Major Companies That Accept Crypto Payments
Key Takeaways
- Major retailers now accept some cryptocurrencies as payment.
- You can use a Visa or Mastercard crypto debit card to spend your crypto at any retailer, even if they don’t usually accept crypto.
- Spending your crypto has risks, which we’ll cover in the article below.
Retailers and corporations are quickly adopting cryptocurrencies as a form of payment for their goods and services. According to a 2022 survey conducted by Deloitte, 75% of retailers have plans to start accepting cryptocurrencies over the next two years.
Here’s a list of major companies that accept crypto directly or through partnerships with third-party services.
14 Companies That Accept Crypto Directly
Dozens of major companies allow you to buy goods and services and pay your bills using crypto. You can also use the SPEDN app to pay with crypto at many retailers that don’t otherwise accept crypto payments.
Companies accept crypto in several different ways:
- Directly.
- Through a third-party app, such as SPEDN.
- Via a Visa or Mastercard crypto card.
The table below features companies that accept crypto directly.
Use Crypto For | Cryptocurrencies Supported | Accepted Crypto Since | |
---|---|---|---|
AMC | Movie tickets | Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin | 2021 |
AT&T | Online bills | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin + more | 2019 |
CheapAir | Flight tickets and hotels | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin + more | 2013 |
Dish | Online bills Pay-per-view | Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash | 2014 |
ExpressVPN | Pay your ExpressVPN subscription | Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, USDC, BUSD, PAX, GUSD | 2014 |
Microsoft | Digital products from the Microsoft Store | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin + more | 2014 |
Newegg.com | Purchases made on Newegg.com | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin + more | 2014 |
Overstock.com | Goods purchased on Overtock.com | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple | 2014 |
PayPal | Pay with crypto at any merchant that enables crypto checkout through PayPal | Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum | 2014 |
Rakuten | Pay with crypto at Rakuten services like Rakuten Travel and Rakuten Mobile and load your Rakuten wallet for use at participating retailers | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash | 2019 |
Starbucks | Coffee and anything else in the store | Bitcoin, Ethereum | 2021 |
Tesla | Select items from the Tesla online shop | Dogecoin | 2021 |
Time Magazine | Time Magazine subscription | Bitcoin | 2021 |
Twitch | Buy Twitch “bits” | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin + more | 2014 |
1. AMC
As of November 2021, AMC movie theaters have been accepting crypto payments for movie tickets. When buying tickets online, customers can select to pay with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. AMC CEO Adam Aron announced in a tweet that AMC would support “Dogecoin next.”
2. AT&T
In 2019, AT&T became the first major American telecommunications company to accept cryptocurrency payments. AT&T customers can now pay their bills online using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and a number of other cryptocurrencies. Like many other merchants, AT&T uses BitPay (a Bitcoin payment service provider) to facilitate their crypto payments.
3. CheapAir
The budget travel agency, CheapAir has been an early adopter of cryptocurrencies, accepting Bitcoin as far back as 2013. You can use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin and stablecoins like USDC, DAI, and GUSD to purchase flight tickets. Hotels can also be booked with Bitcoin.
4. Dish
You can pay your cable and internet bill with crypto at Dish Network. The TV and internet provider supports Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash payments for monthly cable services, internet services, and pay-per-view movies and events.
5. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a provider of “virtual private network” services that allow users to mask their IP address when online. VPN services are popular among the privacy-conscious crowd, so it’s no surprise that ExpressVPN has been accepting crypto since 2014. You can pay with crypto directly on their website, and they support cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, USDC, BUSD, PAX, and GUSD.
6. Microsoft
Microsoft accepts crypto payments on products purchased through its Microsoft Store. This can include games for Xbox, music, desktop applications, and much more. Microsoft has partnered with BitPay and accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, GUSD, and more.
7. Newegg.com
Newegg is a popular store that sells electronics and computer parts. Its appeal to computer enthusiasts has made it crypto-friendly. The website supports crypto payments for all products through its partnership with BitPay. Newegg allows you to make purchases using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin, and more.
8. Overstock.com
The furniture and home decor website has become an unlikely champion of cryptocurrencies. They first started accepting crypto for website purchases back in 2014. In 2017 they doubled down on their crypto commitment through a partnership with ShapeShift (a crypto exchange.) Customers can select crypto as a payment method during checkout and pay in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, and more.
Overstock CEO and founder Patrick M. Byrne commented on the company’s pro-crypto position by saying, “Overstock is pro-freedom, including the freedom of individuals to communicate information about value and scarcity without relying on a medium created through the fiat of unaccountable government mandarins.”
9. PayPal
Online payment software PayPal has been wading into the crypto world for the last few years. PayPal facilitates the buying and selling of crypto directly. The app also allows customers to pay with crypto at checkout on merchant websites that accept PayPal. The cryptocurrencies supported on the platform are Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum.
10. Rakuten
The Japanese e-commerce company, Rakuten, has accepted cryptocurrency payments since 2019. Rakuten accepts Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum for its online brands and for payments made at retailers through Rakuten Pay.
