Cryptocurrency Acquiring: Everything You Need to Know Before Integration

Cryptocurrency payments are no longer exotic—they’re a business reality in 2025. Over 560 million people worldwide use cryptocurrencies, and the number of crypto payment users in the US will grow by 82% over two years. Crypto acquiring is a service that allows businesses to accept cryptocurrency payments as conveniently as card payments. In this article, we’ll explain what crypto acquiring is, why it’s more profitable than bank acquiring, and what to consider before integration.

What Is Crypto Acquiring and How Does It Work

Crypto acquiring is a technology for accepting cryptocurrency payments from clients with automatic conversion to fiat money or storage in cryptocurrency. Simply put, your client pays with Bitcoin or stablecoins, and you receive hryvnias, dollars, or euros in your account.

How does it work in practice? The client selects a product, chooses “cryptocurrency payment” at checkout, scans a QR code or copies a wallet address, confirms the transaction—and that’s it, payment is complete. Cryptocurrency merchant services process the payment in seconds, convert the cryptocurrency, and transfer the money to you, typically within one business day.

The main difference from bank acquiring is the absence of intermediaries. No issuing banks or payment systems like Visa or Mastercard are needed, which reduces fees by 2-3 times. If a bank charges 2-3.5% per transaction, a payment gateway for cryptocurrencies typically charges 0.5% to 1.5%.

Another important point: you’re not forced to hold cryptocurrency. Services like crypto acquiring allow you to receive regular money in your bank account, even if the client paid in Bitcoin or Ethereum. You don’t deal with volatility at all—the exchange rate is fixed at the moment of payment.

Benefits of Crypto Acquiring for Business

Savings on Fees. The most obvious advantage is cost reduction. Traditional bank acquiring takes 2-3.5% from each transaction. Crypto acquiring reduces this to 0.5-1.5%. For a business with a monthly turnover of $100,000, that’s savings of $1,500-2,500 per month. Over a year, that’s enough to hire an additional employee or scale up advertising.
Access to a Global Audience. Cryptocurrency merchant services open doors to 450+ million crypto owners in 120+ countries. This is especially valuable for e-commerce, SaaS, and digital products. For example, if you sell online courses or software, a client from Brazil or Nigeria can pay you in seconds without unnecessary wire transfers and conversions.
Speed of Settlements. Classic bank acquiring delays money for 2-7 days. A payment gateway for cryptocurrencies transfers funds the next day, sometimes instantly. This is critical for businesses with limited cash flow or those working with fast-moving goods.
No Chargebacks. Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible. If a client has paid—the money is yours. This protects against fraudulent chargebacks, which eat up 0.5-1% of revenue for large online stores. Of course, you need a clear refund policy, but the decision is yours, not the client’s bank.
Support for 200+ Cryptocurrencies. Modern services accept not only Bitcoin and Ethereum. You can accept stablecoins (USDT, USDC), altcoins, NFT tokens. This gives your clients flexibility—they pay with the currency convenient for them.

What to Consider Before Integration

Regulatory Issues

Before integrating crypto acquiring, check your country’s legislation. In Ukraine, cryptocurrencies are legalized, but it’s important to properly manage accounting. Consult with a lawyer or accountant to avoid problems with tax authorities.

Technical Complexity of Integration

Most modern payment gateways have ready-made plugins for popular CMS: WordPress/WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento. Integration takes from one hour to one day. If you have a custom website, you’ll need a developer, but APIs are usually well-documented.

It’s important to test the system in test mode. Check how the payment form displays on mobile devices, whether the amount converts correctly, and whether notifications about successful payments arrive.

Security and Data Protection

Choose a provider with a good reputation. Check whether they use two-factor authentication, data encryption, and AML/KYC procedures. This will protect you from money laundering and ensure client trust.

UX for Clients

Crypto payments should be as convenient as cards. Clients shouldn’t have to google “how this works.” A good payment gateway displays a QR code, offers several wallet options (MetaMask, Trust Wallet), and automatically calculates the amount in the selected cryptocurrency.

Support and Service

Choose a provider with proper technical support. If a $10,000 transaction gets stuck on Saturday evening, you need someone to ask. Check reviews, read forums, and see how quickly the support team responds.

How to Choose the Right Cryptocurrency Acquiring Service

Choosing a provider is half the battle. Here’s what you should pay attention to so you don’t make a mistake.

Check Commissions and Hidden Fees. Some services announce a 0.5% fee but add charges for conversion, fund withdrawal, or minimum turnovers. Calculate the real commission including all surcharges. If your average payment is $50, but they charge $10 for withdrawal, it’s not profitable.
Look at Payout Speed. Some providers transfer money the next day, while others hold it for 3-5 days. For a small business with limited cash flow, this is critical. Clarify if instant payouts are available and how much they cost.
Assess the List of Supported Cryptocurrencies. If your audience is in Asia, it’s convenient for them to pay with USDT on the TRON network. For Europeans, it might be USDC on Ethereum. Check if the service supports the coins and networks popular with your customers. Support for 200+ cryptocurrencies is a plus, but it’s more important to have the top ones.
Technical Integration Should Be Simple. If you use Shopify or WooCommerce, look for a ready-made plugin. For custom solutions, a clear API with documentation and code examples is essential. Some providers offer free technical support during the integration phase—this saves days of developer work.
Reputation and Security. Google reviews, and see how long the company has been on the market. Check for licenses, security certificates (PCI DSS, ISO), and AML/KYC procedures. If the service is new and there’s little information about it, that’s a red flag.
Quality of Support. Write to support before integration. See how quickly they respond and how competent they are. Do they work 24/7 or only during business hours? When a client’s money gets stuck on a Friday evening, you’ll appreciate good technical support.

Cryptocurrency Merchant Services and Payment Gateway as Growth Tools

Crypto acquiring isn’t about hype or speculation. It’s a practical tool for reducing costs, entering new markets, and accelerating settlements. If your business operates online, has international clients, or wants to save on fees — cryptocurrency merchant services are worth attention.

Before integration, study the legislation, choose a reliable provider with good support, test the system, and ensure convenient UX. A payment gateway for cryptocurrencies isn’t a replacement for traditional payment methods, but a complement that opens new opportunities.

In 2025, over 36 million Americans will own cryptocurrencies, and the global crypto payments market will exceed $2.75 billion by 2029. Businesses that integrate crypto acquiring now gain a competitive advantage and access to an audience that’s only growing.

This post may contain affiliate links. Financial Panther has partnered with AwardWallet and CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Financial Panther, AwardWallet, and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
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M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
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Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.

Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.

Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:

SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $900 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.

Feel free to send Kevin a message here.