In a notable trend throughout 2025, Bitcoin acceptance among merchants across various industries experienced substantial growth. According to data supplied by BTC Map, a platform monitoring businesses that accept Bitcoin as payment, the number of merchants recently verified as accepting Bitcoin increased by 53% year-over-year. As of the latest figures, there are 11,242 merchants verified within the last twelve months, contributing to a total of 19,910 merchants accepting Bitcoin globally.
Industry observers, including Jameson Lopp, Chief Security Officer at Casa, a firm specializing in self-custody cryptocurrency solutions, have pointed to Block Inc.'s Square as a principal catalyst behind this adoption surge. Square's integration of Bitcoin payments into its point-of-sale (POS) system simplified the process for merchants to accept Bitcoin in everyday transactions, effectively expanding Bitcoin's usability beyond niche markets.
BTC Map officials concur that Square has played a significant role. However, they also note that increases in Bitcoin acceptance were widespread across different platforms and sectors, suggesting a broader acceptance trend rather than growth isolated to a single service.
Further highlighting Bitcoin's growing role in commerce, BitPay, a leading global cryptocurrency payment processor, reported that Bitcoin accounted for more than 31% of the digital payments it processed worldwide in 2025. This statistic underscores Bitcoin's increasing prominence as a viable payment option alongside traditional currencies.
Block Inc.'s Strategic Initiatives with Square
In 2025, Block Inc. implemented features to augment the appeal of Bitcoin payments for Square merchants. One of the most impactful policies introduced was the suspension of processing fees for Bitcoin transactions until 2027, lowering barriers for merchants considering Bitcoin payments.
Additionally, Square unveiled a "Conversion" feature enabling sellers to convert a portion of their credit or debit card sales directly into Bitcoin, facilitating easier accumulation of the cryptocurrency through everyday business operations. Complementing this, the company launched a native cryptocurrency wallet designed to empower sellers with comprehensive control over their Bitcoin holdings, including capabilities for buying, selling, holding, and withdrawing Bitcoin amounts.
Market Performance Context
From a market standpoint, Bitcoin showed positive momentum at the time of reporting, trading at approximately $92,611.00 per unit, reflecting a 1.38% increase over the past 24 hours based on data from Benzinga Pro. Meanwhile, Block Inc.'s shares closed slightly higher by 0.09% at $65.15 during the last trading session, although the stock experienced a decline of close to 30% in the previous year.
According to Benzinga's proprietary Edge Rankings, Block Inc. scored particularly well in the Growth category, achieving a score of 90.36 out of 100, indicating strong growth potential despite recent stock price volatility.
Key Points
- Merchant adoption of Bitcoin grew by 53% in 2025, with recently verified merchant numbers reaching 11,242.
- Block Inc.'s Square played a significant role through the integration of Bitcoin payment acceptance into its POS system and product innovations.
- Bitcoin made up over 31% of global payments processed by BitPay in 2025, underscoring increased usage.
- Block's initiatives include waiving Bitcoin payment processing fees until 2027 and introducing a merchant wallet with buy, sell, hold, and withdrawal functionalities.
Risks and Uncertainties
- The stock price of Block Inc. has fallen nearly 30% over the past year, reflecting potential market volatility despite recent growth factors.
- While growth in Bitcoin acceptance is significant, it remains contingent on broader merchant adoption and continued consumer demand for cryptocurrency transactions.
- Regulatory or technological changes impacting cryptocurrency payments could affect ongoing merchant enthusiasm and infrastructure development.
- The reliance on platforms like BTC Map and BitPay for data highlights potential limitations in comprehensively tracking all Bitcoin merchant activity globally.