OKX has published new transaction data from its OKX Card in the European Economic Area, revealing that consumers are increasingly using stablecoins for routine daily purchases. The analysis, covering settled card transactions between January 28 and February 26, 2026, shows cryptocurrencies moving from speculative assets into practical payment tools.
Grocery stores and supermarkets dominated spending, accounting for 26% of all OKX Card transactions. Restaurants and fast food followed at 18%, pushing food-related spending to roughly 44% of total activity. This pattern sharply contrasts with the older narrative of crypto cards funding luxury items or high-value discretionary spending. An OKX spokesperson noted the data “reflects the majority of daily spending behaviors” and includes utilities and other routine categories, countering the perception that crypto is only for high-end expenditures.
Country-level breakdowns highlight localized adoption. In France, bakeries made up 5% of transactions, more than double the EEA average of 2%. Germany saw 30% of transactions on online marketplaces, far above the 13% European average. The Netherlands recorded the highest grocery concentration at 37%, while Poland stood out for in-person convenience store and fuel station purchases. These differences mirror existing national consumer habits, suggesting stablecoin-powered cards are integrating seamlessly into mainstream spending.
At the core of this shift are stablecoins like USDC and USDG, which underpin the OKX Card infrastructure. Instead of manual pre-conversion, the card converts stablecoins to euros at point of sale via the Mastercard network, so merchants receive fiat without friction. OKX emphasized this real-time mechanism, combined with a newly obtained Payment Institution license under the EU’s MiCA framework, removes compliance uncertainty and positions the card as a regulated competitor to traditional fintech offerings. Broader industry data supports the trend: a 2025 Cex.io report found that 45% of crypto card transactions in Europe were under $10, and about 40% occurred online, versus a euro-area online card average of 21%.
The company says the dataset captures “any high-value outliers” but predominantly reflects everyday spending. The findings indicate that stablecoin payments are evolving from niche experiments to a legitimate part of European consumer finance.
