Retailers Accepting Crypto Payments – With Instant Settlement in Cash

Cryptocurrency payments are gaining interest in the retail world, from luxury watches to fast food. As consumers express interest in paying with digital assets, businesses see a means of gaining a larger customer base.

With a new generation of crypto payment solutions now available, businesses can accept crypto seamlessly, converting it instantly to their local currency. The merchants never touch the crypto, so there is no need to worry about crypto volatility, wallets to manage, or compliance headaches.

A Shift in Retail Payments

Consumer desire to use crypto at checkout is growing fast. The numbers back it up: 65 million Americans now own crypto, and according to Capital One, 80% would like to use it for everyday purchases. 

These consumers may be shopping for luxury items, but they also want to pay for groceries, plane tickets, and even fast food with digital currency. What’s more, crypto users typically spend twice as much as those using traditional cards.

Retailers are responding. In the United States alone, over 6,000 merchants already accept Bitcoin payments, and a Deloitte survey reveals that 85% of retailers see crypto as a tool to engage new audiences.

Early Adoption Across Sectors

The pay by crypto option isn’t just theoretical — businesses are already seeing the impact. PDX Beam has been piloting its payment gateway with dozens of merchants across diverse industries, from diamond sellers to luxury car dealerships. By offering crypto-based payment these businesses are accessing a new demographic of spenders.

One international fast-food chain is launching a crypto payment pilot in ten Miami-Dade locations, part of its expansive U.S. presence of 6,800 outlets. These tests could soon bring crypto payments to the mainstream of fast-food transactions.

Beyond individual retailers, major retail payment players behind the scenes are getting involved. A $7.5 billion financial institution has signed a deal to process crypto payments, while a private equity group is using PDX Beam to enable crypto transactions for its portfolio of retailers.

Eliminating Crypto Exposure for Merchants

For most merchants, the biggest worry is dealing with crypto’s price swings and the operational headaches of managing digital assets. PDX Beam’s modern crypto-to-cash gateway eliminates that concern entirely. When a customer pays in crypto, the system instantly converts it to local currency and deposits the funds directly into the merchant’s account — usually within seconds.

Retailers don’t touch the crypto themselves, meaning there’s no exposure to volatility and no need to maintain separate crypto accounts. Plus, because these payments settle on blockchain rails, they help reduce the risk of chargeback fraud, offering merchants an extra layer of security.

Lower Fees and Instant Settlement

Another major benefit is the fees associated with crypto payments. While traditional card payments come with fees that can reach 3-4% for standard transactions and up to 7% in high-risk sectors (including cannabis stores), crypto payments bypass these intermediaries, lowering transaction costs to less than half Visa/MC charges.

Settlement speeds are another major advantage. Credit card transactions can take days to clear, but crypto payments through these new gateways settle in real time or the same day — helping retailers improve cash flow.

Positioning for the Future

The shift toward crypto payments isn’t slowing down. Big banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs are launching crypto products, and the U.S. government is laying the groundwork for regulations that will support the growing digital asset economy. Worldpay forecasts that crypto spending worldwide will more than double by 2030, from $16 billion to $38 billion.

For retailers, the takeaway is clear: crypto payments aren’t a passing trend. Consumers want to use it, and with modern gateways eliminating risk and complexity, merchants can meet this demand safely and efficiently. 

By enabling crypto transactions without ever directly handling digital assets, retailers can meet the needs of this new generation of shoppers who are living increasingly digital-first lives.