KuCoin reports 300% growth in off-chain payment volume in H1 2026

KuCoin’s off-chain payment volume surged over 300% in the first half of 2026, according to the exchange’s “Beyond the Signal” H1 review published on July 23. Total payment orders didn’t just grow, they multiplied roughly 25 times over the same period. The payments play At the center of this growth is KuCoin Pay, the exchange’s off-chain settlement system that processes transactions via an internal ledger. The pitch is straightforward: zero fees, instant settlements, no blockchain congestion. KuCoin’s service partner and merchant network expanded by 60% during the period. Altcoin diversification accelerates Among KuCoin’s top 18 spot trading pairs, the combined market share of Bitcoin and Ethereum dropped from 74.3% to 45.2% by the end of June 2026. That’s a nearly 30-percentage-point decline in the dominance of crypto’s two largest assets within the exchange’s most active markets. User growth and emerging markets KuCoin crossed the 45 million user mark as of mid-2026, coinciding with the exchange’s ninth anniversary. Latin America led the charge with a 170% increase in user growth. Africa followed with a 30% uptick. KIA, the exchange’s AI service layer, saw daily active users incre...