Introduction
Mobile isn’t just another channel in the crypto universe, it’s where the vast majority of people are discovering, onboarding, trading, and building their crypto communities. By 2024, the number of people downloading crypto apps had jumped once again, and the number of global crypto users topped over 830 million – with mobile wallets and exchanges driving all that growth. Over the next five years, getting crypto mobile marketing right will make or break brands in the space, and a single bear market could wipe out some of them for good.
This article is going to break down how crypto companies can turn mobile wallets, passes, and apps into engines of growth – and what effective crypto marketing strategies will look like between 2024 and 2030. And one thing is crucial: getting your app to stand out on the App Store with some effective App Store Optimisation (ASO) is going to make all the difference.
Key Takeaways
Crypto mobile marketing is leaving its wild west days behind, and evolving into a more sophisticated, data-driven discipline that lives on people’s smartphones.
Coming up over the next few years, the next big wave of growth is going to come from three key trends:
- The mobile wallet becomes the central hub for marketing and engagement – where a mobile wallet pass, loyalty cards, event tickets, and even the odd bit of in-store signage all connect back to the phone to drive adoption and get people coming back for more.
- Full-funnel marketing on mobile – which is about using a combination of push notifications, content marketing, referral programs, and loyalty program mechanics to get the best out of user acquisition, activation, and retention.
- Bringing on-chain and off-chain data together – by using purchase history, trading fees, and behavioural data across multiple wallets and devices to personalise campaigns and build long-term relationships with crypto audiences.
For crypto projects, exchanges and DeFi apps, the winners in 2026-2030 are going to be the ones who put mobile at the heart of their marketing strategy, not just a nice-to-have afterthought. To do that, you need to get a deep understanding of how people use their smartphones to interact with blockchain, the rules of the app stores and the importance of mobile privacy, and be willing to try new things like mobile wallet passes in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
Why Mobile Dominates the Crypto Scene
Over the last decade, crypto has shifted from being desktop-first to mobile-first finance. With over 88% of the world’s internet users accessing content on their smartphones, it’s no surprise that mobile-first optimisation is so crucial in the crypto space.
- The number of global financial services apps jumped to a staggering 7.7 billion downloads in 2024, with crypto apps being some of the fastest-growing sub-segments.
- Crypto app downloads more than doubled in many major markets last year, and global crypto wallet downloads nearly matched the all-time highs set back in 2021.
- The number of crypto users topped 833 million in 2024, and is expected to approach 1 billion by 2028, with a lot of that activity happening through mobile wallets and exchanges.
But that’s not all – DeFi and mobile-first Web3 have really taken off:
- By the end of 2024, there were over 41 million unique wallets interacting with DeFi applications – with mobile-first DeFi apps expanding rapidly in emerging markets.
- In regions like Africa, millions of new DeFi users are coming online primarily using their smartphones rather than desktop computers.
This shift has some pretty profound implications for crypto marketing:
- The smartphone becomes the central touchpoint for discovery, onboarding, and daily use – from scanning a QR code at a physical location to tapping a mobile wallet pass at an event
- Marketing teams have to adapt to shorter attention spans, stricter app-store rules, and stricter privacy rules while still driving user acquisition and community growth.
- Mobile-native tactics like push notifications, event tickets in Apple Wallet, dynamic loyalty cards become mission-critical tactics, not experimental side projects.
And it’s not just about getting the marketing right – regulatory scrutiny and repeated bear markets have raised the bar for crypto companies. They need to build credibility, show a clear value proposition, and deliver a seamless customer experience – especially for institutional and more risk-aware retail investors – or they risk being ignored.
How Crypto Mobile Marketing Will Evolve to 2030
1. From “Download Our App” to Mobile Wallet-Centric Growth
Historically, crypto marketing campaigns have focused on getting people to download the app via social media, paid advertising, and press releases. But that playbook is wearing thin – acquisition costs are going up, attribution is getting harder, and many downloads never turn into active users.
In the next cycle, the mobile wallet becomes your new home screen for crypto marketing.
- A mobile wallet (custodial or non-custodial) sits directly on the user’s device, holding their assets, NFTs, and credentials. Mobile Wallet Passes: Stashed away in our Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, they can give brands the power to send custom notifications, update the visuals, and deliver relevant info right to our fingertips – no app required. And the best part? They tend to stay there, providing a steady presence that never goes away.
This approach is built around using owned channels that help smooth out the wild swings of other marketing channels. That means crypto companies can send messages, share educational content, and surface special offers directly to users, without having to rely on social media’s hit-or-miss algorithms.
