The majority think of cryptocurrencies as of an investment tool only, a way to ensure high ROI quickly. But due to financial markets development and the appearance of new services, crypto also became a popular way to pay for online purchases.
How to pay for purchases with cryptocurrencies? What can you buy with bitcoin? And how much will you have to pay for the right to use your digital assets? Let us have a closer look.
Paying in cryptocurrencies, not controlled by modern banking systems and not taxable, for goods and services offers multiple perks. Essentially, crypto payments have the advantages of being:
Cost-effective: this is guaranteed by low payment fees (the rates depend on how loaded the blockchain network is). Unlike bank transfers, the fees on crypto payments are not calculated as a percentage of the amount paid, but instead, they are charged as network fees, which are significantly lower than those on card payments.
Secure: cryptocurrency payments are completely private because all transactions are anonymous; there’s no information anywhere that would make anyone able to identify the buyer, and crypto encoding security system is virtually hack-proof. Read the article on cryptocurrency storage security.
Digital assets are mostly used for large purchases, but technological developments gradually make them relevant for small payments as well. You can use direct crypto wallet transactions, prepaid crypto cards or specialized crypto processing services — see all the details below.
You can also read our article «Cryptocurrency Payments: Pros and Cons for Merchants » .
Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency payments directly from crypto wallets are, in essence, direct transfers of money from the buyer to the seller. In order to do that, log in to your wallet, enter the receiving wallet (address), the number of coins to be transferred and the transaction fee.
Advantages of the method:
Those payments are completed as fast as possible.
Disadvantages of the method:
If you make many small-amount payments, you may lose the low fee advantage.
Before sending a direct transfer from your crypto wallet, you should check the mempool status to see how many transactions are waiting for approval and the average blockchain network fee rate (you can look that information up on analytics websites). You can identify the best fee amount based on that data so that your transaction gets high priority and is completed as soon as possible.
You also have to be very careful about your crypto wallet’s security.
You can use crypto processing systems to pay for goods and services if the seller has an option for crypto payments on his or her website. Crypto processing works as a regular payment system: the buyer chooses a cryptocurrency to pay with, the plugin converts the price and generates unique crypto details (an address) for the transaction.
Advantages of the method:
Payments are secure and convenient: the blockchain data is encrypted so it is impossible to steal it, and the payment plugin’s interface is intuitive and easy to understand.
Disadvantages of the method:
The availability of an option to make crypto payments through a processing service depends only on the seller.
If you wish to know more about how crypto processing services operate, please read our article called «How to start accepting cryptocurrency payments on the website» .
A QR code is unique for each product. If that code is entered into the program on the seller’s device, the customer can scan the code for payment. You have to give your payment app permission to write the product’s cost off your account.
The process for crypto wallets is the same as for traditional accounts and bank cards. Payments are secure in this case: you do not leave any of your data in the online store when using QR codes for payment. The key is the platform having the necessary software to enable blockchain payments .
Nowadays, sometimes, you can pay with crypto , even in offline stores, using POS terminals. The seller enters the fiat currency amount and selects the required cryptocurrency. The screen displays a QR code. You can scan it with your mobile phone and pay for the product or service you want in crypto. Some stores issue receipts to confirm transactions.
This payment method is especially convenient for customers from abroad who do not want to bother themselves with getting a foreign bank card or paying for currency conversion. So far, however, this method of crypto payments remains extremely rare.
Those are cards you can transfer crypto to, convert it into your national currency and vice-versa. Pre-paid crypto cards work like debit cards and are used for regular small payments. We recommend them for those whose salaries are paid in crypto.
If you want to issue a crypto card , you have to go through the customer verification (KYC) process at the issuer’s request. The leading crypto card issuers are BitPay, Crypto.com and Wirex. They offer cards under contracts with MasterCard and VISA partner companies.
