According to a study conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB), a mere 0.2% of online businesses operating in Europe accept cryptocurrencies or stablecoins as payment.

Source: ECB.

The survey, carried out by Ipsos European Public Affairs between February 23 and April 10, 2026, included responses from 8,205 companies across all 21 Eurozone countries. The sample encompassed sectors such as retail, hospitality (restaurants and cafes), hotels, as well as arts, entertainment, and leisure.

In terms of traditional payment methods, 82% of online sellers offer payment cards, while 74% accept bank transfers. The cryptocurrency section of the survey focused specifically on three assets: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT.

Cash payments are accepted by 92% of companies (up from 90% in 2024), and card payments are accepted by 88% (compared to 87% the previous year). However, the most significant increase was seen in mobile payments, which surged from 36% to 68% in just two years, primarily driven by instant transfers and digital wallets.

Source: ECB.

When selecting a payment method, participating firms identified the following key criteria:

  • customer preferences (26%);
  • security (22%);
  • ease of processing (15%).

In comparing cash and digital payments, there was not a single parameter where electronic methods clearly outperformed cash. In fact, businesses rated cash higher in terms of privacy and reliability.

One in four companies in the Eurozone indicated that they actively promoted cashless payments over the past year, with some investing in new cash registers while others reduced the number of cash acceptance points. Additionally, 13% of businesses installed self-service terminals, and nearly half of these operate exclusively in cashless mode.

A significant 92% of companies currently accepting cash plan to continue doing so for the next five years. Notably, this intention differs in three countries: in Cyprus, half of small and medium-sized enterprises (51%) reported a potential move away from cash; in Greece, the figure stands at 23%, and in Bulgaria, it is 18%.

This research comes as Europe prepares for the launch of the digital euro, with the ECB targeting 2029 as a potential launch year for the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), pending the establishment of the necessary legislative framework within the EU.

In June, a relevant committee of the European Parliament endorsed a bill concerning CBDC, which includes provisions for both online and offline payments, free basic services for users, and mandatory acceptance of the new currency by most businesses.

In July, the ECB selected banks to pilot the digital euro, with Deutsche Bank, Revolut, Stripe, UniCredit, Adyen, SumUp, and Worldline being included in the testing phase.