11. Starbucks
The coffee giant started accepting crypto as payment in 2021. Customers can use Bitcoin and Ethereum to load their Starbucks digital cards with cash to spend at the coffee shop. In 2022, Starbucks took another step into the crypto world when they opened up their “Odyssey” NFT loyalty program to select customers.
12. Tesla
Tesla’s infamous co-founder and CEO, Elon Musk, is a cryptocurrency aficionado. In 2021, Tesla began accepting Bitcoin as payment for cars but halted the program shortly after. Now, Tesla accepts Dogecoin — it’s not for car purchases but rather for select items in their online shop.
13. Time Magazine
The long-running Time Magazine publication is stepping into the 21st century by accepting crypto payments for its magazine subscriptions. To facilitate payments, Time has partnered with the Crypto.com exchange. Users of the Crypto.com Pay service can use their crypto to make payments on Time Magazine’s website.
14. Twitch
The Amazon-owned online streaming service, Twitch, has been ahead of the curve when it comes to crypto adoption. They first started accepting crypto back in 2014. Despite briefly suspending crypto payments in 2019, they currently support over a dozen cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. To pay for Twitch services using crypto, you will need to sign up for a BitPay account.
Companies That Accept Crypto Through SPEDN
SPEDN is an app from the crypto payments service Flexa. The app allows you to spend crypto at a variety of merchants who normally do not take crypto payments. Flexa has partnered with crypto exchange Gemini to facilitate crypto payments in 99 different cryptocurrencies across 40,000 merchant locations.
When you pay with SPEDN, the service converts cryptocurrency to dollars in real-time. The store does not see that you are using cryptocurrency to pay for the transaction.
This makes SPEDN a perfect option for those looking to use crypto discreetly. To get started, download the SPEDN app from Flexa and sign up for an account. Once you add funds to your account, you can use the phone app to display a scannable QR code for payment.
Retail Stores
- Barnes & Noble
- GameStop
- Lowe’s
- Office Depot
- Petco
- Ulta Beauty
Fast Food & Restaurants
- Baskin Robbins
- Caribou Coffee
- Chipotle
- Jamba Juice
Grocery Stores
- Whole Foods Market
Entertainment Companies
- Regal Cinemas
Cryptocurrencies Supported By SPEDN:
- Bitcoin
- Ethereum
- USDC
- GUSD
- DAI
- + more (full list here)
How To Pay With Crypto Anywhere
Crypto debit cards from companies like Coinbase, Crypto.com, Binance, and many more are accepted anywhere Visa and Mastercard are accepted. You can also use your crypto to buy gift cards and spend them at any retailer.
Merchants can choose to either accept crypto directly or to work with a third party to convert crypto payments into fiat cash (such as US dollars) before processing the purchase.
The companies we list above all accept crypto natively or through an application like SPEDN. There are ways to pay with crypto at even more merchants. However, by using a third-party service that converts your crypto to fiat to complete the transaction.
Crypto cards that convert cryptocurrencies into fiat in order to complete a purchase may incur a taxable event. Since you are technically selling your crypto and buying fiat, you could be subject to capital gains tax if your crypto has appreciated since you initially purchased it. Converting stablecoins such as USDC or USDT into fiat does not incur this tax liability because these stablecoins are equal to a dollar in value.
Crypto Debit Cards
Visa and Mastercard, the two largest payment processors, have partnered with several of the most popular crypto companies to provide crypto debit cards. These cards are accepted anywhere that regular Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted — meaning you can use your crypto debit card just like a traditional debit card.
Card Provider | Card Type | Rewards Rate | Best For | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Coinbase Card | Visa | Debit | Up to 4% cashback | Low fees |
Crypto.com Card | Visa | Debit | 1% to 5% cashback in CRO token | CRO holders |
Binance Card | Visa | Debit | Up to 8% cashback in BNB token | EU residents |
BitPay Card | Mastercard | Debit | Varies by merchant | Frequent shoppers |
Gemini Card | Mastercard | Credit | 3% back on dining, 2% back on groceries, 1% back on everything else | Traditional Crypto Credit Cards |
Nexo Card | Mastercard | Credit | Up to 2% cashback in NEXO token | Collateralized-Loan Crypto Credit Cards |
Visa Crypto Cards
- Coinbase Visa Card: The Visa card from Coinbase lets you spend your Coinbase crypto balance anywhere Visa is accepted. There are no payment fees or annual fees, and you can even earn cashback rewards.
- Crypto.com Visa Card: The Crypto.com card allows you to spend your Crypto.com crypto balance and earn rewards in the process. There are five different card tiers, each with different benefits, including cashback rewards, free ATM withdrawals, and free streaming service subscriptions.
- Binance Visa Card: The Binance Visa card nets you up to 8% cashback in BNB tokens every time you spend. Enjoy free ATM withdrawals and no foreign exchange fees or annual fees. The Binance card is currently available for most European countries, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE, and Peru.
Mastercard Crypto Cards
- BitPay Mastercard: BitPay is one of the largest crypto payment processing companies. They’ve teamed up with Mastercard to bring you the BitPay crypto Mastercard which allows you to spend your balance anywhere Mastercard is accepted and earn rewards as you spend.
