Signs that cryptocurrency is transitioning from a speculative asset to a legitimate form of payment are appearing across the United States.
The convergence of merchant adoption, big banks’ entry into the Bitcoin sector, and massive investments in payments infrastructure are fueling predictions that 2026 could mark the tipping point for crypto payments.
39% of merchants already accept crypto
According to a survey published on January 27 by PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA), 39% of American merchants already accept cryptocurrency payments. Meanwhile, 84% expect crypto payments to become mainstream within the next five years.
Consumer demand is driving adoption. Eighty-eight percent of merchants say they receive customer inquiries about paying with crypto, and 69% say customers want to use crypto at least once a month. By generation, interest from Millennials (77%) and Gen Z (73%) is overwhelming. Small businesses in particular have the highest inquiry rates from Gen Z at 82%, far outpacing mid-sized businesses (67%) and large businesses (65%).
Source: National Cryptocurrency Association and PayPal
By sector, hospitality and travel tops the list at 81%, followed by digital goods, gaming and luxury retail (76%), and retail and e-commerce (69%).
“What we’re seeing both in this data and in conversations with our customers is that crypto payments are moving beyond experimentation and into everyday commerce,” said May Zabaneh, vice president and general manager of Crypto at PayPal. “When crypto payments are offered in a way as familiar as cards or online payments, they become a powerful tool for growth.”
One striking finding is that 90% of merchants said they would accept crypto if the setup process was as easy as accepting credit cards.
“What this data clearly shows is that interest in crypto is not the problem, but understanding,” said Stu Alderoty, president of the NCA. “We are working together to help close the knowledge gap and show how crypto can be simple, accessible and easy for businesses and everyday consumers.”
60% of the largest US banks are turning to Bitcoin
Traditional finance is also evolving rapidly. According to January 2025 data from crypto financial platform River, 60% of the 25 largest U.S. banks by assets – 15 institutions – have launched or announced Bitcoin custody or trading services.
60% of the largest American banks are active in Bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/AqceDDfjDP
– River (@River) January 26, 2026
PNC Group launched custody and trading services. JPMorgan Chase, Charles Schwab and UBS have announced trading services, while Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo offer services to wealthy clients. American Express has introduced a Bitcoin rewards card.
Just a year ago, most Wall Street giants maintained a wait-and-see approach. They are now rushing into the crypto sector, a clear indication that demand from institutional investors and high net worth individuals has reached levels too great to ignore.
Mesh Achieves Unicorn Status as Capital Flows into Infrastructure
Investments in payment infrastructure are accelerating. Crypto payments network Mesh announced on January 27 that it had raised $75 million in Series C funding, achieving unicorn status with a valuation of $1 billion. Total funding now exceeds $200 million.
Dragonfly Capital led the round, with participation from Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures and SBI Investment. Notably, part of the financing was settled using stablecoins. Mesh described this as “definitive proof that global institutions now comfortably rely on blockchain-native settlement when enterprise-grade execution, auditability and controls are firmly in place.”
Mesh’s core technology, SmartFunding, enables an “Any-to-Any” structure: consumers pay with any cryptocurrency they hold, whether Bitcoin or Solana, while merchants receive instant settlement in their preferred stable currency (USDC, PYUSD) or fiat currency. The network currently reaches more than 900 million users worldwide.
“The winners of the next decade will not be those who issue the most tokens, but those who build the network of networks that makes traditional card rails obsolete,” said Bam Azizi, co-founder and CEO of Mesh.
Will 2026 be the turning point?
All three data points converge in a single direction. Consumer demand for crypto payments, especially among younger generations, has reached critical mass. Traditional merchants and financial institutions are responding. And massive capital is flowing into infrastructure to support it all.
Challenges remain. As the PayPal-NCA survey revealed, simplicity remains the biggest barrier. But it’s encouraging to see that companies like Mesh are working to hide the complexity behind the scenes and deliver a user experience identical to traditional payments.
Cryptocurrency is moving from the realm of speculation to the realm of infrastructure. 2026 could be the year the income transition begins.
The article 39% of merchants, 60% of banks: crypto payments reach a tipping point appeared first on BeInCrypto.
