Accepting crypto as a small business: a plain-English guide
Last checked 2026-10-16.
Start with stablecoins
Stablecoins like USDC are pegged to the dollar, so you avoid price swings between sale and payout. Most mainstream options (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify) settle to you in dollars.
Decide on custody
- Custodial gateways (BitPay, CoinGate, Coinbase Business) hold funds until payout. Easier, but you rely on the provider.
- Non-custodial / self-hosted (BTCPay Server) send funds straight to your wallet with 0% platform fees, but you manage keys and conversion.
Compare the full cost
Look beyond the headline rate: conversion, withdrawal and payout fees add up. Use our fee calculator and check each provider's page.
Test before launch
- Make small live payments from a couple of wallets.
- Test refunds, underpayments and wrong-network payments.
- Reconcile a week of payments with your books.
Taxes and records
Keep exportable records of every payment. Crypto accounting rules vary by country; talk to your accountant.
Keep cards too
Crypto works best as an extra option, especially for international customers, not a replacement for cards.
The weekly brief
Fee changes and new gateways, in one short email.
What changed in stablecoin payments this week, written for people who run a business, not a trading desk.