Advantages of the method:
You can use your digital assets to pay for goods and services in places that do not accept crypto payments and offline (in cafes, entertainment centers, supermarkets) facilities thanks to their broader functionality that converts crypto to fiat.
Disadvantages of the method:
Limits and restrictions on card top-ups, cash withdrawals or permitted transactions.
Now, increasingly more services offer a crypto payment option, and those who do have an advantage because their customers get an extra and convenient payment method. It is also widely used for accepting donations .
The list of things you can pay with cryptocurrencies is expanding every day and now includes at least the following:
real estate in various countries of the world: the Huobi crypto exchange that offers such services in partnership with Fäm Properties real estate agency, acts as a mediator and guarantees that all transactions are carried out in a clean and secure way;
jewelry: Samer Halimeh New York jewelry company now accepts bitcoins and considers them a highly promising way of payment;
On top of that, you can use your digital assets to book hotels or organize travel (leading services in that field are Expedia, Cheapair, Travel For Coins), bet at online casinos and bookmakers, pay for your purchases at online stores, recharge your hosting service balance, purchase online courses, etc.
You can also read our article «TOP-13 Ways to Use Cryptocurrency in Everyday Life » .
Many companies have cryptocurrency payment options on their websites, including:
Shopify, an online store creation software developer, so far only accepts bitcoins but plans to expand the list of acceptable cryptocurrencies;
KFC, a fast food chain, has been accepting bitcoins as payment for orders in Canada since 2018;
The Coinmap service that searches for online companies and shops accepting crypto payments will help you learn where to use your digital assets for payment. Their map is constantly expanding because new services and stores start using crypto with time.
Using digital assets to pay for goods and services gives you the greatest freedom, which is why this type of payment looks very promising. At the same time, crypto acquiring is the most convenient way to make transactions.
You can connect to the CryptoCloud processing service and start accepting crypto payments on the website. We accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether and other cryptocurrencies, guarantee protection against DDoS attacks and convenient account management from any device. Money withdrawals take just 30 minutes. You can connect to CryptoCloud for free after signing up.
Промоблок processing-crypto
Send a payment link and conveniently accept payments even without having a website.
Create invoiceSign up and start accepting payments in the most popular cryptocurrencies today. Connection is free of charge.
Sign upBitcoin
Tether
Ethereum
Litecoin
50Altcoins
Exchange in a fast, easy and secure way.
Exchange cryptocurrencyConveniently buy Bitcoin, Tether, Ethereum, Litecoin from your Visa or Mastercard and instantly receive cryptocurrency to your wallet.
Buy cryptocurrency Main / Blog / How to Pay for Purchases With Cryptocurrencies Rate this articleAverage rating: 5.0
Share with friends Cryptocurrencies Buy crypto Related articles All articles Contents We share news on Telegram Subscribe to the channel Related articles All articles Contents We share news on Telegram Subscribe to the channel20.06.2024
The Best Cryptocurrency Wallets for Cold Assets Storage
Cold crypto wallet is a device or a software that has no constant connection to the Internet. Learn about their work principle and popular options on the market in our article.
read article13.05.2024
What Are the TOP-8 Ways of Accepting Payment for an Online Store
In 2022, only 14% of Americans used cash to pay for their purchases and this number continues to reduce. Learn what are the main payment methods that business owners should provide to clients.
read article09.09.2024
TOP-7 Hot Crypto Wallets of 2024: Secure, Accessible, and Reliable
Hot wallets provide convenient access to cryptocurrency while staying connected to the internet. In this guide, we rank the top hot wallets of 2024 and explain how to choose wallets for your needs.
read article We tell about trends in the world of cryptocurrencies
and online payments.
Products
Crypto payment gateway Buy cryptocurrency Exchange cryptocurrency Crypto Wallet SOONFor merchants
Fees Integration API CMS pluginsAbout us
About CryptoCloud Media about us Reviews Contacts Affiliate programResources
Blog FAQ Brandbook© 2025 CryptoCloud
Privacy policy Terms of use