Customer demand pushes U.S. merchants to accept crypto

PayPal on Tuesday reported that nearly four in ten U.S. merchants accept cryptocurrency at checkout, based on an October survey of 619 payment decision-makers across industries conducted by the National Cryptocurrency Association.

Nearly nine in ten merchants have fielded customer inquiries about paying with crypto, and 84% expect crypto payments to become mainstream within five years, according to the survey.

Adoption is highest among large enterprises. Among smaller firms, 32% of midsize businesses and 34% of small companies accept crypto, the data show. The survey lists Starbucks, Walmart and Home Depot among large U.S. brands that accept crypto.

For merchants that already take crypto, those transactions represent 26% of total sales, the survey found. Hospitality and travel, digital goods, and gaming report higher uptake, and younger shoppers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are using the option more often.

PayPal launched a crypto checkout tool in July for U.S. merchants. The company noted that simplifying the payment experience remains a hurdle, with 90% of merchants indicating they would try accepting crypto if it were as simple as accepting credit cards.

“Crypto payments are moving beyond experimentation and into everyday commerce,” said May Zabaneh, PayPal vice president and general manager. “Adoption is being driven by customer demand for faster, more flexible ways to pay — and once businesses start accepting crypto, they see real value.”

Crypto advocates point to use cases where faster settlement or lower cross-border costs matter, while the survey indicates adoption remains uneven and some merchants cite infrastructure complexity as a barrier.

As we reported earlier, on Dec. 16, 2025, PayPal said it applied for a Utah industrial bank license to establish “PayPal Bank,” a lending arm aimed at small and midsize businesses and a platform for interest-bearing savings accounts for other customers. The company also filed an application for federal deposit insurance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.