Key takeaways:

• Coffee shops, swift food chains like Starbucks and Sheetz, and retailers like Microsoft and Home Depot accept cryptocurrency payments through apps and third-party processors.

• More and more platforms are gradually enabling the employ of Bitcoin, Ether and XRP for travel and airline bookings at scale.

• Luxury brands, high-end car showrooms and developers are integrating cryptocurrency payments for premium goods and real estate.

• Payment processors can make it easier for petite businesses to accept cryptocurrencies by instantly converting them to fiat currency and reducing compliance costs.

Cryptocurrencies are no longer a marginal idea in finance. From 2025, more and more companies will employ digital assets, especially Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and XRP (XRP) – both as payment options and strategic assets.

Why these three? Each has mighty brand recognition, decent liquidity, and different strengths: BTC as a store of value, ETH with its intelligent contract ecosystem, and XRP with swift settlement and cross-border payments. Together they cover what businesses need: trust, functionality and speed.

This article examines where BTC, ETH, and XRP are being used, from basic everyday purchases to large-scale airline integrations.

Daily Crypto Transactions: Cafes, Restaurants, Retailers

For many cryptocurrency holders, the first real test is whether you can spend BTC, ETH or XRP like cash: a cup of coffee, a sandwich or groceries. XRP tends to lag behind BTC and ETH when it comes to everyday purchases: fewer petite shops accept XRP directly because its strength usually manifests itself in back-end or cross-border payments rather than at point-of-sale in coffee shops.

Cafes and petite restaurants

For now, in 2025, paying for coffee with cryptocurrencies is no longer science fiction. Many chain stores and independent spots have already made it part of the daily grind. For example, at Starbucks you can get a Bitrefill gift card and cover your caramel macchiato with ether or Bitcoin.

Apps like Flexa’s SPEDN wallet and even reloadable digital gift cards make it straightforward to exchange tokens for lattes.

There are even convenience stores there. Sheetz accepts Bitcoin, Ether, and several other coins at checkout. And if you’re more of an XRP proponent, directories like Cryptwerk direct you to smaller restaurants that are ecstatic to swap tokens for tacos or burgers.

Restaurants and swift food places

Select McDonald’s stores in cryptocurrency zones accept Bitcoin through payment apps, enabling swift food payments with digital dollars.

In Europe and the US, major swift food chains such as Subway and Burger King continue to accept cryptocurrency payments, often through third-party gift card services or payment processors. While this isn’t a direct, internal integration for every location, it is a basic way for consumers to spend Bitcoin.

Steak ‘n Shake joined the party in May 2025, rolling out BTC payments nationwide, crediting it with an 11% raise in sales by attracting tech-savvy guests. Chipotle and Baskin-Robbins are also on board with BitPay integration, where ETH, BTC or XRP funds your burrito bowl or spoon.

Retail and online stores

AT&T lets you settle your phone bills with ETH or BTC, avoiding annoying slow fees. Many online merchants and some physical merchants accept XRP through gateways like CoinGate.

Gigantic Tech companies have also lent their support: Microsoft accepts BTC directly or via processors, while Newegg also supports ETH for on-site purchases, and Overstock also welcomes XRP. AMC Theaters accepts Bitcoin and other digital assets in its products and services, from Xbox content to movie tickets.

In addition to these giants, e-commerce platforms like Shopify have democratized the employ of digital currency, making it easier for millions of petite and medium-sized businesses to enable cryptocurrency payment options.

Major retail chains like Home Depot, Lowe’s and Ikea accept cryptocurrency in the form of Bitrefill and BitPay gift cards, so you can employ ETH to finance your home renovation.

Scaling Up: Travel and Luxury

As cryptocurrency payments mature, many travel services and airlines, either directly or through intermediaries, are offering reservations via BTC, ETH, and sometimes XRP. When it comes to flight and hotel booking platforms, sites like Travala.com allow travelers to make reservations using BTC, ETH, and many other supported digital assets.

In the near future, Emirates passengers will be able to book first class seats with digital dollars, without the hassle of the foreign exchange market. The UAE luxury liner will partner with Crypto.com to accept cryptocurrencies. In Europe, AirBaltic has been accepting cryptocurrencies since 2014 and has processed thousands of cryptocurrency transactions.

High-end brands and luxury car dealerships are also entering the cryptocurrency payments space. For example, Post Oak Motor Cars in the US accepts Bitcoin for purchasing super luxury cars via BitPay. In Europe, platforms such as BitCars have built a pure cryptocurrency market for premium and classic vehicles.

High-end brands are also getting in on the action: Gucci and Ralph Lauren continue to expand cryptocurrency payment options at select flagship stores, especially for their more exclusive collections.

Did you know? Alternative Airlines is a notable example because it serves over 600 airlines worldwide and allows payments using over 100 cryptocurrencies, including XRP.

Financial services, remittances and institutional adoption

As usage expands beyond consumer transactions to include payment infrastructure, institutional uses, remittances, and treasury operations, the distinct strengths of BTC, ETH, and XRP become more apparent.

Cross-border transfers and payments

XRP is often positioned here because its consensus ledger and Ripple infrastructure are designed for lower costs and faster settlement of cross-border transfers. There are companies like Mercury FX and Cuallix that have adopted or trialled XRP for such applications.

Payment processors and gateways

To reduce exposure to volatility, companies are increasingly accepting cryptocurrencies through platforms such as PayPal, BitPay and NOWPayments. In particular, PayPal has enabled retailers to employ over 100 cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether and XRP.

Treasury and corporate holdings

Some companies, such as BitMine, SharpLink Gaming, and VivoPower, are including cryptocurrencies in their treasury portfolios for strategic purposes, to hedge against inflation, or to further engage in the cryptocurrency market.

How can more petite businesses accept cryptocurrencies?

The solution is the development of more user-friendly technologies and a larger financial ecosystem.

Step 1: Select a payment processor

Payment processors like BitPay, Coinbase Commerce, and CoinGate make it straightforward for petite businesses to integrate cryptocurrency payments with little technical knowledge. By instantly converting cryptocurrencies into fiat currency, these processors eliminate the risk of price fluctuations.

Step 2: Reduce compliance costs

The financial and legal burdens on petite business owners can be reduced through automated tax reporting systems and a more open regulatory framework.

Step 3: Employ a wider range of digital resources

By lowering technical barriers and simplifying compliance, companies can confidently accept a wider range of cryptocurrencies.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.