progress, a dynamic business environment and an unparalleled talent pool,” Keith A.Grossman, President of Enterprise at MoonPay and a lifelong New Yorker, told NY Next. The confluence of those factors — further emboldened by President Trump’s deregulation efforts — means that even more digital asset companies are likely to set down roots in the city in the coming months and years. “The crypto industry is playing a pivotal role in driving New York City’s economic growth — serving as an engine for job creation, accelerating innovation, and attracting investment,” Grossman said.

“With over 130 crypto firms operating in the city, New York is further cemented as a global financial capital and a leading hub for fintech transformation.” It’s a marked shift from a decade ago.Crypto firms vehemently avoided New York after BitLicense — which imposed strict regulations on businesses’ abilities to buy, sell, transmit and store crypto — went into effect in 2015.While the licenses were meant to protect consumers, many firms saw the framework as overly burdensome and headed to more hospitable cities.When MoonPay launched in 2019, its founders opted to base the company in Miami.The tides in New York began to shift around the turn of the decade.

Mayor Eric Adams, elected in 2021, has openly embraced crypto,saying he wanted to make NYC the “center of bitcoins.”Though the BitLicense framework remains firm, his administration has focused the conversation on innovation and economic opportunity, rather than compliance a...