Community Update Sep 2025

This post was taken from our Sept 14 Medium community update.

‍Thanks to everyone for your patience and support since the MVP launch of our product earlier this year. This update is to share our latest product progress and the status around the launch of the $HANDL token.

The Big Picture

We’re building Handl Pay to put stablecoins into the hands of everyone with a social media handle. Just like Polymarket and Pudgy Penguins showed that crypto adoption happens when products don’t feel like “crypto,” Handl Pay makes stablecoin payments simple: A WhatsApp number or Instagram username becomes a cross-chain USDT/USDC address, where recipients can pool stablecoins across networks, and spend them instantly. No gas tokens to manage, no back-and-forth communication to send funds.

Product News 🚀

• Default Wallets  -Every new user now gets an automatic wallet address → simpler onboarding for non-crypto natives. This default can be replaced with MetaMask, Revolut, or any other wallet.
• WhatsApp Payments - Redesigned signup bot → just 2 clicks to activate payments via WhatsApp numbers. Zero crypto knowledge required.
• Telegram Mini App - Moved the full UI into a Telegram mini app for a smoother experience when using Telegram usernames.
• X/Twitter Support Phased Out - API rate limits and pricing now make reliable delivery impossible. Users can still receive payments, but notifications may fail.
• Send USDC from Default Wallet - Users can send stablecoins directly to another social handle, a blockchain address, or via QR code. No app download, no screen switching.
• Withdrawals - Live with the Stellar Anchor Network to enable withdrawals from select chains to PayPal, cards, and bank accounts in Europe and North America.
• Under the Hood - Ongoing refactoring of the codebase to support non-EVM chains, new off-ramps, and premium features powered by the $HANDL token. Most of these roll out in Q4.

Token Launch 💎

• The $HANDL token was originally planned for February 2025, with 5 launchpads and 2 exchanges lined up. After the first two launchpads, market conditions shifted sharply and we had to postpone.
• Despite BTC and ETH at all-time highs, new token launches became significantly harder: liquidity fragmented across thousands of altcoins, retail demand for fresh listings dropped, and launchpads as well as exchanges imposed stricter terms (refund rights, deposits for price guarantees, higher liquidity). A traditional CEX launch requires more upfront capital with weaker prospects compared to prior cycles.
• We remain committed to launching $HANDL and we are working towards a Q4 launch while making several adjustments to counter these new realities. The goal is a strong launch with sustainable growth for erveryone. Some of the adjustments we have been making include the following:
  (1) Revised Tokenomics: Reduced allocations for public launchpads. The allocation has been offered to institutional investors and is paired with equity for long-term alignment. Team tokens are scrapped; instead, team members buy tokens on special presale terms to show real commitment.
  (2) Partnerships: we have been engaging with global players in the remittance and wallet space to integrate HandlPay into their product. This will help unlock further volume and increase our footprint in the industry.
  (3) Expanded Utility:

• Many projects issue tokens detached from real cash flows, offering only speculative “future revenue” or limited governance rights. As a result, tokens become just “Monopoly money” with no product-market fit, constant sell pressure from airdrops and VCs, and, unsurprisingly, the token price tanks. We think the existing setup in the market is fundamentally flawed because it leaves token holders with “Monopoly money” that has no real value. The only ones who benefit are those who got “insider” deals and can afford to dump even when prices collapse 80%. $HANDL is built differently: real product utility, aligned incentives, and steady value creation as adoption grows.
• We know some community members prefer an immediate launch. But rushing would likely lead to the same short-lived “N-shaped” chart, followed by steady declines most low-FDV tokens face. HandlPay is a long-term project. The token will come, but the product is what gives it value. Everyone here now is still early, and stands to benefit most from the growth ahead.

What’s Next 🔮

• Close and announce new strategic partnerships.
• Present at Stellar’s Meridian Conference (Sept 17–18).
• Integrate intent-based bridges for faster, cheaper cross-chain routing.
• Add USDT and USDT-USDC auto-conversions.
• Expand LATAM off-ramps.

View our full roadmap here

When we started, many thought stablecoins were “boring.” Today, they’re at the center of the global payments conversation, and every major player is trying to catch up.

Handl Pay is built for this moment. We’re not chasing hype; we’re solving a real problem: making borderless money usable for everyone on the street.

If you have WhatsApp, you can receive USDC from anywhere, across any chain, without ever touching a gas token or worrying about addresses. It’s Venmo for stablecoins - but global, permissionless, and unstoppable.

This is just the beginning. With your continued support, we’ll onboard millions of non-crypto natives into Web3.