Square has enabled Bitcoin payments by default for eligible US businesses. Sellers didn’t need to opt in, submit a form or attend a webinar.
Merchants pay 0% in processing fees through December 31. After that, a flat 1% fee applies.
How the rollout works
Square, the payments platform owned by Block, Inc., began automatically enabling Bitcoin acceptance on March 30, 2026. The full rollout to eligible sellers is scheduled to finish by November 10, 2026.
The scale matters: Square’s merchant network includes more than four million sellers.
Payments are processed over the Lightning Network, a layer built on Bitcoin to enable fast, low-cost transactions.
In practice, settlement is nearly instant.
Merchants receive US dollars by default. The customer’s Bitcoin is automatically converted at the time of payment. Sellers who want to hold Bitcoin can choose to keep it instead.
The fine print
The fee schedule is simple. Processing is free through December 31, 2026, then switches to a flat 1% starting January 1, 2027.
The service has limits: individual transactions are capped at approximately $600, while each seller has a daily limit of about $20,000.
Availability is also restricted by location. The service is not available in New York or certain other jurisdictions.
Square says merchants won’t need new equipment. The feature works with existing tools, including Square Register and Invoices, as well as Square’s apps.
Square is also allowing businesses to convert up to 50% of eligible daily card sales into Bitcoin.
Why Block is doing this
The launch is part of Block’s continuing push to integrate crypto into everyday commerce. CEO Jack Dorsey and Bitcoin product head Miles Suter are leading the initiative.
The approach addresses two common concerns small businesses have about accepting Bitcoin: price volatility and operational complexity. Automatic conversion to dollars addresses the first, while integration with existing Square tools addresses the second.
The more significant philosophical shift is moving from opt-in to enabled by default.
What this means for merchants, customers and Bitcoin
For merchants, the short-term calculation is straightforward. Through December 31, they can accept Bitcoin without processing fees, without new hardware, and receive payment in dollars unless they choose otherwise.
The transaction cap of approximately $600 and daily limit of roughly $20,000 restrict high-value uses. The exclusion of New York and other jurisdictions also shows that regulation continues to determine where the service can operate.
Source: cryptobriefing.com. Adapted by NBTC.
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