- Gemini Mastercard: Unlike the other cards on this list so far, the Gemini Mastercard is a credit card. Spend anywhere that Mastercard is accepted and pay your balance off at the end of the month. The card features rewards in 60+ cryptocurrencies and has no annual fee.
- Nexo Mastercard: The Nexo Mastercard is also a credit card that takes advantage of Nexo’s innovative lending model. To use the card, you need to deposit collateral, and Nexo then takes out a loan against your collateral. This means the card’s annual percentage rates (APRs) are very low, starting at just 2.9%.
Gift Cards
You can spend your crypto balance at retailers, restaurants, and online stores without using a crypto debit or credit card. Instead, you can use your crypto to purchase gift cards to your favorite stores.
Purchase gift cards from thousands of retailers using crypto here:
Should You Pay With Crypto?
Whether merchants support crypto or not, you can use crypto debit cards, credit cards, and gift cards to spend crypto almost anywhere. It’s important, however, to weigh the benefits and downsides of spending your crypto on everyday purchases and decide if it’s for you.
Crypto allows for anonymous transacting, but keep in mind that many companies are required by law to verify your identity. So while crypto payments are well-supported in general, spending your crypto anonymously may be harder.
Paying with crypto can be a good idea when you have a large crypto balance that you want to put to work or if you need a transaction to clear quickly.
Crypto payments can incur tax bills, however, and you might miss out on future price pumps.
Pros And Cons Of Paying With Crypto
Pros
- Spend in a currency of your choice
- Earn rewards
- Enjoy instant payment settlement
Cons
- You might have to pay taxes on converted crypto
- Extra fees
- You can miss out on gains
Pros Explained
- Spend in a currency of your choice: Whether you hold lots of Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or Ethereum, it’s nice to spend your crypto without converting it first. Today, you can take your crypto tokens directly to the store and walk out with tangible purchases.
- Earn rewards: Many crypto debit and credit card providers have a rewards program to incentivize spending. Traditional banks don’t typically offer debit card incentives, so taking advantage of cashback offers from crypto companies can be useful.
- Enjoy instant payment settlement: Blockchains are financial systems that settle transactions much quicker than traditional banks. While fiat payments may take days to clear, blockchain payments clear in just a few minutes.
Cons Explained
- You might have to pay taxes on converted crypto: Crypto debit cards and applications like SPEDN make crypto payments possible by converting your crypto to fiat. This may incur a tax liability, however, since you are technically selling your crypto assets. To avoid this, spend stablecoins, or spend at merchants who accept crypto natively (without requiring you to first convert it to fiat).
- Extra fees: Some merchants charge extra fees for crypto transactions. Additionally, some crypto card providers will also charge conversion fees when converting your crypto to fiat.
- You can miss out on gains: Many people who hold crypto hope for future price appreciation. History has taught us that paying for goods with crypto could be a bad trade in the long run. Famously, the first Bitcoin transaction was used to purchase two pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoins. Those Bitcoins would now be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most widely supported cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Following closely behind are Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin. Beyond that, popular altcoins such as Dogecoin, MATIC, ApeCoin, and stablecoins like USDC and DAI are also well supported.
US banks currently do not support cryptocurrency deposits. All cryptocurrency must be converted to fiat before being deposited in a bank.
There are hundreds of companies that support cryptocurrency. These include major corporations like AT&T, Microsoft, PayPal, and Starbucks.
Even if a company doesn’t accept crypto directly, you can use a crypto debit card to spend your crypto at any merchant that accepts Visa or Mastercard.
Crypto debit cards from Visa and Mastercard are used to convert your crypto balance into fiat (such as USD) in order to make purchases. This allows you to spend your crypto balance at any merchant that accepts Visa and Mastercard. Crypto companies such as Coinbase, Crypto.com, BitPay, and others provide crypto debit cards.
Keep in mind that using a crypto debit card may incur tax liabilities since the service will sell your crypto and acquire fiat in order to complete your purchase. This conversion may constitute a taxable event.
Amazon does not currently provide a checkout option for paying with crypto.
To spend crypto at Amazon, you can use a crypto debit card or purchase an Amazon gift card using your crypto balance.
Home Depot does not currently provide a checkout option for paying with crypto.
There are lots of online stores that accept cryptocurrency. Some include:
- The Microsoft Store
- Newegg.com
- Overstock.com
- Tesla
To spend Bitcoin at any clothing retailer, consider getting a crypto debit card from companies like Coinbase, Crypto.com, or BitPay.
There are currently no large real estate companies that accept crypto.
To make a real estate or home purchase using crypto, consider using your crypto as collateral to borrow fiat currency and complete your purchase that way.
Microsoft accepts Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for purchases made at the Microsoft Store.
Go Where Dollars Won’t: Step into the Future with Gemini
Money as we know it is evolving—Fast. The old days of waiting on bank transfers, losing money on fees, and dealing with borders are quickly fading. Picture this: You’re on a Martian Safari to capture an unforgettable photo of a herd of woolly mammoths grazing the Red Planet. Or maybe you’re skiing down an asteroid’s…