Square announces Bitcoin payments for merchants

Block’s subsidiary adds direct Bitcoin integration and AI-powered ordering tools for small businesses seeking streamlined transactions

by Blockworks /
article-image

Adam McCullough/Shutterstock and Adobe modified by Blockworks

share

Square, the payment services arm of Block, has announced the rollout of integrated Bitcoin payments and an AI-powered voice ordering system for merchants.

Announced on Wednesday, the update allows business owners to accept Bitcoin directly through Square’s platform without relying on third-party processors, while a new artificial intelligence tool handles customer voice orders across devices and languages.

The combined release aims to streamline commerce by unifying crypto transactions and conversational AI within Square’s existing merchant ecosystem.

The company said the Bitcoin payment feature connects directly with Block’s infrastructure, leveraging the Lightning Network for faster and cheaper transactions. Merchants can choose to settle in Bitcoin or instantly convert proceeds to fiat currency. Square’s AI voice ordering system, meanwhile, enables restaurants and retailers to manage phone and kiosk orders through natural language prompts, trained on each business’s unique menu or product catalog.

This move marks Square’s latest expansion of Bitcoin utility across Block’s portfolio, following CEO Jack Dorsey’s ongoing push to integrate Bitcoin at the protocol level through projects like TBD and Spiral. While the company framed the update as a boost to merchant efficiency, it also positions Square competitively against fintech rivals such as PayPal and Shopify, which have pursued separate crypto integrations.

Block stated that the new Bitcoin and AI tools are available immediately for US merchants, with international support planned for 2026.

This is a developing story.


This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

allora-image.png

Research

Decentralized AI coordination networks solve crypto's growing architectural mismatch: applications built on trustless infrastructure shouldn't depend on centralized intelligence providers. By turning model outputs into competitive marketplaces, protocols like Allora are building the permissionless intelligence layer that AI-powered DeFi and autonomous agents require.

article-image

Ethereum rolls out Fusaka, setting the stage for a stronger blob fee market and renewed deflationary potential

article-image

Futuristic DeFi is stuck inside the computer. An old idea might be its escape hatch

article-image

Money market indicators are flashing liquidity stress again as crypto underperforms equities

article-image

From passageways to penumbras: a history of private life

article-image

BTC’s Asia-session move and Ethena’s weaker yields reflect a market adjusting to tighter yen funding and softer derivatives carry

article-image

What Monad’s launch, MegaETH pre-market pricing, and the Berachain refund story say about today’s infra market