Top 7 Large-Scale Crypto Payment Integrations of H1 2025

The first half of 2025 has marked a decisive shift toward the broader adoption of crypto payments across traditional sectors of the global economy. Integration efforts emerged across a range of industries, and many of these initiatives stand out for their scale and boldness, reaching millions of users and thousands of merchants worldwide. 

The editorial team at CP Media has selected seven high-profile cases of crypto payment integration announced in 2025 that clearly illustrate the accelerating trend of digital assets gaining traction as a legitimate means of payment.

Visa Integrates Stablecoins Into Its Global Payments Network

In May 2025, global payments giant Visa announced the integration of stablecoins into its core infrastructure. In partnership with Bridge, the company is launching a stablecoin-enabled card powered by a unified API, enabling direct crypto payments at millions of merchant locations worldwide. The initiative marks a major step toward mainstreaming blockchain-based solutions for everyday transactions, enhancing the usability of stablecoins within the global economy. 

Visa is also expanding its stablecoin settlement program for banks and payment service providers. A notable example is its partnership with fintech firm Yellow Card, which aims to streamline cross-border transfers in emerging markets by leveraging stablecoins as a more efficient alternative to traditional rails. As a result, Visa is reinforcing its position in the payments market by adapting traditional payment rails to support digital assets and enabling 24/7 settlement without relying on conventional banking infrastructure. 

Mastercard Launches Global Crypto Settlement Capabilities 

Visa’s chief rival, Mastercard, made a bold move in February 2025, signaling a shift from experimentation with cryptocurrencies to real-world implementation. The company unveiled a range of initiatives, including:

• A stablecoin-ready payment infrastructure
• On- and off-ramp services enabling users to buy and withdraw crypto via bank payments
• Crypto Credential — a system designed to make crypto transfers more user-friendly and secure.

By April, Mastercard had launched a platform enabling both consumers and businesses to seamlessly send and receive stablecoin payments across borders, fully integrated with the traditional financial system. In June, Mastercard cardholders gained the ability to purchase crypto assets directly on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) via a partnership with Swapper Finance, bypassing intermediaries entirely.

This comprehensive strategy highlights Mastercard’s effort to build lasting bridges between the crypto ecosystem and legacy finance, accelerating the mainstream adoption of blockchain-based payments across sectors.

Shopify Enables Stablecoin Payments for Millions of Merchants 

One of the most impactful developments in e-сommerce this year has been the integration of crypto payments into the Shopify platform via Stripe. In June 2025, it was announced that millions of Shopify merchants would be able to accept payments in USDC, the U.S. dollar–pegged stablecoin issued on the Base blockchain.

USDC was seamlessly embedded into both Shopify Payments and Shop Pay, powered by Stripe Connect infrastructure. The rollout spans 34 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and most of Europe. 

The Shopify–Stripe partnership marks a watershed moment for crypto adoption in e-commerce, demonstrating how digital assets are beginning to function as a practical and scalable payment option across mainstream platforms. 

Emirates Airlines Embraces Crypto for Flight Bookings 

In June 2025, Emirates Airlines, one of the world’s largest carriers, announced plans to enable cryptocurrency payments in partnership with Crypto.com. The initiative targets younger, tech-savvy travelers who prefer digital currencies over traditional payment methods. The rollout is slated for 2026.

Earlier in 2025, fellow UAE-based airline Air Arabia unveiled its own crypto initiative, enabling customers to book flights using AE Coin, a dirham-backed stablecoin. The project’s technical partner is Al Maryah Community Bank (Mbank), a digital-first banking institution.

Together, the Emirates and Air Arabia cases signal the growing acceptance of cryptocurrency as a viable payment option in the travel industry. 

Square to Roll Out Native Bitcoin Payments for Merchants

In May 2025, fintech company Block unveiled plans to integrate native Bitcoin payments into its Square platform — a significant leap forward for small and medium-sized businesses. The integration will leverage the Lightning Network to enable instant BTC transactions at the point of sale.

The new functionality was showcased at the Bitcoin 2025 conference, where Square demonstrated a Point-of-Sale (POS) application that allows any merchant to scan a Lightning QR code and receive BTC directly to their device.

Full-scale rollout is expected in the second half of 2025, with broader availability anticipated in 2026, pending regulatory approval. Once launched, the feature will be accessible to all merchants within Square’s payment ecosystem.

With millions of sellers worldwide, from neighborhood coffee shops to major retailers, already relying on Square, the move could accelerate the adoption of crypto payments in offline commerce and small business operations. This marks a pivotal step toward positioning digital assets as a viable medium of exchange in real-world retail environments. 

Uber Signals Interest in Stablecoin-Based Payment Solutions  

In June 2025, reports emerged that Uber is actively exploring the use of stablecoins for cross-border settlements, aiming to cut international transaction costs and boost the efficiency of its global financial operations.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi described stablecoins as “one of the most compelling forms of crypto implementation,” highlighting their practical benefits. He noted that stablecoins could enable fast, low-cost, and transparent transactions across all participants in Uber’s global ecosystem.

While Uber has previously expressed interest in decentralized technologies, the company’s 2025 positioning marks a notable shift, from theoretical blockchain scenarios to real-world payment optimization. Uber’s growing focus on digital assets aligns with its broader push toward operational digital transformation.

Klarna Unveils Crypto Adoption Plans Amid Fintech Market Shift 

Swedish FinTech company Klarna, a global leader in buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions, had long kept its distance from digital assets. But in February 2025, CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski announced that the company plans to embrace cryptocurrencies. The statement came amid Klarna’s preparations for a potential IPO in the United States, though those plans were shelved in April.

Since then, no formal updates have been issued, but sources suggest the crypto integration is still under internal development. Should Klarna move forward, it would represent one of the largest crypto payment integrations to date. The company serves 85 million customers, partners with 500,000 merchants, and processes roughly $100 billion in transactions annually. With that scale, Klarna’s entry into crypto would instantly make digital asset payments accessible to a massive global user base, further blurring the line between fintech and the decentralized economy.

Each of the integration cases outlined above is unique in its own right, yet all point to the same macro trend defining 2025: cryptocurrencies are gradually evolving from speculative or investment assets into widely accepted payment instruments, a shift particularly evident in the case of stablecoins.

From global payment networks to industry-specific service providers, the move toward digital currency integration reflects not only the maturation of the underlying technology but also a steady increase in institutional trust and commercial adoption.