39% of US Merchants Now Accept Cryptocurrency Payments

• National Cryptocurrency Association reports 39% of U.S. merchants accept crypto now.
• Survey conducted with PayPal and Harris Poll covering retail and e-commerce sectors.
• A study shows 84% expect crypto to become a common payment method within five years.

The National Cryptocurrency Association released research findings showing 39% of U.S. merchants currently accept cryptocurrency payments, with adoption rising to 50% among large enterprises generating over $500 million in annual revenue. The study was conducted in partnership with PayPal and Harris Poll, surveying payment strategy decision makers across retail, e-commerce, hospitality, travel, luxury, specialty, and digital goods industries.

Stuart Alderoty, Chief Legal Officer at Ripple, commented on the findings, stating, “Crypto payments are moving from curiosity to capability. New research from the National Cryptocurrency Association shows that merchant adoption is being driven by real customer demand. Simplicity and trust will determine how fast this transition continues.”

Customer Demand Drives Merchant Integration Decisions

The report identified strong consumer interest in cryptocurrency payment options. Eighty-eight percent of merchants report receiving customer inquiries about crypto acceptance, while 69% state customers want to pay with digital assets at least monthly. Four in five merchants (79%) agree that accepting cryptocurrency could help attract new customers.

Among merchants currently accepting crypto, the payment method represents approximately 26% of total sales. Seventy-two percent of crypto-accepting businesses saw transaction volume increase over the past year.

Merchants identified four primary reasons for adopting cryptocurrency payments: 45% cited faster transaction speed, 45% pointed to attracting new customers, 41% valued enhanced security features, and 40% emphasized privacy for customers. The data shows multiple value propositions rather than single-factor decision making.

Hospitality Sector Leads Adoption by Category

Industry segment analysis reveals hospitality and travel businesses lead adoption at 81%, followed by digital goods, gaming, luxury, and specialty merchants at 76%. Retail and e-commerce businesses show 69% acceptance rates across the categories surveyed.

Ease of implementation remains a barrier to broader adoption. Ninety percent of merchants indicated they would likely accept crypto if the setup process matched credit card simplicity. 84% expect cryptocurrency to become a common payment method within 5 years.

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