Merchants Expand Payment Options, Express Interest in Crypto

Posted: Jan 21 2026

Rising consumer interest in digital wallets, debit and credit cards, buy now pay later, and cryptocurrency has small-business owners accepting a wider range of payments, JD Power reported in its most recent Merchant Services Satisfaction Survey.

More than 92% of U.S. merchants now accept payments through digital wallets, representing a 4% increase since 2024, according to the survey. BNPL is now accepted by 58% of U.S. small businesses, up from 54% in 2024. BNPL is now the fourth most accepted form of payment behind debit or credit cards (96%), digital wallets (92%) and cash (78%). Personal checks are now accepted by just 57% of U.S. small businesses, down from 63% in 2024.

Crypto adoption among U.S. small businesses is 19%, up four percentage points from 2025. JD Power reported that more businesses are warming to crypto, with 37% of merchants saying they have a favorable view of digital currency. Thirty-three percent of non-accepting merchants said they would likely accept crypto payments if their merchant services provider enabled the option.

To view the survey, visit: https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2026-us-merchant-services-satisfaction-study