NMI Research Finds Crypto Could be Heading for the 2026 Holiday Checkout, but Trust is the Deciding Factor

Nearly half (49%) of Gen Z says that they’d choose a retailer that accepts crypto over one that doesn’t, though concerns around security and transparency persist

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cryptocurrency could be finding its way to the checkout this holiday season, but simply giving shoppers another way to pay doesn’t guarantee they will use it. New research from NMI®, a global leader in embedded payments infrastructure, finds that 34% of U.S. consumers surveyed say they are likely to use cryptocurrency for holiday shopping this season if it is offered at checkout. Looking beyond the holidays, 33% say they are likely to use crypto at a retailer they already know and shop with within the next 12 months. For the research, cryptocurrency included digital assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and stablecoins, which can be held in a digital wallet and, in some cases, used to pay for goods and services.

Interest in spending crypto comes with conditions, however. More than half (52%) say they would be more willing to pay with crypto if there were clear protections when something goes wrong, while 62% want to know the exact U.S. dollar cost, including fees, before they pay.

Tiffany Johnson, Chief Product Officer at NMI, said:
“Consumers are telling us crypto has a place at the holiday checkout, but their interest is conditional. They aren’t asking retailers to reinvent how they pay. They want crypto to offer the things they already expect from payments: clear pricing, simple refunds and confidence that if something goes wrong, it can be made right. Trust will be what turns interest into actual transactions.”

Crypto acceptance influences where consumers shop
When asked to choose between two retailers selling the same product at the same price, 30% of consumers say they would be more likely to choose the retailer that accepts cryptocurrency. That compares with 26% who say they would be less likely to choose it, while 35% say it would make no difference.

The value of payment choice goes beyond crypto itself. More than half of consumers (56%) say businesses should offer customers more ways to pay, even if not every customer uses every option, while 42% say offering newer payment methods such as cryptocurrency makes them more likely to view a business as innovative.

Crypto gives retailers an edge with younger shoppers
Younger consumers show the strongest appetite for using crypto. Forty-eight percent (48%) of Gen Z and Millennials say they are likely to use crypto at a retailer they already know within the next year if it were offered.

Crypto acceptance could also influence where they spend. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials say they would be more likely to choose a retailer that accepts crypto, compared with 25% of Gen X and just 9% of Baby Boomers.

Johnson added:
“Younger consumers have grown up with more choice in how they shop, move money and pay. For retailers, payment choice is now a major part of the overall customer experience. It doesn’t mean every shopper will use every payment method, but they increasingly expect flexible options to be there.”

Shoppers want clear costs, simple refunds and payment partners they trust

Consumers may be open to crypto, but they want the experience to feel familiar.

• 62% need to know the exact U.S. dollar cost, including fees.
• 51% would feel more comfortable if refunds were as simple as credit or debit card refunds.
• 50% would feel more comfortable if a company they already know and trust handled the payment.

Even current crypto owners want these safeguards. Among the 602 respondents who currently own cryptocurrency, 76% want to know the exact dollar cost, including fees; 72% say simpler refunds would make them more comfortable; and 74% would feel more comfortable if a familiar, trusted company handled the transaction.

Security and understanding remain significant barriers. Fraud or scams are consumers’ biggest stated concern at 34%, followed by not understanding how crypto payments work (30%) and volatility in cryptocurrency value (27%).

Johnson added:
“The opportunity is there, but trust and user experience can’t be treated as afterthoughts. Whether consumers are paying with Bitcoin, stablecoins or whatever payment method comes next, they don’t want to give up the protections and simplicity they already expect. The payments industry has a critical role to play in making new ways to pay feel straightforward, secure and familiar, while managing the complexity behind the scenes.”

About the Research
The NMI 2026 Crypto at Checkout Survey is based on an October 2026 survey of 3,001 nationally representative U.S. adults aged 18 and older. Of those surveyed, 602 (20%) said they currently own cryptocurrency. The research explored consumer interest in cryptocurrency payments, including Bitcoin, Ether/Ethereum and stablecoins, attitudes toward crypto acceptance at checkout, and the factors influencing trust and willingness to use cryptocurrency for purchases.

About NMI
NMI is powering the next era of embedded payments. Processing close to $700 billion annually, NMI gives SaaS platforms, ISOs, banks and fintech innovators the modular, white-label payments infrastructure to accept, manage, price and move money through one platform.

Built for partners that want flexibility and control, NMI brings together its industry-leading gateway technology, omnichannel acceptance, merchant onboarding, underwriting, risk and compliance, A2A payments, payouts and AI-powered pricing intelligence. From no-code simplicity to full-control APIs, NMI helps partners move faster, scale smarter and deliver better experiences to their merchants and customers, turning payments into a strategic advantage.

More than 6,000 technology partners trust NMI to power seamless payment experiences for over 1.2 million merchants across online, in-app, in-store, mobile and unattended environments. However businesses want to build the future of commerce, they can build it with NMI. Learn more at nmi.com.