In a major step forward for crypto adoption, Shopify has officially enabled USDC payments at checkout, powered by Coinbase’s Base chain and Stripe integration. The update, announced by Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke, marks a historic turning point for stablecoin usage in e-commerce and opens the doors to millions of crypto-native shoppers across the globe.
Early access begins immediately and will roll out progressively across all merchants using Shopify Payments and Shop Pay, the company’s native checkout solution.
Stablecoins Enter the Mainstream of E-Commerce
The announcement was delivered via a tweet from Tobi Lütke, who described stablecoins as a “natural way to transact on the Internet.” Shopify has partnered closely with Coinbase Commerce to develop a custom smart contract protocol that allows seamless integration of Base-native USDC, the stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar and issued by Circle.
With this move, Shopify is joining a growing list of major platforms embracing Web3-native payment infrastructure. The integration enables customers to pay in USDC at checkout with zero volatility risk for merchants, while leveraging blockchain settlement speed and transparency.
According to Shopify’s official blog post, the system was built to be composable, secure, and easy to integrate—laying the foundation for a broader range of crypto payments in the future.
Coinbase and Stripe: The Crypto-Commerce Alliance
One of the key enablers of this launch is the Coinbase Smart Wallet, which streamlines the checkout experience for users without needing to switch networks or manage seed phrases. Additionally, Stripe is helping bridge the Web2 and Web3 worlds by allowing merchants to automatically convert USDC to fiat, making the process frictionless for businesses that still operate primarily in traditional finance systems.
This three-way collaboration between Shopify, Coinbase, and Stripe positions USDC as the first stablecoin to reach enterprise-grade checkout infrastructure at global scale.
Final Thoughts: Shopify’s Web3 Pivot Is No Gimmick
This isn’t just another tech experiment—it’s a real deployment at scale from one of the largest commerce platforms in the world. With over 1.7 million merchants and billions in annual volume, Shopify’s move to accept stablecoins could dramatically reshape how value moves across the Internet.By integrating stablecoins directly into checkout flows, Shopify is effectively onboarding millions of businesses into Web3—without them even knowing it. That’s the Trojan Horse Web3 needed.
