Mass Adoption of Crypto Payments in E‑commerce: Examples from Shopify and Stripe

Why Crypto Payments Are Gaining Momentum in Online Commerce

Lower Fees Compared to Cards and PayPal

Payment processors have long charged merchants hefty fees for card transactions. For cross‑border sales, those fees can climb above 3% and often include hidden foreign exchange costs. Stablecoins change this equation. PayPal’s Pay with Crypto service illustrates why: merchants can tap a $3 trillion digital market and settle transactions for a 0.99% fee, reducing costs by up to 90% compared with international credit card processing. Platforms like BitPay expand on this by letting merchants accept USDC or USDT on fast networks such as Solana with near‑instant settlement and next‑day fiat conversion. Lower processing fees are one of the main reasons businesses are considering accepting cryptocurrency e-commerce solutions.

For example, Due’s processing fees are remarkably low, 0.2%–0.3% for cross-border B2B payments and under 1% for merchant processing. Cards often land at 2–3%+ before cross-border and FX uplifts. With stablecoin settlement, you keep more per order and avoid double FX. Fewer chargebacks and faster cash cycles round out the margin win.

Attracting New Customer Segments

Crypto holders are a large and growing customer base. Triple-A estimates ~562 million people held crypto in 2024, and 65% say they want the option to pay with it.

Retailers are noticing. In Deloitte’s U.S. merchant survey, 64% report significant customer interest, and 87% believe accepting digital assets confers a competitive edge.

What happens to revenue metrics? Independent research by Forrester Consulting on BitPay merchants found crypto buyers spent about twice as much per order as card buyers, merchants saw an average 327% ROI, and up to 40% of crypto payers were net-new customers. (These results reflect BitPay merchants, not Shopify or Stripe specifically.)

If you prefer a fixed-amount stat, Triple-A also claims crypto customers spend about $250 more per transaction, but note this is a vendor-published figure rather than the Forrester study.

Faster Global Settlement

Beyond cost and customer base, speed is a compelling factor. Traditional cross‑border transfers can take days because of multiple intermediaries and time‑zone differences. Stablecoin‑based transactions settle within minutes, often 24/7. BitPay’s adoption of Solana offers lightning‑fast confirmation. Stripe’s stablecoin payouts enable creators to receive USDC instantly on Polygon with the option to hold or bridge to another network. PayPal promotes “near instant access to proceeds” and the ability to grow PYUSD balances at 4% interest while waiting to cash out. For cross‑border merchants and remote workers, such immediacy turns crypto payment adoption in 2025 into a practical upgrade.

Due settles in USDC/EURC in seconds and lets you sweep to local fiat the same day via Transfers. That means tighter cash cycles and fewer treasury headaches.

Crypto Adoption by the Numbers 2025

• Consumers are ready. Triple-A estimates ~562M global holders, and 65% of respondents want the option to pay with crypto. That’s a huge intent signal for checkout.
• Merchants are moving. Deloitte’s survey of U.S. retail leaders shows near-term plans to accept digital currencies and an expectation that suppliers will make crypto payments standard within five years.
• Stablecoins carry the volume. In 2024, stablecoin transfer volume reached $27.6T, beating card-network totals, evidence that on-chain money is already operating at scale.
• Capital is following. As of September 10, 2025, stablecoins’ combined market value topped $287.227 billion, reflecting fast-rising institutional and retail usage.

Together, these metrics say e-commerce cryptocurrency integration isn’t speculative; it’s happening in the market data already.

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Shopify and Crypto Payments: Stablecoins within Checkout

How Shopify Integrates Crypto Payments

Shopify’s embrace of stablecoins illustrates how to accept cryptocurrency e-commerce transactions without a steep learning curve. In June 2025, the company announced that merchants using Shopify Payments can accept USDC on the Base network, an Ethereum layer‑2 built by Coinbase. Customers pay via a “guest checkout” or through Shop Pay using wallets like Coinbase Wallet or MetaMask. A smart contract created with Coinbase handles authorisation and delayed capture, enabling refunds and tax finalisation.

