- Shopify and Coinbase allow merchants to accept USDC stablecoin payments, making crypto transactions easier for over 700 million customers.
- Mastercard partners with ChainLink to let cardholders buy cryptocurrency directly on decentralized exchanges using their standard payment cards.
- Stablecoin transactions through Shopify process instantly and cost less than traditional payment methods, with network fees typically under 1%.
- The recent passing of the Genius Act and regulatory clarity for digital assets have increased institutional interest and boosted share prices for crypto companies.
- Experts and business owners report lower costs, faster settlement, and broader international reach with stablecoin payments compared to bank transfers or credit cards.
On May 21, 2025, Shopify and Coinbase made USDC stablecoin payments available to merchants on the Shopify platform. The change lets businesses provide 24/7 crypto settlement for over 700 million customers worldwide. At the same time, Mastercard and Chainlink launched direct crypto purchases for Mastercard’s 3.5 billion cardholders, powered by a service called Swapper Finance.
This update comes as lawmakers passed the Genius Act, giving more regulatory clarity to stablecoins—cryptocurrencies tied to stable assets like the U.S. dollar. Following the news, Coinbase shares jumped 16% and Circle—the company behind USDC—rose 25%. According to Shopify’s announcement, USDC’s monthly global payment volume exceeded $1 trillion, with transaction activity growing 78% year-over-year across 21 blockchain networks.
Merchants can now choose USDC payments through Shopify Payments. The platform manages technical steps automatically, so sellers do not need to understand crypto wallet management or security. “Coins like USDC are especially appealing to buyers because they’re stable compared to other crypto assets … With this new update, the checkout experience will be much smoother, which I think will encourage even more adoption,” said Phurba Sherpa, director of e-commerce at Wrist Aficionado.
With the Mastercard-Chainlink partnership, consumers can use their existing payment cards to buy digital currency without setting up a crypto wallet or using a separate exchange. Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive vice president of blockchain, stated, “This is what crypto looks like when it’s ready for the real world.” The service uses blockchain technology, which keeps a public record of every transaction.
Early adopters pointed out that crypto payments offer lower fees and faster settlements than regular payment processors. For example, traditional credit card fees can be over 3%, while stablecoin transactions often cost less than 1%. Payments settle instantly worldwide, bypassing bank delays and currency conversion fees, which can reach 2–5% per transaction.
Laura El, founder of online art business Stellar Villa, said, “I’ve been able to collect payment from buyers around the world in a matter of seconds … When I accept USDC payments directly to my digital wallet, the only cost I incur is a small transaction fee, which on networks like Base or Solana can be just fractions of a penny.”
Past crypto payment programs included VISA-taps-solana-and-usdc-stablecoin-to-boost-cross-border-payments”>Visa’s 2023 pilot with USDC cross-border payments and earlier retail experiments by Whole Foods and Barnes & Noble, as reported here. The current scale and support from finance leaders mark the largest step yet in moving digital assets into everyday commerce.
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