Square's Bitcoin Play: Why Jack Dorsey's Payment Giant Flipped the Switch on Crypto Adoption

Block's payment processing subsidiary Square just made a strategic move that'll reshape how millions of merchants interact with Bitcoin. Instead of sellers having to actively enable crypto payments, Square flipped the model—Bitcoin acceptance is now automatically activated for eligible merchants, with opt-out as the alternative.

This isn't a minor technical tweak. It's a deliberate push to normalize Bitcoin in everyday commerce, and it signals Square's conviction that merchant adoption has matured enough to handle this shift.

The Mechanics of Change

Here's what's actually happening: Previously, Square sellers had to explicitly opt-in to accept Bitcoin payments through their Square Cash register system. The friction of that choice—requiring active decision-making—kept adoption numbers artificially low. Now, eligible sellers automatically get Bitcoin payment capabilities without lifting a finger. If they want to disable it, that option exists. But the default is on.

This approach mirrors how tech companies drive adoption for features: change the baseline assumption. When something's already active, user engagement skews higher than when users must manually enable it. Square knows this playbook works.

Who Benefits From This

The ripple effect matters across the crypto ecosystem. Millions of Square's merchant network—ranging from small independent retailers to larger businesses—suddenly have Bitcoin as a settlement option. That expands the real-world utility narrative for Bitcoin beyond speculation and holdings. These sellers can now receive payments in crypto without complex integrations or technical overhead.

For customers, it means more places accept Bitcoin. For Bitcoin, it means more transaction volume and merchant infrastructure. For Square (owned by Block), it means data, fee collection, and positioning as a bridge between traditional commerce and crypto rails.

Why Now

The timing reflects Block's broader strategy under Jack Dorsey's leadership. Square has been systematically building crypto infrastructure—from Cash App's Bitcoin purchasing features to TBD's development work on decentralized finance solutions. This automatic enablement sits squarely in that vision: making Bitcoin accessible to non-technical merchants and normalizing it as a payment option alongside traditional methods.

We're watching the crypto payment landscape mature beyond the early-adopter phase. Block isn't betting on Bitcoin replacing traditional payment systems overnight. Instead, they're positioning Bitcoin as an embedded in existing commerce infrastructure. That's pragmatic and scalable.