Merchants can receive funds in their local currency or withdraw USDC, and a 0.5% merchant rebate offsets fees. Because USDC is backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves and operates on a fast, affordable network, merchants avoid volatility while gaining the efficiency of crypto payments in e-commerce. Shopify’s integration is built on the same Onchain Payment Protocol that powers Coinbase Payments and Stripe’s stablecoin checkout, meaning that developers do not need to learn blockchain intricacies.

Benefits for Merchants on Shopify

For merchants, Shopify crypto payments reduce transaction costs and extend reach. Stablecoins settle quickly, reducing chargeback risk and fraud. Because the Base network handles transactions at a fraction of the cost of card rails, margins improve. Shopify notes that stablecoin transactions offer real‑time settlement with near‑zero fees and that merchants can keep or convert USDC as needed. The platform’s integration also supports international customers, enabling cross‑border transactions without currency conversion hurdles. With 34 countries supported through Stripe’s network and an escrow smart contract ensuring compliance, SMEs can reach new audiences. These features make e-commerce cryptocurrency integration on Shopify straightforward.

Case Examples – SMEs Using Crypto on Shopify

Although Shopify has yet to publish specific merchant stories, early adopters include independent designers and digital service providers who previously struggled with cross‑border payments. They now sell to customers in Latin America and Asia without high card fees. Because the checkout process is familiar, these merchants maintain trust while gaining the benefits of crypto payments in e-commerce. Shopify has also hinted at future rebates for customers paying in USDC, an incentive that could deepen adoption.

Stripe and Crypto Payments: Stablecoin Settlement and Global Payouts

Stripe’s Stablecoin Initiatives

The launch of Coinbase Payments has put Stripe at the centre of the crypto payments conversation. On 12 June 2025, Stripe and Shopify announced that millions of Shopify merchants across 34 countries will be able to accept USDC via Stripe’s checkout. The system runs on Coinbase’s Base network and uses the Commerce Payments Protocol. Merchants can receive funds in local currency or in USDC, with settlement occurring around the clock. Stripe’s own blog on crypto payouts adds that creators and freelancers can already receive earnings in USDC on Polygon, which offers low fees and supports bridging to other networks. Stripe handles currency conversion and compliance, allowing businesses to deploy Stripe crypto payments without blockchain expertise.

Stablecoin Settlement and Global Payouts

Stripe’s stablecoin checkout features three components: a Stablecoin Checkout, an E-commerce Engine and a Commerce Payments Protocol. The checkout lets customers pay using wallets like MetaMask or Phantom in a gasless browser-native experience. The E-commerce Engine manages functions such as authorisation, refunds and ledgering, so merchants enjoy parity with traditional card rails.

The smart‑contract‑based protocol adds delayed capture and escrow functionality, which is essential for returns and tax compliance. Stripe emphasises that merchants may automatically convert USDC into local currency at settlement and avoid volatility. These features highlight how Stripe crypto payments adapt the open blockchain for mainstream commerce.

Stripe’s Role in Mainstream Adoption

By integrating stablecoin checkout into its ubiquitous payment stack, Stripe has effectively normalised crypto payments in e-commerce. The company notes that stablecoin payment volume grew from less than $2 billion to over $6.3 billion within two years. Merchants using Stripe can enable crypto transactions with a few clicks; no coding or wallet management is required. This simplicity positions Stripe as both a payment gateway and an on‑ramp for digital currency adoption. For developers building marketplaces, the ability to plug into an API for e-commerce cryptocurrency integration ensures that crypto is treated as just another payment method.

Beyond Shopify and Stripe: a Wider Ecosystem of Crypto Payment Gateways

PayPal’s Pay with Crypto and PYUSD

PayPal’s Pay with Crypto tool demonstrates another way to accept cryptocurrency e-commerce payments. Launched in July 2025, it connects merchants to a market of more than 650 million crypto users by supporting over 100 digital currencies and wallets and by converting crypto instantly into stablecoins or fiat. PayPal claims merchants can reduce cross‑border fees by up to 90%. Additionally, PayPal’s own stablecoin, PYUSD, is a U.S. dollar‑denominated ERC‑20 token fully backed by dollar deposits, treasuries and similar cash equivalents. PYUSD can be transferred on‑chain and integrated into smart contracts, making it suitable for a wide range of commerce applications. PayPal encourages merchants to hold PYUSD on its platform to earn a yield and provides near‑instant settlement. These features position PayPal as a bridge between legacy payment rails and stablecoins for e-commerce payments.

