Shopify Adds USDC Payment Option Through Coinbase

Shopify is taking a bigger step into digital payments by introducing early access to stablecoin transactions using USDC, through a new partnership with Coinbase. A select group of merchants can now accept USDC payments on Shopify, with a full rollout expected later in the year via Shopify Payments and Shop Pay.

Good to know

• Payments will run on Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, Base.
• Early access began June 13 for selected merchants.
• Shopify plans to offer future rewards like 1% cash back in local currency.

Starting June 13, Shopify began giving limited access to a stablecoin payment option using Circle’s USDC, powered by a smart contract built with Coinbase. The payments run on Base, Coinbase’s layer-2 Ethereum network, and will eventually be made available across the Shopify platform.

CEO Tobi Lutke explained the company’s thinking on social media, writing, “We think that stablecoins are a natural way to transact on the internet and worked with Coinbase to develop the commerce payment protocol smart contract that powers this work.”

Shopify says this launch is both a technical development and part of a strategic partnership with the Base team. A company spokesperson confirmed that a small group of merchants already has access, and the wider rollout will follow later in 2025.

To use the new feature, buyers will need a digital wallet compatible with USDC. Shopify said there are hundreds of eligible wallets available for customers.

Shopify’s Crypto Experience Runs Deep

This is not Shopify’s first time working with crypto payments. The company allowed merchants to accept Bitcoin as far back as 2013 and currently supports multiple crypto options through third-party providers such as Strike and Crypto.com. According to the Shopify Help Center, merchants can choose from at least nine crypto-enabled payment options, including Solana Pay and BitPay.

Shopify does caution merchants that crypto payments may have longer settlement times, which can affect high-speed sales events. For smoother transactions, the company recommends direct methods like Shopify Payments during flash sales.

The latest Coinbase partnership follows earlier collaboration between the two companies on Meta’s former stablecoin project, Diem (previously Libra), which was eventually shut down in 2022 after regulatory challenges.