Block Inc.’s Square has enabled roughly one million U.S. merchants to accept Bitcoin payments through an auto-enrollment rollout that began for eligible sellers in late March, with merchants able to opt in, modify, or disable the option within the existing Square checkout flow.

This push marks a major expansion of crypto payments for everyday merchants, offering a simple, Lightning-enabled checkout option that settles in dollars.

The initial focus targets small-ticket, everyday purchases—coffee, haircuts, food trucks—with an emphasis on ease of use and clear reporting rather than catering to large enterprise needs.

Block is rolling out a tap-to-pay BTC feature via NFC hardware and the Lightning Network, aiming to replace QR codes and reduce processing fees through 2026.

The article is a republished piece from Bitcoin Magazine, including standard accuracy and attribution disclaimers.

Limitations include lack of Bitcoin support in New York, no BTC chargebacks or disputes, and refunds handled as store gift cards rather than card reversals.

Bitcoin payments are treated as a practical option settled in dollars by default, using Lightning-enabled wallets at checkout, with a $600 per-transaction cap and a $20,000 daily limit.

Block aims to make Bitcoin usable as everyday money and to expand BTC adoption across its ecosystem, promoting BTC as peer-to-peer cash.

Block’s Q1 2026 proof-of-reserves shows 28,355.05 BTC worth about $2.2 billion, reflecting its crypto asset position at the end of Q1 2026.

Square’s rollout moves Bitcoin from theory to actual checkout behavior, testing whether a mainstream, low-friction path can normalize BTC as a payment option.

Auto-enrollment may inflate adoption metrics since availability doesn’t equal active usage, but the infrastructure could drive eventual behavioral changes in merchant workflows.

Block introduced an updated Bitkey hardware wallet with a touchscreen and 2-of-3 multisig to simplify self-custody and emphasize security.