The Problem We Were Actually Solving
We weren't just trying to sell digital products; we were trying to create a sustainable business model that allowed us to reach customers worldwide without being bound by the whims of traditional payment processors. But, our initial attempt at using a cryptocurrency-only payment gateway was met with frustration. The fees were exorbitant, and the user experience was clunky. It became clear that this approach wasn't scalable or user-friendly.
What We Tried First (And Why It Failed)
Initially, we had opted for a third-party cryptocurrency payment processor that claimed to offer seamless integration. However, after integrating their API, we encountered issues with transaction confirmations, leading to abandoned orders and a significant decrease in conversion rates. Their customer support was unresponsive, and the bugs in their codebase seemed to be an afterthought. It became apparent that their "easy" solution was anything but.
The Architecture Decision
