Best Crypto Payment Gateways for Businesses

If you ask your neighbor if he knows about crypto, there’s a good chance he’ll tell you about the time he made a few bucks owning Bitcoin. Let’s face it, crypto has gone mainstream. In the United States alone, there are over 65 million crypto owners. 

From sports sponsorships to financial institutions, it is safe to say that digital assets have broken the mainstream barrier nowadays.  

While at first, crypto may seem like it is only a venue for investments, business owners also have a lot to gain from digital assets. After all, crypto is fast, easily accessible, and handy. And as more customers look to pay with digital assets, choosing the best crypto payment gateways for businesses has become a key step to scale businesses all around the world.

However, how does one even start? There are hundreds of options in the market! So if you’re questioning yourself: “What is the best crypto payment gateway for businesses?” This article will walk you through the top options, explain how they work, and help you choose the right solution for your store, service, or platform.

Crypto Payment Processor for Merchants

Even ones with the best knowledge on crypto would agree that managing crypto payments without the help of a payment processor wouldn’t really be practical. Imagine having to manage wallets, handle confirmations, and deal with price instability all by yourself? That’s why most businesses rely on crypto payment processors to streamline the process.

To get it started, businesses need to pick a processor that best fits their needs. There are several out there: Coinbase Commerce, NOWPayments, BitPay… you name it. Each with its pros and cons, so studying the market before settling for one is definitely a smart choice.

Furthermore, E-commerce businesses have an even easier pathway to selling with crypto. Most platforms offer plugins and APIs that seamlessly integrate with popular e-commerce systems like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.

“But what about the 'volatile nature' of crypto?” One may ask. Well, even more conservative businesses can opt to accept crypto payments while configuring their payment processor to automatically convert it to fiat.

How to Accept Crypto Payments on Your Website

It’s actually easier than it sounds to integrate cryptocurrencies into your business. Payment processor platforms streamline everything you need in a quick setup, allowing business owners to start accepting digital payments super quickly. 

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get started:

1. Choose a payment processor: Pick a platform that fits your needs. Popular options include Coinbase Commerce, NOWPayments, and BitPay. PS: We will compare these platforms in the next section.

2. Create an account: Sign up with your chosen processor. You’ll typically need to verify your business and choose which cryptocurrencies you want to accept.

3. Integrate with your website: Use plugins or APIs to connect your processor to your site. Most platforms offer direct integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Magento, and others.

4. Set up wallet or conversion settings: Decide whether you’ll receive payments in crypto or have them converted to fiat. Configure your wallet or link your bank account accordingly.

Once everything is set up, your site will be ready to accept crypto payments, giving your customers more flexibility and positioning your business at the forefront of digital commerce.

Top Cryptocurrency Payment Gateways Compared

BitPay

One of the most established names in crypto payments, trusted by major brands. It supports over 40 coins, including BTC, BCH, ETH, DOGE, LTC, SHIB, and USDC. BitPay also allows businesses to convert crypto to fiat, and charges around a 1% fee per transaction.

CoinGate

A flexible platform with broad coin support and fiat payout options. CoinGate supports over 70 cryptocurrencies, making it a standout choice for businesses looking to accept a wide range of crypto. 

Fees are around 1% for merchants, but credit card payments can become costlier. CoinGate also supports instant fiat conversion.

NOWPayments 

A non-custodial gateway with strong plugin support and customization that supports over 160 tokens. While this platform offers instant conversions to fiat, the service is outsourced to third parties, meaning NOWPayments doesn’t handle the conversions directly. 

Fees range between 0.5% and 1%, depending on volume and conversion settings. NOWPayments is considered one of the most flexible choices for e-commerce due to its accessibility with its point-of-sale support and a wide range of plugins. 

Coinbase Commerce 

Built by Coinbase, this gateway is perfect for merchants already using the Coinbase ecosystem. It supports a curated list of coins including BTC, ETH, USDC, DAI, DOGE, LTC, SHIB, and more. Coinbase Commerce now allows fiat conversion through linked Coinbase accounts, with a flat 1% fee. Its dashboard is simple and secure, though coin support is more limited compared to other platforms.

Crypto.com Pay 

A mobile-first gateway designed for businesses that want to tap into the Crypto.com user base. It supports over 250 coins, including BTC, CRO, ETH, USDT, ADA, and SOL. Fiat conversion is available, and fees range from 0.5% to 1%. Merchants benefit from customer incentives like cashback rewards, but the system requires a Crypto.com account and may be less flexible for developers.

Bitcoin Payment Gateway for Business

If you’re planning to accept crypto, it goes without saying that streamlining Bitcoin payments into your business should be one of the first steps. Bitcoin, as the learning cryptocurrency in the market, is the most owned, traded, and accepted crypto everywhere. 

Crypto payment processors also understand that, as most – if not all – of them already support history’s first-ever digital asset. 

But let’s face it, not everyone is interested in leaving their profits subject to market volatility. That’s why most platforms like BitPay, Coinbase Commerce, and CoinGate introduced tools to convert crypto to fiat, or fiat-pegged stablecoins. 

So while offering Bitcoin payments can help your business stand out and reach a wider customer base, you don’t necessarily need to “own” crypto, even if you’re being paid as such.

