Can I buy coffee with coins? A scan of the global payment status.

Imagine buying a cup of Starbucks coffee with Bitcoin, it sounds pretty cool. The reality is - you can, but it depends on where you are.

In the United States, Tesla, Microsoft, and AT&T all support cryptocurrency payments. PayPal is even more convenient, allowing direct payment with cryptocurrencies at any store that supports PayPal globally. The key point is that the regulatory approach in the U.S. is clear: “If it's not prohibited, it's allowed.”

In Europe , places like the Netherlands, Italy, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, and Malta accept both physical stores and online services. The Zug region in Switzerland even recognizes USDT as an official means of payment.

Developing countries, especially those with severe inflation—Venezuela, El Salvador, and parts of Southeast Asia—cryptocurrency payments are very popular. El Salvador has also launched a national cryptocurrency wallet called Chivo.

But the problem is:

• Russia? Prohibited. Not only can merchants not accept cryptocurrencies, but the law also explicitly forbids it.
• Iceland? Quite contradictory - there are large mining farms, but payments are banned.
• The volatility is too high, the price changes by 5% in an hour, who dares to take it?
• Tax + AML review, filling out forms when exchanging money is more troublesome than paying.

Cryptocurrency debit cards have become a compromise solution. Services like BitFree and Maps.me allow you to recharge with cryptocurrency and convert it to fiat currency when you swipe the card. For those in Russia, where such services are banned, this is a lifesaver.

Conclusion: It is still early for cryptocurrency to be a daily payment tool. Some cities in the US and Europe can give it a try, but in most places, we still need the intermediary step from cryptocurrency to fiat currency. The real “cryptocurrency economy” is still 5 to 10 years away from us.