Square Enables 1M US Merchants to Accept Bitcoin-Is Crypto Now Main Street?

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Square reaches 1m <a href="https://jpykr.com/btc-usd/">Bitcoin</a>-enabled merchants in U.S. rollout

Square, a division of Block, has reportedly helped around one million businesses in the U.S. start accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment.

Summary

  • Square’s auto-enrollment push has now enabled roughly one million U.S. sellers to accept Bitcoin payments.
  • Lightning Network support lets customers pay in BTC while merchants receive U.S. dollars by default.
  • Block’s wider Bitcoin strategy includes Cash App rewards, Bitkey custody, and proof-of-reserves reporting across products.

This new system uses the Lightning Network, so customers can pay with Bitcoin, and sellers automatically receive U.S. dollars.

This update builds on Square’s previous announcement that they would enable eligible sellers to accept Bitcoin payments by 2026. Last year, Block explained that the feature would let merchants take Bitcoin using Square’s payment devices, with funds settled almost immediately and exchange rates automatically updated.

Lightning removes payment friction

As a researcher, I’ve been looking into how Square manages Bitcoin payments for its merchants. Essentially, they’ve built a system to protect sellers from the volatility of Bitcoin’s price. When a customer pays with Bitcoin, Square immediately converts it to a stable currency before depositing the funds for the seller. And importantly, merchants have the choice to disable Bitcoin payments if they prefer not to accept them.

As Crypto.news reported before, Square started allowing businesses to use Bitcoin in July 2025. These businesses could choose to hold onto the Bitcoin they received or convert it to traditional currency. The system also used Lightning Network technology, which offered quicker and less expensive transactions compared to standard credit card processing.

Block is introducing this rollout as part of a larger effort to enable everyday Bitcoin payments, rather than just storing it for the future. Miles Suter, who leads Bitcoin product development at Block, explained that offering sellers a direct Bitcoin experience is a step towards achieving this vision, with plans to fully implement this in 2025.

Suter explained that offering bitcoin directly to millions of sellers is a significant move towards their overall vision. He added that they are committed to creating a financial system that is open, decentralized, equitable, speedy, and affordable for all users.

Cash App and Bitkey support the strategy

Block is expanding its Bitcoin offerings with a new feature allowing merchants to accept Bitcoin payments. This joins Cash App’s existing Bitcoin buying, selling, and sending capabilities, as well as Bitkey, which provides tools for securely storing your own Bitcoin. Block also supports initiatives like Proto for Bitcoin mining and Spiral, which focuses on open-source Bitcoin development.

Block’s website shows that it holds the same amount of Bitcoin for customers as customers have deposited – a one-to-one match. Any Bitcoin owned by the company itself is kept separate on its financial records. Block also clarifies that the information displayed is just a current overview and doesn’t serve as a formal check of the company’s financial health or a promise that it will remain solvent.

Reaching one million merchants accepting Bitcoin makes it more accessible for customers at checkout. However, this doesn’t guarantee people will regularly use Bitcoin for daily purchases. Widespread use will depend on things like transaction fees, how Bitcoin is taxed, existing shopping habits, and how much merchants want to accept it.

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2026-05-13 12:13