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Signs that cryptocurrencies are moving from being speculative assets to a legitimate form of payment are emerging across the United States.
The combination of merchant adoption, the entry of major banks into the Bitcoin business, and the influx of massive investments in payment infrastructure have fueled the expectation that 2026 could mark the turning point for digital currency payments.
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39% of merchants already accept cryptocurrencies
A survey published on January 27 by PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA) revealed that 39% of US merchants already accept cryptocurrency payments, while 84% expect that cryptocurrency payments will become common in the next five years.
Consumer demand drives adoption. 88% of merchants have received questions from customers about paying with cryptocurrency, and 69% said that customers like to use cryptocurrency at least once a month. By generation, the interest of Millennials (77%) and Gen Zers (73%) is clear. It’s worth noting that small businesses see the highest rates of inquiries from Generation Z at 82%, far surpassing medium-sized businesses at 67%, and large companies at 65%.
The sectors are ranked as follows: hospitality and travel lead at 81%, followed by digital goods, gaming and luxury retail at 76%, and retail and e-commerce at 69%.
May Zaabana, Vice President and General Manager of Cryptocurrencies at PayPal, stated that what we have observed in this data and through our conversations with customers, is that digital currency payments are moving beyond the experimental era and entering the field of everyday commerce. She added: When digital currency payments are offered in ways similar to credit cards or electronic payments, they become a powerful tool for growth.
A striking result shows that 90% of merchants indicated that they would accept cryptocurrencies if setting up the service was as easy as receiving credit cards.
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Stu Aldrody, president of the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), said that what this data shows is that interest in cryptocurrencies is not the problem, but intelligence is. He continued: Let’s work together to bridge the knowledge gap and show how digital currencies can be simple, available and easy for businesses and consumers.
60% of the largest US banks are moving to Bitcoin
The traditional financial system is also accelerating. According to January 2025 data from cryptocurrency platform River Financial, 60% of the 25 largest US banks by assets – that is, 15 institutions – have launched or announced Bitcoin custody or trading services.
PNC Group Bank has now launched combined custody and trading services. JPMorgan Chase, Charles Schwab and UBS have announced offering trading services, while Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo are now offering their services to high net worth clients. American Express has introduced a Bitcoin rewards card.
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Just a year ago, most Wall Street giants adopted a wait-and-see approach. Now they have arrived in the cryptocurrency sector-they clearly show that the demand of institutional investors and high net worth individuals has reached levels that cannot be ignored.
Mesh achieves unicorn status as capital flows into infrastructure
Investments in payment infrastructure are accelerating significantly. Cryptocurrency payment network Mesh announced on January 27 that it has raised $75 million in a Series C funding round, achieving a $1 billion valuation to become a unicorn. Total funding has now exceeded $200 million.
Venture capitalist Dragonfly Capital led the round with participation from Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures and SBI Investments. It should be noted that part of the funding was settled with stablecoins. Mesh described this as compelling evidence that global institutions can rely on blockchain settlement when institutional implementation standards, auditability and controls are in place.
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Mesh’s core technology, SmartFunding, allows an “A-to-A” structure: consumers pay with any cryptocurrency they own – whether Bitcoin or Solana – while merchants receive immediate settlement in their preferred stablecoin (USDC, PYUSD) or fiat. The network currently includes more than 900 million users worldwide.
The winners of the next decade will not be those who issue the most tokens, but rather those who build the network of networks that render traditional card paths useless, said Pam Azizi, co-founder and CEO of Mesh.
Will 2026 be the turning point?
All three data points trend in one direction. Consumer demand for cryptocurrency payments, especially among younger generations, is reaching critical mass. Traditional businesses and financial institutions are responding. Huge capital is flowing into infrastructure to support this transformation.
Challenges remain. The PayPal-NCA survey revealed that simplicity remains the biggest obstacle. But it remains encouraging that companies like Mesh are focusing on hiding the complexity behind the scenes and providing a user experience identical to traditional payments.
Cryptocurrency is moving from the speculative sphere to the infrastructure sphere. 2026 may be the year this transformation really begins.
