The e-commerce world just got a major shake-up. Shopify is joining forces with Coinbase and Stripe to bring frictionless, secure stablecoin payments to merchants around the world.
This isn’t some distant “coming soon” announcement—the integration rolled out on June 12 to a limited group of early access merchants, with broader availability expected later this year for all merchants using Shopify Payments.
What makes this groundbreaking? Merchants can accept USDC from customers globally on the Base network, using their existing payment and order fulfillment flows—no integrations or new gateways required. That means if you’re already using Shopify Payments, you won’t need to rebuild anything or learn complex crypto systems.
How It Actually Works
The Technical Magic Behind the Scenes
Here’s where it gets interesting. Shopify and Coinbase addressed commerce challenges with a first-of-its-kind smart contract: Merchants get the familiar “authorize now, capture later” flexibility of credit cards, with the speed and global reach of stablecoins.
Think about it—traditional crypto payments have always been immediate and irreversible. But e-commerce needs complexity: tax calculations, inventory holds, delayed capture for shipping. Shopify and Coinbase built custom smart contracts that handle all of this automatically.
What Your Customers See
Customers can pay with USDC on Base from hundreds of supported crypto wallets, on guest checkout and with Shop Pay. For them, it’s just another payment button at checkout. “Buyers will need a wallet to pay with USDC. They can choose from hundreds of eligible wallets,” a Shopify spokesperson explained.
What You Get as a Merchant
Merchants will receive their local currency by default, with no foreign transaction or exchange fees—or they can choose to claim USDC directly into their own wallet.
The default option is brilliant for traditional businesses—you get paid in dollars (or your local currency) just like any other transaction. All payouts will remain on your existing Shopify Payments payout schedule. No crypto wallets required unless you want them.
The Network That Makes It Possible
Base is a network built on top of the Ethereum blockchain that offers fast, cheap, and secure transactions; it provides a 24/7 global payment rail that operates at the speed of the internet.
Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether, which have fluctuating values, USDC (issued by Circle) is backed 1:1 by US Dollar reserves, and is designed to maintain a constant value.
How to Check if You Have Access
Early Access Status
As part of the early access rollout, a limited number of merchants immediately have access to the full product, starting on June 13. If you’re wondering whether you’re in the early access group, review your settings in your admin to easily adjust payment methods.
Eligibility Requirements
The feature requires Shopify Payments to be active on your store. The service will be available to Shopify merchants in 34 countries. Check the supported countries list to see if your location qualifies. Terms, restrictions and eligibility requirements will apply. Not available in all countries.
You’ll also need to meet standard Shopify Payments eligibility requirements, including having two-step authentication enabled and operating a compliant business type.
What to Look For
When the feature is active, you’ll see USDC as a payment option in your Shopify Payments settings. USDC acceptance is offered as a part of Shopify Payments, and is included at the standard domestic Shopify Payments rate.
The Rollout Timeline
Shopify plans to expand stablecoin payments to all merchants across the U.S. and Europe by the end of 2025. So if you don’t have access yet, it’s coming.
Bonus Incentives Coming
Merchants with shops in the US and other select countries will receive a rebate of up to 0.50% on USDC orders. And Shopify said it plans to give 1% cash back to customers who pay with USDC. This feature will launch later in the year.
Why This Matters for Your Business
- Zero foreign exchange fees on international orders
- Faster settlement than traditional international payments
- Access to crypto-native customers who prefer USDC
- Future-proofing your payment stack
The Bottom Line: By embracing stablecoins, merchants aren’t just adopting a new payment method, they’re tapping into global markets, opening the door to global customers, and joining the future of borderless, accessible commerce.
If you’re using Shopify Payments, keep checking your admin dashboard. This rollout is happening fast, and early adopters will likely see the biggest benefits as the crypto payment ecosystem continues to mature.
The future of e-commerce payments just arrived—and it’s built right into the platform you’re already using.
