Crypto payments are no longer a futuristic experiment tucked away on the fringes of e-commerce. They’re quietly becoming part of everyday retail — and the numbers now prove it.
According to a new report from PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), nearly 40% of U.S. merchants already accept crypto at checkout, signaling a major shift in how businesses think about digital assets. Even more striking: 84% expect crypto payments to be common within the next five years.
This isn’t hype-driven adoption. It’s demand-driven — and merchants are paying attention.
📊 The Tipping Point: Who’s Accepting Crypto and Why
The Harris Poll–backed survey reveals a clear pattern: the bigger the business, the faster the adoption.
50% of enterprises with over $500 million in annual revenue accept crypto
34% of small businesses are on board
32% of midsize firms have followed
Large enterprises are leading the charge, but the direction is consistent across the market. Crypto payments are steadily moving from novelty to normal.
And for merchants already accepting crypto, the impact is tangible:
Crypto accounts for 26% of total sales
72% report crypto-related sales increased over the past year
That’s not a side experiment — that’s a meaningful revenue stream.
👥 Customers Are Asking — Loudly
At the heart of this shift is a simple dynamic: customers want to pay with crypto.
The survey found:
88% of merchants have received customer inquiries about crypto payments
69% say customers want to use crypto at least once a month
This isn’t about branding or appealing to a niche audience anymore. Merchants increasingly view crypto acceptance as a customer acquisition tool. In fact, 79% believe offering crypto payments can help attract new customers.
As May Zabaneh, PayPal’s Vice President and General Manager of Crypto, put it, crypto payments are “moving beyond experimentation and into everyday commerce.”
⚙️ The Real Bottleneck: The “Last Mile” Problem
If demand is strong, what’s slowing universal adoption?
User experience.
Merchants aren’t asking for ideological debates about decentralization. They want crypto to work like cards.
The survey highlights a clear requirement:
90% of merchants would accept crypto if setup were as easy as credit cards
90% would try crypto payments if checkout felt just as seamless
In short:
If crypto feels complicated, merchants hesitate. If it feels familiar, they adopt.
This explains why infrastructure — not enthusiasm — is the real barrier.
💳 PayPal’s Strategy: Make Crypto Invisible
PayPal is positioning itself squarely in this gap.
In July 2025, the company launched “Pay with Crypto,” designed to make digital asset payments nearly indistinguishable from card transactions — at least from the merchant’s perspective.
Here’s how it works:
Customers pay using supported external crypto wallets
Crypto is converted to PYUSD (PayPal’s stablecoin) when needed
PayPal converts PYUSD to fiat
Merchants receive funds directly in their business accounts
The pitch is simple: near-instant settlement, lower transaction costs, and zero crypto complexity for merchants.
For businesses, crypto becomes just another payment rail — not another system to manage.
🧠 Understanding, Not Interest, Is the Barrier
According to Stu Alderoty, President of the NCA, the biggest obstacle isn’t demand — it’s comprehension.
“Interest in crypto isn’t the problem; understanding is.”
That insight explains why enterprises with dedicated finance and tech teams are adopting faster. As tools become more intuitive and education improves, smaller merchants are likely to follow.
🔮 What This Means for Crypto’s Future in Commerce
The takeaway is clear:
Crypto payments are no longer waiting for permission — they’re waiting for polish.
As infrastructure improves and checkout experiences begin to mirror traditional cards, adoption is likely to accelerate rapidly. What started as an alternative payment option is evolving into a standard feature of modern commerce.
For consumers, it means more choice.
For merchants, it means new customers and growing sales.
For crypto, it means something even bigger:
Real-world utility at scale.
And that may be the most important milestone yet.