A micropayment system is one that allows users to send small amounts of money. Micropayments are defined as amounts ranging from cents to ten dollars. They can be found in a variety of forms, such as vending machines or, more commonly, online. Prepaid cards, virtual accounts, and services such as cryptocurrencies can all be used to make electronic micropayments.

Micropayments are very small financial transactions, often involving amounts as low as a few cents or fractions of a dollar. They are commonly used for digital services such as online content access, in-app purchases, gaming items, and pay-per-use platforms. Traditional payment systems struggled with micropayments because transaction fees were too high relative to the payment size. Newer technologies, especially digital wallets, mobile payments, and blockchain networks, have made micropayments more practical and cost-efficient. Micropayments allow businesses to monetise content without requiring full subscriptions, giving users more flexibility and control over spending. For consumers, this model reduces upfront commitment, while providers benefit from wider user engagement. As digital economies grow, micropayments are becoming an important tool for supporting creators, enabling micro-services, and encouraging fair, usage-based pricing across online platforms.