Square has launched Bitcoin payments powered by the Lightning Network, enabling over 4 million U.S. merchants outside New York to accept BTC instantly at checkout with zero fees until 2027, bridging crypto and everyday commerce seamlessly.
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Square Bitcoin payments via Lightning Network now available to 4M+ U.S. merchants (excluding NY) for instant BTC transactions.
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Merchants settle in BTC or USD with no processing fees through 2026, promoting cost-effective crypto adoption.
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Lightning Network ensures second-fast transactions with over $15 trillion in on-chain settlements in 2024, per industry data.
Discover how Square’s Bitcoin payments on Lightning Network revolutionize merchant transactions—accept BTC fee-free until 2027 and settle instantly. Learn the impact on U.S. businesses today.
What Are Square’s New Bitcoin Payments Features?
Square Bitcoin payments integrate the Lightning Network into point-of-sale systems, allowing merchants to accept BTC via QR code scans for instant checkouts. This rollout, effective November 10, 2025, covers more than 4 million U.S. sellers excluding New York, with options to settle in BTC or USD. It eliminates traditional card fees and chargebacks, fostering broader crypto use in retail.
How Does the Lightning Network Power These Transactions?
The Lightning Network facilitates off-chain Bitcoin transactions for speed and low costs, settling on the main blockchain only when needed. Square’s implementation supports QR code payments that confirm in seconds, bypassing banks and networks. According to blockchain analysts, this reduces friction in digital payments, with global on-chain volume exceeding $15 trillion in 2024. Jack Dorsey, Square’s CEO, emphasized on X that transactions now support BTC-to-BTC, BTC-to-fiat, fiat-to-BTC, or fiat-to-fiat conversions, enhancing flexibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can small businesses use Square Bitcoin payments for daily transactions?
Yes, Square Bitcoin payments cap individual transactions at $600 and daily limits at $15,000 per merchant, ideal for small businesses like coffee shops or local stores. Refunds process via digital gift cards for USD equivalents, maintaining finality of BTC transfers while complying with regulations.
What fees apply to Square’s Lightning Network Bitcoin checkout?
Square waives all processing fees for Bitcoin payments through 2026, introducing a flat 1% fee from January 2027. This structure, powered by the Lightning Network, ensures instant settlements without chargebacks, making it a cost-effective alternative to card payments for voice-activated queries on crypto adoption.
Key Takeaways
- Instant BTC Acceptance: Lightning Network enables second-fast payments for 4M+ merchants, transforming Bitcoin from investment to practical currency.
- Fee-Free Until 2027: Zero costs through 2026 support small-business growth, with data showing $15T in 2024 on-chain settlements driving efficiency.
- No Chargebacks: Irreversible transactions reduce fraud risks, offering merchants reliable revenue—consider integrating for streamlined operations.
Conclusion
Square’s Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network mark a pivotal step in merging Square Bitcoin payments with traditional finance, empowering U.S. merchants with instant, fee-free BTC options until 2027. As initiatives like the Blockchain Payments Consortium standardize stablecoins across networks such as Polygon and Solana, this convergence promises safer global transfers. Businesses should explore these tools now to stay ahead in the evolving digital economy.
Jack Dorsey’s company launches Lightning-powered checkout, bringing BTC to Main Street.
Key Highlights:
- Bitcoin goes mainstream: Square enables over 4M U.S. merchants (except NY) to accept BTC via the Lightning Network.
- Zero fees until 2027: Merchants can settle in BTC or USD with no processing fees through 2026.
- No banks, no chargebacks: Bitcoin payments bypass card networks, offering instant, irreversible transactions.
Square has officially activated Bitcoin payments across its network, allowing more than 4 million U.S. merchants (excluding those in New York) to accept Bitcoin (BTC) instantly at checkout. The update, announced on November 10, 2025, marks one of the largest real-world rollouts of crypto payments in history.
The payments run over digital assets
Digital payments are entering a new phase as crypto and traditional finance begin to converge. Just days after Ripple and Mastercard announced their RLUSD stablecoin pilot for fiat settlements, another alliance has emerged to push blockchain payments forward.
The Blockchain Payments Consortium (BPC), formed by Fireblocks, Polygon, Stellar, Solana, TON, Mysten Labs, and Monad, aims to standardize stablecoin transactions across networks and financial systems.
The BPC aims to unify fragmented blockchains under shared standards for faster, safer, and interoperable payments. Today’s networks operate in isolation, creating friction in global transfers. The consortium plans to change that by making on-chain payments as seamless as legacy systems like SWIFT or Mastercard. With over $15 trillion settled on-chain in 2024, coordination is now urgent.
At the same time, Square is expanding its role in the digital payments ecosystem. As regulators and banks move closer to blockchain settlement, initiatives like BPC and Square’s expansion show how mainstream finance and crypto infrastructure are beginning to merge.
BTC at checkout, instant and fee-free
The new feature, simply called Bitcoin Payments, is integrated directly into Square’s point-of-sale system and powered by the Lightning Network. Customers can now pay in Bitcoin by scanning a Lightning invoice QR code, while merchants can choose to settle in BTC or U.S. dollars, depending on their risk appetite.
For now, Square is waiving processing fees through 2026, with a flat 1% fee taking effect in January 2027. The system supports instant settlement, automatic reporting, and integrated tax tracking inside the merchant dashboard.
Square CEO Jack Dorsey confirmed on X that sellers can now transact “BTC to BTC, BTC to fiat, fiat to BTC, or fiat to fiat,” signaling full interoperability between crypto and traditional payments.
our sellers can now receive btc to btc, btc to fiat, fiat to btc, or fiat to fiat. https://t.co/NnLsd3fgEb
— jack (@jack) November 10, 2025
Small-business friendly, big-business scale
Each individual Bitcoin transaction is capped at around $600, with a daily limit of $15,000 per seller. Refunds cannot be issued back on-chain, since Bitcoin transactions are final, but will instead be processed via digital gift cards for the USD value of the purchase.
As you receive bitcoin it will be stored in your Square bitcoin wallet. If you’d like to move it into self custody, you’ll be able to do so manually (max $15k per day or $50k per week).
— Square (@Square) November 10, 2025
Because Bitcoin payments bypass card networks entirely, merchants also avoid chargebacks—one of the most costly issues in retail. This makes the feature especially attractive for small businesses facing high card fees and fraud risk.
Square’s broader Bitcoin strategy
Alongside Bitcoin Payments, Square also launched Bitcoin Conversions, a feature allowing sellers to automatically convert up to 50% of their daily card or ACH revenue into BTC held in a Square-managed wallet. Conversion fees are 1% for standard users and 0.5% for premium accounts.
The rollout currently covers U.S. merchants only, but Square hinted at global expansion pending regulatory approvals. The exclusion of New York vendors reflects the state’s strict BitLicense requirements.
Bitcoin enters everyday commerce
Square’s move blurs the line between crypto and traditional finance, bringing Bitcoin payments to coffee shops, barbers, and local venues across the country. With Lightning Network support, payments settle in seconds—no cards, no banks, no middlemen.
For years, Bitcoin has been framed primarily as an investment or store of value. Square’s integration could change that narrative, transforming it into a practical, day-to-day payment option embedded in one of the world’s most widely used merchant platforms.
Also read: FTX Withdraws Plan to Block Repayments in 49 Nations
