KuCoin AMA With Umy - the Crypto-Powered Travel Hacker

Q: What role does Umy play in the Web3 ecosystem?

A：Umy is a Web3 lifestyle and global travel platform built for crypto users. Our mission is simple – to give people a more borderless and free way to actually spend their digital assets in real life.

Think of us as “Expedia meets Alipay” in the Web3 world. On one side, you can use crypto to book over 3 million hotels worldwide, flights, and even luxury stays. On the other side, we’re building a full spending ecosystem – from e-commerce to lifestyle services, to our own rewards system – all powered by crypto.

We believe crypto shouldn’t just sit in your wallet or on an exchange. It should work like cash – something you can naturally use in your day-to-day life. And that’s exactly the role Umy plays: being the bridge between on-chain assets and real-world spending.

Right now, we work with a lot of Web3 projects, industry professionals, and frequent travelers who prefer to pay directly in crypto. What we’re building is really the next-generation Web3 lifestyle gateway – making spending not just possible, but more free, more decentralized, and way more enjoyable.

Q: Why did you choose to partner with KuCoin Pay?

A：Honestly, the reason we teamed up with KuCoin Pay is because we share the same vision – to make crypto payments a real part of everyday life.

At Umy, our whole mission is to build a platform where people can actually spend their crypto. But we know one thing for sure – if the payment process isn’t smooth, fast, and secure, people simply won’t use it.

That’s where KuCoin Pay comes in. They’ve already nailed the key things that matter – transaction speed, user experience, and asset security. For us, that checks all the boxes for what a proper Web3 spending gateway should look like. Plus, KuCoin has a huge global user base and a strong brand reputation, which helps us reach way more people who might not even realize they can already spend their crypto in real life.

With this partnership, we didn’t just “add another payment option.” We also launched a series of joint campaigns to show users that they don’t have to cash out or switch wallets – they can just pay directly in crypto for hotels, flights, and travel experiences.

So for us, this is a big step forward in pushing crypto spending into the mainstream. And looking ahead, we’re excited to work with KuCoin Pay to bring even more innovative use cases to life and keep growing the Web3 spending ecosystem together.

Q: What kind of things can people actually pay for with crypto on Umy?

A：Right now, the spending options on Umy are already pretty diverse – it’s not just about travel, it’s really about living a more free Web3 lifestyle.

Here’s what you can do today:

• Book over 3 million hotels worldwide – from budget hostels all the way to high-end brands like Shangri-La or Mandarin Oriental.

• Purchase global flights, with multi-currency crypto payments and options for group bookings.

• Enjoy our Umy Luxury services for high-net-worth users – think private jets, ski trips, luxury island getaways, or fully customized family holidays.

• And for businesses, especially Web3 projects, we provide enterprise-level travel solutions.

But we’re not stopping there. We’re also building new crypto payment scenarios – for example, the upcoming Umy Shop, where you’ll be able to buy products and lifestyle services directly with crypto. Basically, if it’s part of your everyday spending, we want you to be able to do it on Umy.

Our philosophy is simple: if you’ve got crypto in your wallet, you should be able to spend it easily, without constantly converting to fiat, linking bank cards, or dealing with restrictions.

Q: So compared to traditional OTAs, what makes Umy different?

A：This is something we get asked a lot. If you’re used to traditional OTAs like Expedia, Booking, or Trip.com, you’re probably also used to the hassle – long booking forms, ID verification, linking credit cards, currency conversions, hidden fees… it’s just part of the routine.

With Umy, it’s a completely different experience. We’re not just “an OTA that accepts crypto” – we’ve rebuilt the whole journey from a Web3 user’s perspective.

For example:

• Multi-crypto payments, no friction. You don’t need to convert to fiat or jump between wallets. Right now, we support assets like $USDT, $ETH, $BNB, $SOL, $USDC, #USD1, $BTCB, $QTUM, and we’re adding more. You simply pay with whatever’s in your portfolio – it’s flexible and convenient.

• Privacy-first, decentralized feel. Booking on Umy doesn’t require endless ID checks or linking bank accounts. The process feels as natural as making an on-chain transaction – secure, fast, and efficient.

• Exclusive perks for premium users. Our Umy Luxury program connects you to over 500 high-end hotel brands – Mandarin Oriental, Bulgari, Shangri-La, and more – with extras like room upgrades, welcome amenities, late check-out, and loyalty rewards. These are perks you rarely see on regular OTAs.

So at the end of the day, Umy isn’t just a booking platform – we’re creating a new paradigm for Web3 spending. We want your transactions to feel easy, free, and actually rewarding.

Q: What's your take on the future of the Web3 consumer market? What are the biggest challenges to it really taking off?

A: We believe the future of Web3 consumption is definitely coming, and it's going to happen faster than people think.

Think about it: in the early days of Web3, most user activity was confined to the blockchain itself—things like trading, DeFi, minting NFTs, and gaming. But now, we're seeing a shift. People want to use their crypto in real life. They want to spend it on services and experiences, not just hold or trade it.

We're hearing more and more users ask: “Can I book a hotel with crypto? Can I travel without having to convert my crypto to fiat? Can my wallet be all I need for dining, shopping, and entertainment?”

These questions show that the demand for Web3 consumption is not only there, it's urgent.

But here’s the problem: many platforms haven't created a true "consumption loop." Users want to spend, but the experience is fragmented:

• The number of scenarios is too small and scattered.

• The payment experience is terrible—lots of redirects and high gas fees.

• There's a lack of security and trust.

• There’s no comprehensive system for memberships, loyalty points, or perks to support daily spending.

So, we believe the biggest challenge for Web3 consumption isn't a lack of user demand, but a lack of a good user experience.

And that's exactly what Umy is trying to solve: building a closed loop of payments + scenarios + services + user relationships.

Specifically, this means:

• Providing real-world consumption scenarios (hotels, flights, e-commerce, etc.).

• Integrating smooth and secure crypto payment methods (like KuCoin Pay).

• Offering a full-fledged user ecosystem with things like a loyalty points system, NFT memberships, and an AI travel assistant.

• Making sure users don’t just "transact once," but "stick around."

In the future, we want to get to a point where the journey from your crypto wallet to a real-world service isn't a series of jumps, but a seamless, natural experience, just like using Apple Pay or Alipay today.

So we're optimistic, but also realistic: the opportunity is right in front of us. The key is who can deliver the best possible experience.