- A well-designed wallet pass or loyalty card can be a permanent brand presence, popping up every time we open Apple Wallet or Google Wallet to grab a boarding pass, event tickets, or pay with our payment cards.
When we pair it with wallet analytics and on-chain data, mobile wallet marketing becomes a game-changing strategy for:
- Getting dormant users back on board during bear markets
- Cutting trading fees for our highest-volume customers
- Segmenting our user base by what assets they hold or how they behave on-chain
- Rewarding loyalty with loyalty points, airdrops, or fee rebates
And to make sure we’re on the right track, we need to keep an eye on key metrics like cost per install (CPI) and lifetime value (LTV) – it’s essential for tweaking our marketing campaigns and ensuring long-term success.
- Getting dormant users back on board during bear markets
- Cutting trading fees for our highest-volume customers
- Segmenting our user base by what assets they hold or how they behave on-chain
- Rewarding loyalty with loyalty points, airdrops or fee rebates
To cut to the chase, the future of crypto mobile marketing is all about wallet-first, not banner-first.
2. Lifecycle-Driven Crypto Marketing Strategy on Mobile
Mobile lets us have a level of super-precise, real-time engagement that static web pages or email just can’t match.
Looking at modern fintech and finance apps, we can see that:
- Personalized push notifications can bring in up to a 31% conversion rate when we use them as part of a multi-channel approach.
- Timely nudges during onboarding can get the vast majority of new users to convert in the first week, which makes their retention and ‘stickiness’ metrics soar.
Applied to the crypto industry, this means an effective crypto marketing strategy will map the full user lifecycle and match our mobile touchpoints to each stage.
a. Discovery and User Acquisition
Mobile user acquisition in crypto will be a combo of:
- Partnering with influencers on social media platforms to reach those super-targeted crypto audiences.
- Creating content in all sorts of formats – deep-dive threads, short videos, educational content, and explainers – to meet our target users where they already hang out.
- Event marketing and in-store signage that tie the physical to the blockchain world via a QR code that leads users straight to a mobile wallet pass, app download, or event tickets.
- Collaborating with a specialist crypto marketing agency that’s got the lowdown on regulatory nuances, exchange listings, and Web3 communities.
Here, our campaigns need to communicate a clear value prop in seconds – like lower fees, unique yield opportunities, improved security, or a simpler UX. The approach is all about grabbing attention elsewhere, then moving the relationship into our owned mobile properties.
b. Activation and First Transaction
Once we’ve got users to install a mobile crypto app or add a mobile wallet pass, the focus shifts to:
- Simple onboarding flows that guide users every step of the way
- Educational content tailored to the user’s risk profile and experience level
- Smart use of push notifications to guide users to their first deposit, trade, or on-chain action
Push notifications and in-app messages can:
- Remind users about incomplete KYC or missing profile data
- Encourage trial trades with low limits or zero trading fees
- Highlight starter loyalty points, referral programs, or bonuses about to expire
Because push notifications are super visible and immediate, and because only the app can send notifications to its own users, they offer a trusted, high-security channel that’s especially important in a high-risk environment like crypto.
c. Retention, Loyalty, and Upsell
The long game in crypto mobile marketing is not getting a million installs; it’s keeping a meaningful chunk engaged through multiple cycles.
High-performing crypto marketing strategies on mobile will:
- Use wallet data and purchase history to segment users and tailor offers
- Offer loyalty program features via mobile wallet passes – loyalty cards that show tier, benefits, and loyalty points in real-time
- Send notifications about governance votes, new listings, yield opportunities, and fee discounts that specifically match a user’s portfolio and trading behaviour
This is where having a really deep understanding of the target audience really pays off. Marketing teams that can ensure each push, email or wallet update delivers real value will see higher open rates, more brand loyalty, and more sustainable growth than competitors who rely on broad, generic blasts.
3. The Convergence of On-Chain Data, Multiple Wallets and Privacy Imperatives
Cryptocurrency users often interact through a variety of different accounts and devices. They might hold their savings on one account , trade actively from another, and test new blockchain projects from a third.
By 2030, leading crypto companies will:
- Hook up pseudonymous on-chain signals with opt-in off-chain data from mobile apps, mobile wallet passes, and other advertising channels where users have given consent.
- Use AI and data platforms to spot when an audience matches a particular high-value behaviour pattern – for example, institutional investors bridging large amounts of stablecoins, or retail users consistently engaging with DeFi pools.
- Follow user journeys across apps and devices in the ecosystem to improve customer experience while respecting privacy and regulations.