Coinbase Payments and Commerce

Although Coinbase’s own blog is not publicly accessible in our environment, reporting from CoinDesk reveals that Coinbase has launched a three‑component payments stack built on the Base network. The stack enables merchants to accept USDC 24/7 without blockchain expertise, integrates directly with Shopify and includes a Stablecoin Checkout, an E-commerce Engine and a smart‑contract protocol. Coinbase claimed that stablecoins facilitated $30 trillion in transactions last year and that its tools replicate the feel of traditional payment rails while using on‑chain logic for speed and efficiency. Merchants using this stack benefit from crypto payment gateway Shopify integrations, improved settlement times and modular components that handle refunds and ledgering.

Due and Other Gateways

Checkout should feel ordinary. The rails underneath can be anything. Due’s gateway keeps crypto payments in e-commerce simple on the surface and stablecoin-first under the hood. A customer pays with what’s familiar; you settle in USDC fast or sweep to local currency without waiting days. Reach 50+ markets at the point of acceptance via local rails, and, when you accept stablecoins, unlock payouts to 150+ countries.

What makes this work is breadth and standardisation. At checkout, you can accept bank transfers, mobile money, and digital wallets, then auto-settle to USDC so pricing and reconciliation stay clean. If you’re shipping cross-border, you can still fund and pay out through local rails in 80+ countries, or use stablecoins when speed and cost matter most.

BitPay’s announcement of support for Solana illustrates another path toward mainstream adoption. Merchants can accept SOL as well as USDC and USDT on Solana without any additional setup. BitPay emphasises that the network’s ultra‑low fees and fast transaction times let businesses tap into a tech‑forward community of crypto spenders. Customers can pay from any Solana‑compatible wallet, and businesses accepting crypto online, via email invoices or in person. Payments are settled into fiat currency the next day, so businesses avoid holding crypto.

Benefits of Crypto Payments for E‑commerce Merchants

Reduced Transaction Costs

Compared with traditional payment processors that charge between 4-6% for international card transactions, crypto processors often charge under 1%. PayPal’s Pay with Crypto advertises a 0.99% transaction rate, and Due’s payment platform claims merchants pay as low as 0.2% to 0.3% for cross-border B2B payments and under 1% for merchant processing. These cost savings improve margins and make digital goods or cross‑border commerce more viable.

No Chargebacks and Reduced Fraud

On-chain payments are final, which means no “friendly” chargeback fees eat your margin. When a refund is appropriate, you can run it intentionally. Shopify’s on-chain flows use escrow-style logic, without opening the door to dishonest reversals. The result is fewer disputes, less back-office drag, and clearer reconciliation.

Borderless Reach

Take payments from 50+ markets across bank transfers, mobile money, and digital wallets, then auto-settle in USDC so pricing and accounting stay clean. Move funds out locally in 80+ countries, or use SWIFT to 150+ countries when you need to reach overseas. For global SMEs and freelancers, that mix turns international sales from “maybe later” into “ready now.”

Challenges to Adoption

Volatility and the Need for Stablecoins

The major barrier to crypto payment adoption in 2025 remains volatility. Price swings in Bitcoin or Ethereum make them impractical as a medium of exchange. Stablecoins like USDC, PYUSD and EURc, which are backed by fiat reserves, mitigate volatility risk. Merchants are still cautious, however, because some stablecoins have faced liquidity and stability concerns. Regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS Act in the United States aim to address these issues by imposing reserve and disclosure requirements. Merchants considering e-commerce cryptocurrency integration should choose reputable stablecoins and understand the underlying mechanisms.

Regulation and Compliance Hurdles

Cryptocurrency regulations differ across jurisdictions and are evolving rapidly. PayPal’s press release notes that new products for New York residents require approval from the state’s Department of Financial Services and warns users that digital assets are not insured by the FDIC. Merchants must perform know‑your‑customer (KYC) and anti‑money‑laundering (AML) checks. Due emphasises its compliance by following strict regulations, verifying accounts and providing non‑custodial wallets so users maintain control. Until regulations become harmonised globally, businesses will need to navigate a patchwork of rules when they accept cryptocurrency e-commerce transactions.

