Signs are emerging across the United States that cryptocurrencies are moving from a speculative asset to a legitimate payment method.
The introduction of merchants, the entry of major banks into the Bitcoin business, and the concentration of huge investments in payments infrastructure are increasing predictions that 2026 could be a turning point for crypto payments.
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39% of sellers already accept cryptocurrencies
According to a study released on January 27th by PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), 39% of merchants in the United States already accept cryptocurrency payments. Meanwhile, 84% expect cryptocurrency payments to become common within the next five years.
Consumer demand is driving adoption. 88% of merchants report receiving inquiries from customers about paying with cryptocurrencies, and 69% say their customers want to use cryptocurrencies at least once a month. By generation, Millennials (77%) and Gen Z (73%) are overwhelmingly interested. Notably, small businesses had the highest rate of inquiries from Gen Z at 82%, significantly higher than midsize businesses (67%) and large enterprises (65%).
By industry, hospitality and travel topped the list at 81%, followed by digital products, gaming, and luxury retail (76%), and retail and e-commerce (69%).
“What we are seeing both in this data and in our conversations with customers is that crypto payments are moving beyond experimentation and into everyday commerce,” said May Zabane, vice president and general manager of cryptocurrencies at PayPal. “When crypto payments are offered in a way that feels as familiar as card or online payments, it becomes a powerful growth tool.”
A surprising finding is that 90% of merchants said they would accept cryptocurrencies if the setup process was as easy as accepting credit cards.
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“What this data makes clear is that it’s not about interest in cryptocurrencies, it’s about understanding,” NCA Chairman Stu Alderotti said. “We are working together to bridge the knowledge gap and show how cryptocurrencies can be simple, accessible, and easy for everyday businesses and consumers.”
60% of major US banks move to Bitcoin
Traditional finance is also progressing rapidly. According to January 2025 data from the virtual currency financial platform River, 60% (15 institutions) of the top 25 banks in the US by assets have launched or announced Bitcoin storage or trading services.
PNC Group has launched both custody and trading services. JPMorgan Chase, Charles Schwab and UBS have announced trading services, while Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo are offering services to wealthy clients. American Express has introduced a Bitcoin rewards card.
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Just a year ago, most of Wall Street’s biggest firms were taking a wait-and-see attitude. They are now rushing into the cryptocurrency business, clearly showing that the demand from institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals has reached such a level that it cannot be ignored.
Capital flows to infrastructure propels Mesh to unicorn status
Investment in payment infrastructure is accelerating. Crypto payment network Mesh announced on January 27 that it has raised $75 million in Series C funding, achieving unicorn status at a valuation of $1 billion. Total funding now exceeds $200 million.
Dragonfly Capital led the round, with participation from Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures, and SBI Investment. Notably, some of the funds were settled using stablecoins. Mesh described this as “conclusive evidence that global institutions are comfortable relying on blockchain-native payments when enterprise-level execution, auditability, and controls are firmly in place.”
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Mesh’s core technology, SmartFunding, enables “Any-to-Any” construction. This means consumers can pay with any cryptocurrency they own, whether it’s Bitcoin or Solana, and merchants can receive instant payments in their preferred stablecoin (USDC, PYUSD) or fiat currency. The network currently serves more than 900 million users worldwide.
“The winners of the next decade will not be those who issue the most tokens, but those who build a network of networks that make traditional card rails obsolete,” said Bam Azizi, co-founder and CEO of Mesh.
Will 2026 be a turning point?
The three data points converge in a single direction. Consumer demand for cryptocurrency payments has reached critical mass, especially among younger generations. Retailers and traditional financial institutions are responding. And huge amounts of capital are flowing into the infrastructure that supports it all.
Challenges still remain. As the PayPal-NCA study revealed, simplicity remains the biggest barrier. But it’s encouraging to see companies like Mesh hiding the complexities behind the scenes and focusing on providing the same user experience as traditional payments.
Cryptocurrencies are moving from the realm of speculation to the realm of infrastructure. 2026 may be the year when the transition begins in earnest.