The trouble is to get the balance right between personalization and ethics – and making sure that users are on board:
- Marketers need to explain clearly how data is used and make sure users can easily opt out if they want to.
- Crypto marketing teams should prioritise aggregated insights over invasive tracking whenever possible.
- Regulations around digital marketing, cookies and mobile tracking are likely to get tougher by 2030, which makes the idea of getting users’ consent for wallet based relationships that don’t rely on device-level IDs more appealing.
Do it right, and this data fusion will let crypto companies build long term relationships that are resilient to market slumps and regulatory changes.
4. Diversified Marketing Channels: Beyond Social Media, Search and Social
The old playbook , which included Twitter threads , Discord, community building, and paid advertising on search or display, will still be important but future-proof crypto marketing campaigns will go further.
Key channels and tactics include:
- Mobile wallet passes in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, used to send loyalty cards, event tickets, boarding passes for crypto conferences, and limited-time promos.
- Push notifications and in-app messaging that send notifications about price alerts, liquidations, staking opportunities or app updates.
- Coordinated content marketing across blog posts, research reports, podcast appearances, and short-form content repurposed for social media.
- Aggregated listings, PR moments, and well-timed press releases to coincide with key product milestones, token unlocks, or governance decisions.
- Strategic partnerships and collaborations with neobanks, fintechs and Web2 brands to incorporate crypto features into existing apps and loyalty ecosystems. Strategic partnerships in the crypto space can really accelerate growth by tapping into the reputation and user base of well-established players.
Instead of chasing after every trend, winning teams will adopt a portfolio approach to marketing channels – continuously testing, doubling down when something works, and cutting back what doesn’t.
Real-World Applications: What Leading Crypto Brands Will Actually Do
Between 2025 and 2030, expect leading exchanges, DeFi protocols, wallets and NFT platforms to roll out some practical mobile-first initiatives.
1. Wallet-Integrated Loyalty and Rewards
Crypto companies will turn mobile wallets into all-in-one loyalty super apps :
- Users keep their assets, NFTs and loyalty points all in one mobile wallet.
- Loyalty cards and passes in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet show off a user’s tier status, accumulated rewards and personalized offers.
- Event tickets for meetups, hackathons or conferences are issued as wallet passes that can be scanned at a physical location using a QR code.
Each scan, visit or on-chain action feeds into a loyalty program, keeping customers loyal and making crypto usage as much a part of everyday life as a coffee purchase.
2. Event Marketing That Bridges Offline and Online
Event marketing will also become more mobile-friendly:
- Crypto projects will send event tickets as mobile wallet passes with built-in expiration dates and dynamic updates.
- On-site installations will use QR codes and NFC to get new users signed up to mobile wallet apps in seconds – no laptops needed and no complicated sign-up forms to fill out.
- After the event, the same pass will be used to send out notifications about recaps, governance proposals and community building opportunities.
This turns conferences and meetups into high-intent user acquisition funnels that speed users up from offline to online seamlessly.
3. Super-Personalized User Journeys
Fintech benchmarks are already showing that combining push notifications with other digital marketing channels can really boost engagement and conversion.
In crypto mobile marketing, similar playbooks will look like:
- Risk-based educational content sent out to newer users, focused on safe storage, volatility and practice accounts.
- Yield-focused alerts, cross-chain opportunities and governance calls for power users.
- Personalised offers for would-be investors and institutional accounts, such as reduced fees or white-glove support.
Personalisation will rely less on guesswork and more on data-driven user segmentation – aligning marketing strategies with real user behaviours, not just demographics.
Expert Insights: Metrics, Signals, and Contrarian Takes
What to Watch
Looking ahead to 2030, the sophisticated marketing teams in the crypto space will be tracking not just raw user acquisition, but activation rates soar within the first week after people install or add a wallet-pass.
- Engagement across channels – think app opens, wallet-pass views, and social media interactions
- How deep users dive – number of protocols used, transactions made, and types of assets held
- Retention during downturns, particularly in prolonged bear markets
- Word of mouth and referrals – how often users tell friends and family about the app, without needing advertising
The key metric to focus on might be “wallet based lifetime value” – figuring out how trading fees, staking activity, token ownership, and off the chain behaviour all contribute to the overall value a user brings to the project.
What Industry Leaders Are Counting On
Crypto thought leaders and growth teams at big exchanges, L2s and DeFi protocols are all in agreement on a few things:-
- Smartphones will be the primary interface for a lot of new users in emerging markets, so getting blockchain UX right on mobile, and local language educational content are top priorities.
