Most Crypto Holders Want to Pay with Bitcoin—but Rarely Do, New Survey Shows
By [Your Name] • January 28 2026
A recent study commissioned by Bitcoin‑mining firm GoMining and shared with The Defiant reveals a stark gap between the desire to use Bitcoin for everyday purchases and the reality of its limited use. While a sizable majority of respondents express strong support for broader merchant acceptance of the cryptocurrency, more than half admit they rarely or never spend it.
Survey snapshot
- Sample size: 5,700 crypto‑asset holders worldwide.
- Spending frequency: 55 % report rarely or never using Bitcoin for payments.
- Attitude toward adoption: Nearly 80 % favour wider acceptance and view Bitcoin as a viable payment method.
When participants were asked what prevents them from spending Bitcoin, the top three obstacles were:
| Barrier | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| Limited merchant acceptance | 49.6 % |
| High transaction fees | 44.7 % |
| Price volatility | 43.4 % |
What users value most in a Bitcoin payment experience
The survey also explored the motivations that would encourage holders to spend crypto more often. Privacy and security topped the list (46.4 %), closely followed by rewards or discounts (45.4 %). When asked to rank the most sought‑after improvements to Bitcoin payments, respondents named:
- Lower fees – 62.6 %
- Rewards or cashback – roughly half of respondents
- Broader merchant acceptance – also close to half
These findings suggest that while the ideological appeal of Bitcoin remains strong, practical concerns around cost and usability dominate decision‑making.
Preferred spending categories
Among the minority who do use crypto for purchases, the most popular use cases were:
- Gaming – 37.7 %
- Daily purchases – 26.4 %
- Gifting – 21.1 %
Higher‑value or luxury items trailed behind, indicating that most current on‑chain spending is geared toward low‑to‑moderate ticket‑size transactions rather than large‑scale retail.
Stablecoins gain ground where Bitcoin stalls
The same report notes that Bitcoin’s payment hurdles are not shared uniformly across all digital assets. Stablecoins, which are pegged to fiat currencies, are seeing faster adoption through crypto‑linked debit cards. Artemis, a blockchain analytics platform, tracked monthly card‑based stablecoin volumes climbing from roughly $100 million in early 2023 to over $1.5 billion by late 2025—a fifteen‑fold increase that now rivals peer‑to‑peer on‑chain transfers.
Analysis
The GoMining survey underscores a classic “adoption paradox” in crypto payments: enthusiasm outpaces actual usage. The data points to three intertwined challenges:
- Infrastructure lag – Merchant adoption remains under half of the required level for seamless Bitcoin payments. Even as point‑of‑sale solutions improve, network effects have not yet taken hold.
- Economic friction – Transaction fees on the Bitcoin network can spike dramatically during periods of congestion, eroding the cost advantage of digital cash. Users cite fees more often than price volatility, suggesting that fee predictability is a larger pain point than the asset’s inherent volatility.
- Value‑added incentives – Traditional payment cards often bundle rewards, cash‑back, or loyalty points. The survey shows that similar incentives could be decisive in converting Bitcoin holders into regular spenders.
Stablecoins benefit from two structural advantages that sidestep many of Bitcoin’s obstacles: price stability eliminates the volatility premium, and many stablecoin networks (e.g., Lightning, Layer‑2 solutions) offer lower fees and faster settlement. The rapid rise of crypto‑linked cards indicates that a hybrid model—stablecoins for everyday transactions paired with Bitcoin as a store of value—may be the near‑term equilibrium for most users.
Key takeaways
- Demand exists, but friction remains: Almost 80 % of surveyed holders want Bitcoin accepted more widely, yet 55 % seldom spend it.
- Merchant acceptance and fees are the biggest blockers: Nearly half of respondents cite limited merchant coverage; a similar share point to high transaction costs.
- Privacy and rewards drive interest: Security concerns and potential incentives rank as the top reasons users keep crypto, suggesting that any payment solution that can combine both will have a competitive edge.
- Lower fees are the top priority: Over 60 % of participants say cheaper transactions would most likely increase their spending frequency.
- Stablecoins outpace Bitcoin in retail use: Crypto‑linked card volumes surged fifteen‑fold between 2023 and 2025, highlighting the market’s appetite for stable, low‑fee digital cash.
Outlook
For Bitcoin to transition from a predominantly speculative asset to a mainstream medium of exchange, the ecosystem will need to address merchant onboarding and fee volatility—potentially through wider Layer‑2 adoption (e.g., Lightning Network) and standardized fee structures. Meanwhile, stablecoin payment rails, bolstered by card integrations, are poised to capture the bulk of everyday crypto spending in the short term. Stakeholders—from wallet providers to merchants—should monitor these trends closely as they shape the next phase of digital‑currency commerce.
Source: https://thedefiant.io/news/research-and-opinion/bitcoin-payments-crypto-survey-gomining
