The news: Stripe expanded shoppers’ ability to pay with more types of crypto through a partnership with Crypto.com, per a press release.

Stripe will convert any cryptocurrency payment to fiat for businesses, ensuring no difference in settlement for merchants regardless of shoppers’ choice of currency. Stripe will also process payments for Crypto.com’s cryptocurrency marketplace for consumers buying crypto with their debit or credit cards.

Previously, shoppers were limited to using stablecoins for on-chain transactions.

Will it work? Crypto acceptance at checkout is growing. Firms like Shopify, Klarna, Stripe, and Block are building out infrastructure for users eager to transact in crypto. 

However, US adults largely pay in crypto when the recipient requests it, not by personal choice, per Kansas City Fed data. We forecast that 2.5% of US adults will pay with crypto in 2026.

Implications for merchants: Crypto payments could still be desirable for consumers, especially for cross-border transactions. Kansas City Fed data shows that speed and cost—two friction points for international transactions— rank second and third in use cases among US adults.