Best Blockchain Payment Gateways for Security and Speed

Blockchain is three things: secure, fast, and scary. But the latter one doesn’t really have to be that scary once you understand the ins and outs of blockchain technology. Blockchain-based payment processors have a few standout benefits, like faster and auditable transactions, while also being more secure if you know the self-custody best practices. 

While all crypto payment processors operate on the blockchain, when we differentiate them from “blockchain-based,” we actually mean that some providers are centralized businesses, while others are completely decentralized. 

Platforms like BitPay and Coinbase Commerce are centralized, while NOWPayments and BTCPay Server are great examples of blockchain-based payment providers. 

Centralized platforms are generally seen as easier to use for beginners, can offer more features like fiat conversion, customer support, and built-in compliance tools. It’s sort of a “plug-and-play” option for crypto payments.

So why would a business choose a decentralized provider?

Businesses that favor autonomy, privacy, and cost-efficiency may look kindly on the decentralized options among crypto payment providers. Most of them, like BTCPay, are open-sourced platforms that charge no transaction fees. There’s no KYC, no account freeze risk, and no reliance on third-party custody.

Basically, they’re cheaper, faster, and more reliable. But that is as long as businesses are comfortable managing the risks of self-custody, having to convert currencies themselves, and handling the technical setup without dedicated support.

Crypto Invoicing Tools for Merchants

We covered how to receive money via crypto in businesses. But what if company owners also want to invoice employees via crypto?

There are several benefits to going the crypto route with company payments. Crypto payments are direct, almost instantaneous, and cover everywhere with internet access. For instance, companies with lots of remote workers from different countries can instantly send payouts anywhere in the world. 

Several platforms offer robust invoicing features tailored for crypto payments:

• Request Finance: Built on Ethereum, it supports multiple cryptocurrencies and fiat invoicing. It’s popular among Web3 companies for its automated reconciliation, real-time tracking, and accounting integrations.
• NOWPayments: Offers customizable crypto invoices with support for over 160 coins. It includes recurring billing, fiat conversion via partners, and plugins for platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify.
• BitPay: Provides invoicing tools alongside POS systems and fiat settlement. It supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins, and integrates with accounting software.
• CoinsPaid: Known for multi-currency support and automated invoicing. It includes wallet management, recurring billing, and fiat settlement options.
• Gilded Finance: Focuses on crypto accounting and invoicing, with tax reporting and integration with tools like QuickBooks and Xero.

Merchant Crypto Payment Solutions for Small Businesses

Cryptocurrencies can also be a low-cost, easy-to-use gateway for small businesses. In fact, one may say that accepting cryptocurrency payments makes the business infrastructure even easier and more accessible.

Both centralized and decentralized payment processors can offer small businesses the accessibility to accept digital assets, making it possible to streamline a revenue stream in a couple of hours. 

For freelancers, SaaS providers, or any ‘online” business, accepting crypto also widens the range of potential clients, as crypto payments can be made from anywhere in the world.

E-Commerce Crypto Payment Providers

E-commerce businesses benefit greatly from integrating crypto into their payment options. Fortunately, several providers offer specific plugins geared towards that market in particular. Crypto payment providers like CoinGate, BitPay, and NOWPayments offer plugins for e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, and PrestaShop.

Setting it up is as easy as installing a new app on your phone. All one has to do is configure the wallet and payout settings, choose which cryptocurrencies to accept, and the system is ready to go.

How to Accept Crypto as a Business (Legal & Tax Basics)

Taxes will ultimately depend on your location and whether your country allows businesses to receive crypto payments. Typically, for small and medium-sized businesses, your company’s crypto payouts are perceived as just “profits”, taxable just like they would be in fiat. 

The catch is, holding crypto and profiting from market changes can be perceived as capital gains, meaning that depending on how you manage your crypto, you could be dealing with both income tax and capital gains tax — again, depending on your location’s regulations. 

Most of the tools we covered in this article — like BitPay, Coinbase, and so on — often include basic tax reporting tools that allow owners to track their crypto earnings and generate reports for accounting purposes.

Secure Crypto Payments for Small Business

The most important part of transitioning to crypto is understanding its risks. For small businesses, accepting digital assets also means getting smart on a few key concepts that will ensure your transactions are safe. 

Moreover, the payment providers covered in this article are all great choices for security. Offering 2FA authentication, encrypted wallet connections, and fraud monitoring tools. 

They’re doing their part, and now it’s on you to keep your business safe from potential harm. And that includes using secure wallets, keeping your connections secure, and training everyone on your staff to recognize potential phishing scams.

We have a load of articles exclusively about wallet security, what are the best options in the market, hack prevention, and much more. So feel free to check those out!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I start accepting crypto payments for my store?

Sign up with a gateway, connect your wallet, and install a plugin.

2. Are there crypto gateways with automatic conversion to fiat?

Yes—BitPay, Coinbase Commerce, and Bitpace offer it.

3. What are the fees for using a crypto payment gateway?

Usually 0.5% to 1% per transaction.

4. Do crypto payments settle instantly for businesses?

Most settle within minutes, depending on the blockchain.

5. Is it legal for businesses to accept cryptocurrency?

Yes, in most countries, but check local regulations.