New PayPal Survey Shows U.S. Consumers Are Pushing Merchants Toward Crypto Payments
Cryptocurrencies are increasingly becoming mainstream payment methods in the United States, with nearly four in ten merchants now accepting them at checkout, according to a recent PayPal survey.
The growing interest from customers has pushed many businesses to evaluate crypto as an alternative to traditional payment options.
Customer Demand Drives Merchant Interest
The data shows that almost nine in ten U.S. merchants have received customer inquiries about paying with crypto, highlighting a strong rise in curiosity and demand. The survey, conducted by PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), gathered insights from more than 600 payment-strategy decision-makers across multiple industries.
“What we’re seeing both in this data and in conversations with our customers is that crypto payments are moving beyond experimentation and into everyday commerce,” said May Zabaneh, PayPal vice president and general manager.
She added that customer demand for faster, more flexible payment options is the key driver, and once merchants begin accepting crypto, they tend to see meaningful benefits.
Merchants Expect Crypto to Go Mainstream
A large majority of merchants (84%) believe cryptocurrency payments will become mainstream within the next five years.
Adoption is currently strongest among large enterprises (37%), but midsized (32%) and small businesses (34%) are also integrating crypto into their payment infrastructure.
Major U.S. corporations accepting crypto today include Starbucks, Walmart, and Home Depot.
For merchants that already support crypto payments, these transactions make up an average of 26% of total sales, signaling that consumers are willing to spend cryptocurrencies when given the option.
Many businesses view crypto as a way to expedite, simplify, and secure transactions compared to legacy payment systems. These advantages apply to both merchants and customers, especially as digital-native generations shift their purchasing behavior toward crypto.
PayPal Expands Crypto Tools for Merchants
To support demand, PayPal launched a new crypto checkout tool in July, enabling U.S. merchants to accept more than 100 different cryptocurrencies. Younger demographics, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, remain the most crypto-savvy shoppers, while industries leading adoption include hospitality, travel, digital goods, and gaming.
Despite the momentum, PayPal stresses that widespread crypto payment adoption hinges on making the process as simple as accepting credit cards. According to the survey, 90% of merchants would consider using crypto payments if the infrastructure were equally easy to manage.
“What this data makes clear is that interest in crypto isn’t the problem; understanding is,” said Stu Alderoty, NCA president and Ripple chief legal officer.
The increasing acceptance of cryptocurrencies among U.S. merchants marks a meaningful shift toward their mainstream recognition as a legitimate and reliable form of payment. As infrastructure improves and demand grows, crypto payments continue to move closer to everyday commerce.
