Why Should I Accept Bitcoin and Crypto? A Guide for Merchants

The numbers

South Africans are not just trading Bitcoin and crypto, they are spending it. In the first half of 2026, payments on the MoneyBadger network grew 95% on the same period last year, and the Rand value spent grew 176%. Most are everyday purchases like groceries and fuel, often under R200. Read the 2026 MoneyBadger Report.

  1. South Africans want to spend Bitcoin

    Over 5.8 million South Africans have Bitcoin and MyBroadband ran a survey which found that of the 97% of people who had heard of crypto, 68% had bought some in the past or currently owned it. Of those, 67% had bought Bitcoin.

    A common argument is that people don’t want to spend their investment in Bitcoin, but that is not always true. For instance, if someone runs out of spending cash, they would prefer to spend Bitcoin rather than go into debt on their credit card. Also, many people are now moving most or all of their savings over to Bitcoin due to governments printing more currency and the subsequent rising cost of goods and services.

  2. Bitcoin payments are now cheap and instant

    In the past, Bitcoin took about 10 minutes to send and often came with higher fees. Not anymore! An amazing innovation called Bitcoin Lightning means you can move your Bitcoin to a wallet like Blink, Aqua, Blitz, Breez, Wallet of Satoshi, Strike, Speed and spend it instantly with almost zero transaction fees. Over 650 million people worldwide now have access to Bitcoin Lightning!

    Exchange wallets like Luno, VALR, Binance and Bybit also make paying with Bitcoin and stablecoins instant and free.

  3. People are earning salaries in stablecoins

    Stablecoins are crypto assets pegged to regular currencies such as the US dollar or euro. Instead of paying US dollars into a bank account, more companies pay employees abroad in stablecoins because it’s faster and cheaper. People in South Africa who receive stablecoins can now spend them at shops that accept Bitcoin and crypto.

  4. Expats are sending money home via Bitcoin and stablecoins

    Expats living in countries like the US, UK, Australia, Singapore and the UAE are turning to stablecoins as a faster and cheaper way to send money home to their families. Their families can easily open a wallet on Luno, VALR, Binance or Bybit and cash out to their bank account, or simply spend it at a shop that accepts Bitcoin and stablecoins.

  5. Traders spend their Bitcoin and crypto profits

    Millions of South Africans buy and sell Bitcoin and crypto. When they make a profit, they usually have to cash out to Rand before they can spend it. Now they can walk into any store that accepts Bitcoin and crypto and spend it directly.

  6. Bitcoin circular economies are forming

    Projects like Bitcoin Ekasi are running community initiatives, like teaching children from townships to surf, and paying them in Bitcoin to attend lessons. They can then spend that Bitcoin at places like Pick n Pay or local spaza shops. This creates a circular economy where the value that enters the community stays in the community.

  7. Mainstream retailers are accepting Bitcoin in-store and online

    Retailers like Pick n Pay and Bootlegger led the way by accepting Bitcoin, and now have customers paying with Bitcoin in their stores every day. Payment providers like Peach Payments and Ozow have made it easy to accept Bitcoin and stablecoins online, and many websites have already added Bitcoin at checkout through Peach and MoneyBadger. Here are some of the websites that have enabled it: GeeWiz, The Lighting Warehouse, Furniturespot, Epic Deals, Flook, Chavda International, TicketPro, Bootlegger, Brutech, Lug to Lug.

  8. You carry no crypto risk

    You never hold Bitcoin or crypto. Your customer pays from their own wallet and you are settled in Rand through your payment provider's normal settlement cycle. The Rand amount is locked at the point of sale, so price swings are not your problem, and there are no chargebacks.

  9. It is regulated and easy to switch on

    MoneyBadger (Pty) Ltd is a licensed Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP), FSP 53482. You can switch on Bitcoin and crypto payments through the provider you already use: Ozow, Peach Payments, Zapper or Scan to Pay.

  10. We help bring customers to your door

    Merchants that accept Bitcoin are listed on our store map and promoted to our community. You can also run a cashback or discount promo for people paying with Bitcoin or crypto.

Ready to accept Bitcoin and crypto?

See pricing, read the merchant FAQ, or talk to us and we will connect you with the right payment provider.