ECB finds crypto payment acceptance marginal among euro area firms

The data shows crypto remains a marginal payment method in Europe, despite the region’s expanding regulatory framework for digital assets.

Crypto-asset payments are accepted by only a small share of consumer-facing companies in the euro area, according to a European Central Bank survey.

Among companies selling goods and services online, 0.2% reported accepting crypto-assets, including stablecoins. Acceptance at physical points of sale stood at approximately 1%.

The ECB conducted 8,205 interviews across all 21 euro area countries. The survey covered companies selling to consumers in retail, restaurants and cafes, hotels, and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector. The findings, therefore, do not represent every company in the euro area or the wider EU economy.

Traditional and mainstream digital payment methods remained far more widely available. Among companies that accept payments at physical locations, 92% accept cash and 88% accept cards. Mobile payment acceptance increased from 36% in 2024 to 68% in 2026.

For online sales, 82% of companies accepted cards and 74% accepted credit transfers. The comparison indicates that the broader expansion of digital payments has largely involved established payment instruments rather than crypto-assets.