Stablecoins: fuelling everyday crypto commerce for merchants

Stablecoin adoption is on the rise. Massimiliano Silenzi of Cryptorefills shares data and forecasts growing merchant use in the near term.

Recent research from Triple-A indicates that overall crypto ownership in 2024 surged to an estimated 560 million users worldwide, creating fresh opportunities for both consumers and merchants. At the same time, Cryptorefills research and transaction data show a growing subset of these users actively spending crypto on everyday goods and services. Within this expanding landscape, stablecoins are emerging as a preferred choice for everyday commerce. By maintaining a steady exchange rate tied to traditional currencies (e.g., USD, EUR), they combine the core benefits of cryptocurrencies – speed, global reach, and lower transaction fees – with a degree of price stability that reduces the volatility risk for both consumers and merchants.

Our surveys conducted on thousands of crypto shoppers over the past years reveal two broad but overlapping motivations to use cryptocurrency as a means of payment. On one hand, necessity and inclusion fuel adoption among those living in regions with limited or costly banking infrastructure. For these users – freelancers paid in digital currencies, families sending cross-border remittances, or communities grappling with high inflation – crypto is a lifeline. It offers low fees, seamless global transfers, and a way to maintain purchasing power when local currencies are in flux.

On the other hand, many embrace crypto for innovation and opportunity. Tech-savvy enthusiasts and digital nomads view it as the future of finance, drawn by its speed, and decentralised features. They value the freedom to earn, save, and spend in a single, borderless currency.

Across both groups, there is a common desire for a secure, user-friendly, and globally accessible payment method. This is precisely where stablecoins begin to stand out, tackling concerns over volatility and paving the way for widespread crypto-based commerce.

A 2024 study by Cryptorefills shows that roughly 80% of people purchasing with crypto, now prefer stablecoins over more volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ether. In fact, these users explicitly cite price stability as a key motivator, allowing them to spend digital assets without worrying about significant value drops or missed gains. Moreover, the research shows a slight, but statistically significant correlation (r ≈ 0.185, p < 0.001) between stablecoin usage and higher shopping frequency, suggesting that stability drives more frequent transactions. Further findings show that two-thirds of people paying for purchases with crypto say they would shop even more if their favourite merchants offered stablecoin payment options.

Equally important is the matter of cost and speed. Cryptorefills internal transaction records indicate that in Q4 2024, only 8% of stablecoin transactions occurred on the Ethereum mainnet, (down from 15% in Q4 2023). The remaining 92% of the transactions take place on alternative blockchains or Layer 2 solutions, where fees are minimal, and confirmations are near instant. This trend resonates with the needs of many global crypto shoppers who either need to maximise every dollar’s purchasing power or expect frictionless user experiences.

These different data points lead to the same conclusion: by addressing concerns about volatility, fees, and transaction times, stablecoins are removing many of the barriers that once held back everyday crypto commerce.

Implementing stablecoin payments may seem straightforward – after all, any merchant can technically integrate a compatible blockchain network and start accepting transactions without third-party contracts or approvals. However, the road from theory to practice is far more complex. Beyond meeting regulatory and financial requirements, businesses must handle the intricacies of blockchain transaction processing and ensure a user-friendly payment flow. Moreover, considering Cryptorefills transaction data, 92% of stablecoin transactions happen off Ethereum’s mainnet, but the volume is fragmented across multiple Layer 2s and alternative Layer 1s – each with its own technical standards and quite ‘tribal’ user community. Until a clear winner emerges, merchants looking to capture the widest audience must support a broad range of networks, adding significant complexity in terms of technology, accounting, and compliance. These challenges encompass everything from managing multiple networks and fee structures to dealing with the steep learning curve of crypto user experience, crypto custody, and security.

Since 2018, Cryptorefills has operated as a direct-to-consumer online crypto store for gift cards, mobile credit top-ups and more recently offering also flights and hotel bookings – developing its own blockchain payment infrastructure in the process. This in-house expertise has led to being the first ecommerce to accept Ethereum Layer 2 payments for stablecoins and today offering the widest plethora of layer-2 and scalable layer 1 stablecoin payment networks. For merchants who see crypto as a core part of their strategy and audience, building internal capabilities might be worthwhile. However, for most businesses, partnering with trusted, licensed payment processors that can handle the top stablecoins across multiple networks is a way more efficient route by consolidating processing, settlement, and risk management under one umbrella. Instead, for those still unsure about offering crypto payments, listing products through an established crypto commerce platform like Cryptorefills offers a simple way to tap into a ready-made audience of active crypto spenders – without having to build or maintain complex blockchain integrations.

This editorial piece was originally published in The Paypers’ Web 3 Payment Acceptance Report 2025. The report highlights the current landscape of Web 3 payments, including their rapid growth, high adoption rates, and underlying drivers. It also explores key players in the field, regulatory advancements, the role of AI in crypto and blockchain, and more.

About author

Massimiliano Silenzi is the CEO of Cryptorefills, a global Web 3 commerce platform. With over fifteen years of experience in digital payments, he has led the company’s mission to make stablecoin and crypto transactions mainstream for everyday purchases. Massimiliano is passionate about bridging traditional commerce with innovative methods and is currently pioneering multi-chain stablecoin acceptance, and expanding access to more inclusive payment methods worldwide.

 

 

About Cryptorefills

Cryptorefills is a global Web 3 commerce platform that enables consumers to purchase everyday goods – flights, hotels, gift cards, and mobile top-ups – using stablecoins and cryptocurrencies. Operating since 2018, Cryptorefills has pioneered multi-chain acceptance, including Ethereum Layer 2 networks and alternative blockchains. The platform serves millions of crypto users seeking faster, cheaper, and more inclusive payment methods.