Block Inc. (XYZ) has crossed the threshold of nearly 1 million merchants that can now accept Bitcoin payments.
number, quote By a member of the Block team, it reflects a wave of auto-enrollment that began on March 30, when Square turned on automatically On BTC payments by default for eligible US sellers.
At its peak, a new company was activating the feature every eight seconds. The rollout is operated by Lightning networkThis allows for near-instant settlement while traders receive US dollars virtually, removing currency risk from the equation.
In other words, customers can pay in Bitcoin via Lightning while merchants still receive settlements in USD, with the system processing the transfer in the background and allowing sellers to opt out if necessary.
Bitcoin as everyday money
At the Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas. The bloc provided an expanded boost To make Bitcoin usable as everyday money rather than just a long-term investment. Speaking on the Nakamoto platform, Bitcoin product lead Miles Souter said that Bitcoin “should be trading, not just sitting still,” arguing that the cryptocurrency loses its transfer value if it does not function as peer-to-peer cash.
Sutter highlighted Block’s growing adoption metrics, revealing at the time that there were more than 800,000 Square merchants who had now enabled automatic enrollment for BTC payments. This number appears to be higher, and according to Sutter, a new company activates the feature every eight seconds. The company is also rolling out Bitcoin payments using NFC devices and the accelerator network, eliminating QR codes and offering zero processing fees until 2026.
The company’s broader strategy focuses on integrating Bitcoin across its ecosystem. Cash App users can now automatically convert peer-to-peer payments into BTC, earn 5% Bitcoin Back rewards at Square merchants, and withdraw up to $10,000 daily and $25,000 weekly.
Block also introduced an updated Bitkey hardware wallet featuring a touchscreen and a 2-of-3 multi-security model designed to simplify self-custodial.
Along with product advertisements, Block Released The Q1 2026 Proof of Reserves report shows holding 28,355.05 BTC worth approximately $2.2 billion.
