Square, the prominent payments platform under Block's ownership, has initiated a significant expansion in its integration of bitcoin into everyday commerce by automatically enabling bitcoin payments for eligible U.S. sellers, effective March 30, 2026. This pivotal change, highlighted by Square product lead Miles Suter on X, marks a fundamental shift from a previously opt-in feature, introduced in late 2025, to a default setting now active across millions of merchant accounts. Despite this, sellers will continue to receive U.S. Dollars (USD) as their default settlement currency, with bitcoin payments being seamlessly converted in the background to ensure ease of operation for businesses.

The journey towards this automatic enablement began in October 2025, when Square first unveiled its 'Square Bitcoin' initiative. This initial launch introduced integrated bitcoin payments and wallet functionalities specifically for small businesses. At that time, merchants had the choice to enable bitcoin acceptance at checkout, benefiting from support for Lightning Network payments, instant settlement, and a commitment to zero processing fees through 2027. A subsequent broader rollout in November 2025 further extended the feature, but its adoption remained contingent on voluntary activation by merchants.

Today's update significantly reduces friction by making bitcoin payments automatically enabled for eligible U.S. sellers, eliminating the need for manual activation within their Square settings. Merchants, however, retain the flexibility to opt out or modify their preferences as they deem fit. This system is meticulously designed to abstract away the complexities of bitcoin volatility and settlement, thereby positioning bitcoin primarily as an efficient payment rail rather than a speculative asset for businesses. Square's robust integration leverages the cutting-edge Lightning Network infrastructure, facilitating near-instant transactions and aiming to make bitcoin a practical and usable currency in diverse everyday retail environments, including cafés, salons, and local shops.

Miles Suter has consistently articulated this rollout as a foundational stride toward establishing bitcoin as 'everyday money,' emphasizing the extensive scale of Square's merchant network as a critical catalyst for widespread adoption. Complementing Square's advancements, Cash App, another mobile payments application developed by Block, also announced substantial upgrades to its Bitcoin offerings earlier in 2026. These enhancements include zero-spread pricing, reduced fees, expanded withdrawal limits, and new funding rails such as ACH and wire transfers. According to Suter, eligible Cash App users can now withdraw up to $10,000 daily and $25,000 weekly, positioning Cash App as one of the most cost-effective Bitcoin on-ramps in the U.S. These updates collectively aim to simplify Bitcoin usage, ensuring automatic conversion between USD and Bitcoin and significantly improving the overall user experience across Block's platforms.