In a significant advancement for cryptocurrency use in commerce, Square, a subsidiary of Jack Dorsey’s Block Inc., announced the launch of Square Bitcoin on Wednesday. This fully integrated payment and wallet solution empowers over four million merchants in the U.S. to accept and manage Bitcoin directly within the Square ecosystem. Beginning on November 10, 2025, businesses will be able to process Bitcoin payments with zero fees for the first year, alongside options for instant settlements in either Bitcoin or U.S. dollars. Notably, merchants will also have the ability to auto-convert up to 50% of their daily card sales into Bitcoin, allowing them to diversify their savings while staying within the platform.
During the company’s event showcasing new releases, Square Bitcoin was revealed as a focal component of Block’s ongoing Bitcoin strategy. The platform integrates two primary features: Bitcoin Payments and Bitcoin Conversions, combined with a wallet that enables users to buy, sell, hold, and withdraw Bitcoin directly from their Square Dashboard.
Miles Suter, Head of Bitcoin Product at Block, heralded this rollout as a pivotal moment, bridging traditional commerce and digital currency. “We’re making Bitcoin payments as seamless as card payments while giving small businesses access to financial management tools that, until now, were exclusive to large corporations,” he noted. This initiative comes at a time when the cryptocurrency payment user base in the U.S. is anticipated to increase by over 80% from 2024 to 2026.
The new system aims to simplify the adoption of Bitcoin for local businesses, alleviating the technical complexities often associated with cryptocurrency transactions. Block’s Bitcoin initiatives go beyond payments; they include Cash App’s Bitcoin trading feature, Bitkey—a self-custody Bitcoin wallet, and Proto, a suite of Bitcoin mining products. Their open-source division, Spiral, is dedicated to supporting development projects that enhance Bitcoin as an economic tool.
As of October 1, 2025, merchants participating in the beta rollout of Bitcoin Conversions have collectively acquired 142 Bitcoin. Businesses like Pink Owl Coffee in California have utilized the feature to build long-term reserves via daily sales. The announcement of Square Bitcoin coincided with the Bitcoin Conference 2025 in Las Vegas, where live demonstrations of Bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network were showcased.
Following the announcement, Block’s stock surged by 2.5% to $81, reflecting rising investor confidence in the company’s commitment to Bitcoin integration. The phased rollout is expected to continue into 2026, pending regulatory approvals, and will exclude New York due to existing restrictions.
The increasing incorporation of cryptocurrency into everyday transactions is echoed across various sectors, driven by more favorable regulations, corporate endorsements, and technological advancements. Market research predicts that U.S. crypto payment usage will see an 82% rise between 2024 and 2026, with an observation of growing acceptance of crypto as a legitimate payment method among consumers.
Tech giants are also joining the trend; Google has launched its Agent Payments Protocol and partnered with Coinbase for stablecoin support, while Visa is experimenting with stablecoin-funded cross-border payments. In the real estate sector, Opendoor Technologies announced acceptance of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for home purchases, targeting affluent buyers interested in tangible assets amid fluctuating Bitcoin values.
Globally, cryptocurrency adoption is on the rise, with examples like Bitget Wallet integrating Brazil’s Pix system for crypto payments and developments in Thailand with the launch of TouristDigiPay to facilitate crypto spending for visitors. Traditional financial systems are also evolving, as evidenced by SWIFT’s testing of on-chain messaging and payments using Ethereum.
In addition to these initiatives, payment platforms such as Stripe and PayPal are further embracing cryptocurrency, facilitating a broader acceptance and integration of digital assets in everyday transactions.