- Owned, opt-in channels like wallet passes, email and push will become more valuable than expensive social ads for driving real growth.
- Strategic partnerships will count for more than isolated campaigns – think joint loyalty programs, co-branded cards and crypto rails in existing super apps.
The Contrarian View – The Risk of Over-Automating
There’s also a contrarian view: as AI and automation take over in marketing, the biggest risk is that:
- We get so caught up in personalisation that it starts to feel creepy or manipulative
- We’ll just get tired of notifications and the trust and app engagement will suffer
- We’ll all just copy the same old growth hack playbook and end up sounding more and more like each other.
The crypto projects that stand out will be the ones that are about building real relationships, not just running a funnel – using mobile to have genuine conversations, rather than just pushing users through to the next conversion step.
That means:
- Being honest with users during downtime or incidents
- Being upfront about risks and fees
- Listening to feedback through surveys, governance and other channels
In other words, brand loyalty needs to be earned, not just manufactured with fancy tools that let you send messages to thousands of people.
Practical Playbook: Building a Crypto Mobile Marketing Strategy
To turn these trends into action between now and 2030, crypto companies can follow a structured roadmap.
1. Get Clear On The Target Audience and Value Prop
Start with a clear definition of:
- Who your primary target audience is (e.g. retail traders, DeFi power users, institutional funds or developers)
- What their main pain points are (e.g. high fees, confusing UX, lack of yield, regulatory uncertainty)
- What your app or protocol does differently, and in plain language
This understanding will guide everything from content marketing to influencer partnerships, so you know the audience is aligned with the message.
2. Make The Mobile Experience Easy to Use
A smooth user experience is non-negotiable – if it’s hard to use, people will just go elsewhere:
- Make onboarding simple – even for people with poor internet
- Make KYC flows clear and explain why you need their data
- Make sure your mobile wallet is secure with biometrics and backup flows that don’t overwhelm new users
Every extra tap or confusing screen is a lost user.
3. Build a Mobile Marketing Stack That’s Yours
Move away from rented attention and build a crypto marketing stack around:
- A mobile app with good analytics
- Mobile wallet passes in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet to increase your surface area
- Email and push as primary owned marketing channels for ongoing engagement
- On-chain dashboards that link wallet interactions to off-chain profiles where users are signed up
The goal is to not be dependent on a single algorithm or ad network, and to create a solid growth engine.
4. Combine Big Impact Campaigns with Evergreen Content
Design a mix of:
- Big impact moments – listings, product launches, protocol upgrades – with event marketing, press releases and influencer marketing
- Evergreen content that explains staking, risk management, smart contracts and wallet hygiene in an easy to understand way
Publishing educational content in various formats – articles, videos, infographics, in-app explainers – and updating it regularly positions your project as a credible, long-term player rather than a quick cash grab. Educational content marketing should include accessible, high-quality guides optimized for mobile viewing to ensure maximum reach and engagement.
5. Embrace Community Growth and Long-Term Relationships
Community building remains central in Web3 but will increasingly be measured by quality, not just quantity:
- Focus on active, constructive community growth rather than inflated follower numbers.
- Use loyalty programs, referral programs, and mobile wallet–based rewards to reinforce positive participation over time.
- Encourage fresh perspectives from developers, researchers, and everyday users to iterate on both product and marketing.
Community building is essential in crypto marketing as it acts as the project’s most powerful advocate, driving organic growth and fostering trust.
- Focus on active, constructive community growth rather than inflated follower numbers.
- Use loyalty programs, referral programs, and mobile wallet–based rewards to reinforce positive participation over time.
- Encourage fresh perspectives from developers, researchers, and everyday users to iterate on both product and marketing.
Projects that stay close to their users – listening on social media, in Discord, and via in-app feedback – are better positioned to adapt during market shifts and regulatory changes.
Conclusion
By 2030, the line between “crypto app,” “wallet,” and “loyalty program” will blur. For many users, crypto will simply be a feature of their mobile financial lives – stored in a mobile wallet, accessed via smartphone, and surfaced through subtle, context-aware marketing.
The brands that thrive will be those that treat crypto mobile marketing as a core competency, not a bolt-on, use mobile wallet marketing and mobile wallet passes to maintain ongoing, trusted contact with users, align marketing strategies with real user needs, combining analytics, on-chain insights, and human judgment, and prioritize sustainable growth and user trust over short-lived hype.
In a space defined by volatility, regulation, and rapid innovation, one constant is clear: the next generation of breakout crypto companies will be built – and marketed – on the smartphone.