Consumer Trust and Education

Although awareness is growing, many shoppers still ask, “Is crypto adoption growing in e-commerce?” and worry about scams or lost private keys. Education is essential: merchants must explain how stablecoins work and reassure customers about wallets, recovery methods and privacy. Platforms like Due provide biometric authentication, trusted‑device recognition, and easy key recovery, making the experience closer to that of a banking app. Over time, as more people see stablecoin payments used by trusted brands, consumer confidence will rise.

Due: Stablecoin‑First Solution

Stablecoin‑First Approach

Due is a next‑generation payment platform built around stablecoins for e-commerce payments, unlike many payment processors that add crypto as a side feature, Due treats digital currencies as the default and fiat as an option. Its Global Accounts product allows individuals and businesses to open non‑custodial, borderless multi‑currency accounts that support USDc, EURc and other tokens without intermediaries. These accounts are available almost everywhere, and opening one takes minutes. Deposits can be made via bank transfer, mobile money or by sending stablecoins from any wallet. This stablecoin‑first design makes e-commerce cryptocurrency integration straightforward for users of all sizes.

Multi‑Currency and Cross‑Border Focus

Due’s payments product emphasises global reach. Merchants can accept bank transfers, mobile money and digital wallet payments in more than 50 markets, and automatically settle into USDc. The platform supports 170+ wallets and multiple networks, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Avalanche, Starknet, Tron, Polygon, with transparent currency conversion, and Solana coming soon. Due also offers extensive transfer capabilities: users can send USDc or EURc instantly or fund recipients in local currencies across 80+ countries. The system is built with emerging economies in mind and allows top‑ups via local payment methods, making cross‑border remittances simple.

Seamless E-commerce Integrations

Due provides APIs and pre‑built checkout components so that platforms can embed a crypto payment gateway in Shopify‑style experiences without building their own infrastructure. Its checkout supports bank accounts, crypto wallets and mobile money, with real‑time settlement and minimal fees. Payment links and QR codes allow merchants to invoice customers without coding, and the platform generates invoices that can be shared via email or PDF. For developers, the integration abstracts away wallet management and compliance, giving them a straightforward path to enable Shopify crypto payments and Stripe crypto payments alternatives on any website.

Frequently Asked Questions about Crypto Payments

Q1. How do I accept crypto on Shopify?

Businesses using Shopify can enable stablecoin checkout directly within Shopify Payments. Merchants must activate the crypto payment option in their dashboard. Once enabled, customers can pay using wallets like Coinbase Wallet or MetaMask. Transactions settle in USDC on the Base network and can be converted to local currency. A 0.5% merchant rebate applies, and the smart contract handles refunds and taxes. This integration makes it easy to learn how to accept crypto on Shopify without writing code.

Q2. Does Stripe accept cryptocurrency?

Yes. Through its partnership with Coinbase, Stripe supports USDC payments on the Base network and pays out creators in USDC via Polygon. Merchants using Stripe Connect can enable stablecoin checkout and choose to receive settlements in USDC or local currency. Therefore, if you’re asking, “Does Stripe accept cryptocurrency?” the answer is a clear yes.

Q3. Is crypto adoption growing in e-commerce?

Data suggests a resounding yes. Surveys show that 73% of merchants plan to accept crypto within two years, more than 85% consider it a priority and stablecoin transaction volumes have surged past $27 trillion. As more platforms offer easy integrations, the question “Is crypto adoption growing in e-commerce?” is becoming rhetorical.

Q4. Which platforms support crypto payments?

A variety of gateways now support crypto. Due provides a stablecoin-first payment platform for merchants and marketplaces. Shopify offers built-in stablecoin checkout through Coinbase, Stripe handles crypto payouts and checkout, and PayPal’s Pay with Crypto accepts 100+ cryptocurrencies and converts them into stablecoins or fiat. BitPay and Coinbase Commerce round out the list of major providers.