At Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas from May 27–29, shoppers can try it out at the BTC Inc. merchandise store.
Based on reports, the first phase rolls out later this year. Then, subject to approvals, every eligible seller could be live by 2026. That means millions of Square users may add bitcoin to their checkouts alongside credit cards and cash. It’s a big step for a tool many small shops already use.
Block first let merchants convert part of their daily takings into bitcoin in 2024. Now they’ll take crypto up front. When a customer pays, Square’s app handles the exchange rate and confirmation. Stores see payouts faster. And customers who hold bitcoin get to use it without extra steps.
Block isn’t stopping at payments. Its Cash App has had bitcoin buy, sell, and send features for years. Then there’s Bitkey, launched in March 2024, a self-custody wallet without tricky seed phrases.
Soon it will add stronger privacy and smarter recovery tools, including ways to pass funds on to heirs. There’s also Proto mining gear and Spiral, which backs bitcoin projects. Together, they cover buying, storing, spending, and even building with bitcoin.
Meanwhile, regulators will watch closely. Approvals may vary by region. But if all goes as planned, shoppers will see a new “bitcoin” button on Square screens in early 2026.
It’s early days, but this looks like a real test of bitcoin’s original peer-to-peer idea. Some will welcome lower fees and fast settlement. Others will wait and see if it sticks. Either way, small shops soon have a fresh way to get paid.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
