Euro Area Merchants Shun Crypto Payments Amid Mobile Payment Surge

The European Central Bank (ECB) recently released a survey that shed light on merchant acceptance of crypto payments in the euro area. The results showed that only 0.2% of online sellers accepted crypto assets, while mobile payment acceptance reached 68%. This significant gap suggests that crypto still operates mainly outside everyday merchant payments across the currency bloc.

The ECB surveyed 8,205 businesses across all 21 euro area countries and found that among online sellers, 82% accepted payment cards and 74% accepted credit transfers. However, only 0.2% reported accepting crypto assets, which includes Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether. The physical locations showed a similar pattern for crypto payments, with acceptance below 1% across both 2024 and 2026.

The survey also highlighted the growing adoption of mobile payments, with instant payments and digital wallets being the most common options. Bank checks, on the other hand, fell to 27% acceptance from 36% in 2024. This shift towards mobile payments suggests that merchants are moving faster towards digital solutions than crypto-linked options.