A fresh European Central Bank survey shows cryptocurrency adoption as a payment method remains negligible across the eurozone. The report, based on interviews with 8,205 businesses in all 21 euro-area countries conducted between February 23 and April 10, found that only 0.2% of online merchants accept crypto assets, while in-store acceptance remains below 1%.
The contrast with broader digital payment growth is stark. Mobile payment acceptance at physical locations jumped to 68% in 2026 from 36% in 2024, while cash remains the most accepted method at 92% and physical cards at 88%. Even stablecoins, often promoted as a less volatile payment option, failed to gain traction, with acceptance still under 1%.
The survey highlighted that consumer demand is the main driver of merchant payment choices, cited by 26% of respondents, followed by security at 22% and ease of handling at 15%. This suggests a self-reinforcing loop: limited consumer appetite gives merchants little reason to integrate crypto payments, while high volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and setup complexity add further barriers.
The ECB used Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether’s USDT as examples when asking about crypto or stablecoin acceptance. However, the report did not clarify whether merchants should count cases where a customer pays in crypto but the business receives settlement in traditional currency, leaving some uncertainty over whether crypto-enabled payments may be underreported.
