A survey by the National Cryptocurrency Association and PayPal finds that 39% of U.S. merchants accept digital assets, driven by customer demand. Most expect crypto payments to become standard within five years. Adoption is particularly strong among larger enterprises and younger demographics.
The survey, which involved 619 payment decision-makers from sectors including retail, e-commerce, hospitality, luxury goods, and digital gaming, underscores crypto's shift from niche to mainstream in U.S. commerce. Nearly nine in ten merchants (88%) have fielded customer inquiries about cryptocurrency payments, with over two-thirds (69%) receiving such requests at least monthly.
For those already accepting crypto, it represents a significant portion of business: 26% of sales on average, and 72% of merchants noted transaction growth in the past year. May Zabaneh, Vice President and General Manager of Crypto at PayPal, highlighted this trend: “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.” She added that seamless integration could attract new customers and boost cash flow.
Larger companies lead the way, with 50% of those earning over $500 million annually accepting digital assets, compared to 34% of small businesses and 32% of midsize firms. Demand comes largely from younger shoppers, as 77% of Millennials and 73% of Gen Z express interest in using crypto. Small businesses report 82% of their inquiries from Gen Z.
Merchants value crypto for faster transactions (45%), access to new customers (45%), enhanced security (41%), and buyer privacy (40%). Adoption rates are highest in hospitality and travel (81%), digital goods, gaming, and luxury retail (76%), and retail and e-commerce (69%).
Barriers persist around simplicity: 90% of merchants would adopt crypto if setup matched credit card ease, and the same share if the payment experience were as seamless. Stu Alderoty, President of the NCA, noted: “Interest isn’t the problem; understanding is.” Partnerships with platforms like PayPal aim to address this gap.
