Crypto Card Payments Skyrocket to $1.5B Monthly Milestone in 2025
Forget the speculative frenzy—crypto just got practical. The digital asset space hit a watershed moment last year, not with another price pump, but with a seismic shift in real-world utility. Monthly transaction volume for crypto-powered card payments surged to a staggering $1.5 billion, proving digital currencies can do more than just sit in a wallet.
The Infrastructure is Live
This isn't about future promises. Major payment processors and fintech players spent 2025 flipping the switch on global infrastructure. Networks that once handled only fiat now seamlessly convert Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a host of altcoins at the point of sale. The tech bypasses traditional banking rails entirely, settling transactions in seconds instead of days.
Main Street Meets Blockchain
The narrative has flipped from 'store of value' to 'medium of exchange.' Consumers aren't just HODLing—they're buying coffee, booking travel, and paying bills directly from their crypto holdings. Loyalty programs tied to spending are pulling in users who'd never touch a derivatives exchange. It turns out, people like spending money they already own, even if Wall Street would rather they keep it locked up earning them fees.
The Regulatory Hurdle (Mostly) Cleared
Key jurisdictions finally provided the clarity needed for institutions to move. Frameworks for anti-money laundering and consumer protection gave card issuers the green light. Sure, some legacy finance regulators are still clutching their pearls—worried about volatility in a system that prints money on a whim. The irony isn't lost on anyone.
A New Financial Reality
This $1.5 billion monthly figure is more than a metric; it's a signal. It marks the beginning of crypto's silent integration into daily economic life. The technology is cutting out middlemen, empowering user-owned finance, and building a parallel system that operates 24/7. The old guard can dismiss it as a fad, but their customers are already voting with their wallets—digitally native ones.
VISA carries more than 90% of crypto cards
Cards now rely on a stabilized stack, using the established VISA and Mastercard networks. The next LAYER includes card program managers, who have become more reliable and less likely to cancel cards. The consumer-facing elements are the apps and products that tie the card to crypto wallets.
VISA, through early legacy partnerships, took over 90% of the on-chain card volume. The card issuer established links with the earliest infrastructure providers. VISA uses program managers that handle the banking side of settlement and the swap between crypto assets and fiat. Additionally, cards expanded through companies like Rain and Reap, which offer full-stack services, including card issuance.
Mastercard expands its crypto cards through direct partnerships with exchanges. Issuers include Revolut, Bybit, and Gemini. Mastercard’s volumes reflect the size of the exchange user bases, resulting in a smaller volume.
Crypto cards often circumvent bank dependencies and offer cheaper transactions. Full-stack issuers are also capturing the trend of fintech apps with a blockchain component.
Crypto cards capture emerging markets, stablecoin whales
Crypto cards are used as a way to offset inflation or find a more convenient payment tool. As a result, crypto cards found wide adoption in India and Argentina, especially for spending USDC.
For developed markets, crypto cards solve the problem for large-scale stablecoin owners. Cards allow more convenient spending without the need to swap or MOVE funds.
Crypto cards also boost the adoption of stablecoins for merchants. A card remains the best-known interface, while stablecoin apps face slower adoption. Cards already offer the acceptance, while VISA and the fintech apps handle the payment process seamlessly.
Crypto card payments still settle through fiat, but require no special merchant integration. The conversion of stablecoins to fiat happens before settlement, making the transaction similar to any other VISA or Mastercard transfer.
Partner banks usually settle the fiat side of the payment, and include Lead Bank and Cross River Bank. Apps like Rain handle the stablecoin liquidation or the selling of crypto assets.
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