Square, the payments platform under Block’s umbrella, has initiated a significant transformation in its financial services by automatically enabling bitcoin payments for eligible sellers across the U.S., effective immediately. This development marks a considerable step in Square’s mission to weave bitcoin into the fabric of everyday transactions.
Previously, this bitcoin payment feature was an opt-in tool, allowing sellers to activate it if they chose. Now, with millions of merchants affected, this feature has transitioned to a default setting. As a result, eligible sellers will have bitcoin payments activated automatically without any required manual adjustments. However, they still have the option to decline or modify this setting according to their preferences.
The integration of bitcoin payments was first introduced in 2025 as part of Square’s “Square Bitcoin” initiative. At its inception, it aimed to equip small businesses with bitcoin payment capabilities and wallet functionalities, allowing for transactions through the Lightning Network. Merchants could opt to accept bitcoin during checkout, benefiting from features such as instant settlement and the promise of no processing fees until the end of 2027. While the feature went through broader rollouts, the voluntary nature of its adoption often acted as a barrier to wider usage among merchants.
The latest update is designed to eliminate those barriers, providing a smoother integration of bitcoin into retail environments. Customers can now conduct transactions in bitcoin at checkout, while sellers will receive payment in USD by default. This approach mitigates the issues of price volatility and settlement delays, establishing bitcoin as a viable transaction medium rather than merely a speculative investment.
Miles Suter, the product lead at Square, described this rollout as a pivotal moment for bitcoin’s development as “everyday money,” emphasizing the extensive reach of Square’s merchant network in accelerating adoption among consumers and businesses alike.
Additionally, Cash App, another platform from Block, has revamped its Bitcoin-related services, introducing features such as zero-spread pricing, reduced fees, and expanded withdrawal limits. As of early 2026, users can withdraw amounts up to $10,000 daily and $25,000 weekly, making Cash App a competitive option for Bitcoin transactions in the U.S.
The enhancements aim to simplify the use of bitcoin, facilitating automatic conversions between USD and bitcoin to improve the overall experience on the platform, thus spearheading the adoption of cryptocurrency in everyday financial landscapes.
