What’s the Best Crypto to Use for Online Payments?
The emergence of various cryptocurrencies has made it easier to make online payments, but which one should you choose? The following are several popular choices that you might like to consider for various reasons.
Bitcoin for Widespread Acceptance
As the original cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC) is still the first name that springs to mind for a lot of people when they think about this sector. With a high level of liquidity and widespread acceptance, this token is a good choice if you plan to spend your cryptocurrencies on various sites, as there’s a good chance that if a business accepts cryptos then BTC is going to be on their list.
The first-ever crypto payment was made in 2010 using BTC when Laszlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoin. We can now use these tokens to pay for flights, new cars, and electronic goods. Even NBA teams like the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings have decided to accept BTC as payment for tickets and merchandise.
In addition, Virgin Voyages now accepts BTC for annual cruise passes, following in the footsteps of Virgin Galactic, which was one of the first high-profile companies to accept the currency. Crypto influencers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss paid with BTC in 2014, to travel to space with this company, but their flight date hasn’t yet been set.
Litecoin for Speed and Low Fees
Litecoin (LTC) is number 21 on the cryptocurrencies market cap list at the time of writing, with a token value that’s hovering around the $90 mark. This digital currency was created in 2011 as one of the first alternatives to Bitcoin, known as altcoins. Many people don’t know that it was based on the Bitcoin code, with some tweaks to make transactions faster and cheaper.
LTC is useful for making slick payments with low fees. The supply of 84 million LTC means there’s plenty of liquidity in the market. It’s possible to mine LTC with a home computer, but making a reasonable profit while mining alone is extremely difficult, which is why many people decide to join a mining pool.
When paying online, the LTC symbol is sometimes shown on sites where BTC can be used. Detroit recently became the first American city to put in place plans to accept taxes and other city fees through cryptos. It will be done from mid-2025 using a platform operated by PayPal and LTC is one of the tokens likely to be included according to reports.
Tether to Avoid Volatility
The introduction of stablecoins like Tether (USDT) has been one of the main factors driving the cryptocurrency market forward in recent years. 2022 saw the market capitalization reach over $180 billion and these tokens have continued to grow since then. The major benefit of using a token like USDT is that its value is linked to a real-life asset - in this case the US Dollar - which removes the volatility aspect.
Tether is commonly used when sending remittances, helping the company behind it to reach profits of $13 billion in 2024. Tether is listed alongside Bitcoin, Litecoin and several other tokens as being different ways to fund a gambling account with fast, secure transactions. It’s becoming increasingly common to see USDT accepted online in areas such as online crypto gambling, where it can help players manage their bankroll effectively with fast, efficient transfers.
The same methods can then be used to withdraw any winnings claimed from the likes of themed slots and roulette games. In the case of USDT, this means that players can be sure that the amount they withdraw isn’t affected by any market swings since the deposit was made, giving them simply the amount they won from gambling as their overall profit. Since digital currencies are highly secure and pseudo-anonymous, they offer one of the best ways of funding a gambling account without any fuss or having to link your main bank account.
Dogecoin for a Fun Token with a Strong Community
Dogecoin (DOGE) was introduced in 2013 as a light-hearted alternative to BTC, quickly gaining a large online community that helped drive the price up. This was the original memecoin that inspired many other tokens based on cute animals, particularly dog coins like Shiba Inu and Baby Dogecoin. As cryptocurrencies have allowed us to travel and work remotely, this sort of fun token has become unexpectedly influential in the financial world.
While the token began life as a joke, the community has been working hard to raise its profile and hopefully turn it into a mainstream payment method to increase its value. This has helped make DOGE highly volatile, with the market reacting sharply at times to the latest news stories and hype.
Crypto Cards for Everyday Spending
For those who want to use their crypto assets for everyday purchases without the hassle of converting them first, crypto cards offer a convenient solution. These cards function like traditional debit or credit cards but are linked to your cryptocurrency wallet. When you make a purchase, the required amount of crypto is automatically converted to fiat currency at the current exchange rate. Major exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, and Crypto.com offer their own branded cards, supporting various cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, USDT, and more. This bridges the gap between the crypto and traditional financial worlds, allowing you to earn rewards and cashback while spending your digital assets at any merchant that accepts card payments.
All of these cryptocurrencies can be easily used to make online payments. Therefore, it makes sense to take a moment to consider your needs and which of them is likely to be the best option for meeting them.