💳 Square Opens Crypto Checkout for 4 Million Merchants — Bitcoin Just Got Real

Square (the parent company of Cash App, now rebranded as Block) has launched a major feature called "Bitcoin Payments" on November 10, 2025. This rollout instantly enables over 4 million merchants across the U.S. (excluding New York) to accept Bitcoin (BTC) payments directly at the point of sale.

The feature is directly integrated into Square's Point-of-Sale (POS) system and utilizes the Lightning Network, Bitcoin's Layer-2 protocol, to process transactions instantly. When a customer chooses to pay with Bitcoin, the terminal displays a QR Code for a Lightning Invoice, which the customer can scan using any Lightning-enabled wallet (such as Cash App). Merchants have the flexibility to settle the sales in either Bitcoin or instantly convert them into U.S. dollars (USD) to manage price volatility risk.

A key incentive offered by Square is the waiver of 0% processing fees through the end of 2026, with a flat 1% fee set to begin on January 1, 2027. This move not only lowers costs for merchants but also helps them avoid chargebacks, a significant pain point for small businesses, as Bitcoin transactions are final. Additionally, Square launched "Bitcoin Conversions," an automated service that allows sellers to convert up to 50% of their daily card or ACH revenue into Bitcoin held in a Square wallet.

This launch represents one of the largest merchant rollouts for Bitcoin payments in history. It is part of Jack Dorsey's broader strategy to push Bitcoin utility into everyday commerce, positioning BTC as more than just an investment asset—it is now a functional payment option embedded in one of America's most widely used merchant platforms. This development facilitates the use of Bitcoin for daily transactions like buying coffee, getting a haircut, or purchasing concert tickets, bypassing traditional card networks and financial intermediaries.