A customer just bought a coffee using bitcoin at Compass Coffee. This reportedly marked the first Square terminal in the world to accept bitcoin.
The pilot launch, showcased during DC Fintech Week, was made possible through Square’s new Bitcoin payment integration. According to a Compass Coffee X post, the system worked seamlessly across multiple Bitcoin wallets, demonstrating the power of open payment standards and the Lightning Network.
Compass Coffee, a beloved DC chain with 27 locations, hosted the demonstration and invited lawmakers and fintech leaders to see the technology in action. “Can’t wait to see this coming to Square devices worldwide soon,” wrote the team at X.
What is Square Bitcoin?
Square recently announced the launch of Square Bitcoin, which will be a new suite of tools designed to make bitcoin usable by everyday businesses – from coffee shops to local retailers.
The platform will let merchants and small businesses accept bitcoin payments, automatically convert a portion of their sales to BTC, and manage holdings in a built-in Bitcoin wallet — all from the same dashboard they already use for point-of-sale and banking.
Square’s technology is now a familiar sight across the United States—an all-in-one payment and business management system that runs directly on mobile devices. It provides businesses of any size with tools to process payments, track sales and inventory, and manage customer relationships.
The rollout will begin on November 10, 2025 with no processing fees for Bitcoin payments during the first year. Square says the goal is to make using Bitcoin “as seamless as card payments,” simplifying what has long been a complex process for small businesses.
By integrating Bitcoin directly into Square’s ecosystem, sellers don’t need external wallets or third-party apps. They can choose to keep Bitcoin on their balance sheets or instantly convert it to dollars.
Miles Suter, Head of Bitcoin Product at Block, said the move aims to make Bitcoin “everyday money.”
For merchants, this can mean lower costs and faster settlement than traditional card networks. For Bitcoin, this news is just another step towards mainstream adoption.
Bitcoin can be used as payment elsewhere, popularly Steak ‘n Shake began accepting Bitcoin payments at all US locations in May using the Lightning Network via QR codes on kiosks and POS systems.
The move increased same-store sales by about 11% in Q2, cut payment processing fees in half and drove more customer visits, establishing Bitcoin as a strong alternative to traditional payments.