Stablecoin integration offers card-like experience with reduced costs for merchants
Stripe, Coinbase and Shopify have announced a new partnership which enables merchants in 34 countries to accept USDC stablecoin payments.
The integration, first revealed on June 12, brings stablecoin transactions directly into the Shopify Payments platform, with Stripe providing the payments infrastructure.
The feature is powered by Base, an Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by Coinbase, and uses USDC, a digital dollar issued by Circle and backed 1:1 by US dollar reserves.
Unlike earlier crypto payment offerings, the new system supports standard ecommerce workflows, including authorisation and delayed capture. This functionality is enabled by a smart contract developed by Shopify and Coinbase, designed to replicate traditional payment flows on blockchain infrastructure.
For merchants, this means they can authorise a payment at checkout and capture it later, after inventory or order confirmation, similar to how card payments work.
“The smart contract supports key operational steps such as tax calculation, refunds, and settlement,” said Shopify in its official release. “This ensures compatibility with existing checkout flows, even when using stablecoins.”
No stablecoin wallet required for merchants
Merchants do not need to set up crypto wallets or handle digital assets directly. By default, Stripe will convert USDC into the merchant’s local currency and deposit funds into their bank account. However, merchants can opt to receive USDC directly into a supported crypto wallet.
This feature is part of the standard Shopify Payments product, and payouts follow the same schedule used for card and digital wallet payments.
Payments made via USDC on Base are designed to offer lower transaction fees compared to card payments. There are no foreign exchange or cross-border fees. Additionally, Shopify announced that eligible merchants in selected countries will receive a rebate of up to 0.50% on USDC orders.
“Now businesses can reach more markets at lower costs, all without having to change how they already run their business,” said Neetika Bansal, Head of Money Movement and Crypto at Stripe.
Positioning stablecoins for mainstream use
Stablecoins have seen growing transaction volumes in recent years. According to Circle, over $94 billion in stablecoin payments were settled globally in the past two years. Monthly volume has grown from less than $2 billion to over $6.3 billion, signalling rising acceptance beyond the crypto sector.
The integration on Shopify, which powers millions of ecommerce stores globally, represents one of the first efforts to embed stablecoin payments within a mainstream commerce platform.
Kaz Nejatian, Chief Operating Officer at Shopify, commented: “Stripe has long handled the hard parts of payments so our merchants don’t have to. Now they’re doing the same for stablecoins.”
The rollout is available now to merchants in supported countries, with further incentives for both merchants and customers expected later this year.
