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CRYPTO PAYMENTS

Crypto Payments for Digital Goods: Statistics You Need to Know in 2026

MyStars.tg Team10 min read
Editorial data graphic showing $390B genuine stablecoin payments, $226B B2B payments, and 1B Telegram monthly active users
Crypto payments at a glance: $390B in genuine stablecoin payments, $226B in B2B payments, and 1B Telegram MAU.

Crypto has quietly become a real payment rail for digital goods—from stablecoin B2B settlements to Telegram Stars bought with TON-ecosystem tokens. This page collects widely cited, verifiable figures on crypto payments, stablecoins, app-store economics for digital goods, and the Telegram ecosystem. Each statistic is attributed to a named source and year.

Key Crypto Payments Statistics

Stablecoin & Crypto Payments Market Size

Genuine stablecoin payments hit $390 billion in 2025—more than double 2024. McKinsey & Artemis Analytics, 2026

How much crypto payment volume is real, where it comes from, and how fast it is growing:

Stablecoin payment volume by origin region, 2025

Origin region Genuine stablecoin payments
Asia $245 billion
North America $95 billion
Europe $50 billion

Source: McKinsey & Artemis Analytics, 2026. Genuine payment activity only.

Stablecoin payment categories, 2025

Payment category Annualized volume
B2B payments $226 billion
Global payroll and remittances $90 billion
Capital-markets settlement $8 billion
Stablecoin-linked card spending $4.5 billion

Source: McKinsey & Artemis Analytics, 2026.

Who Owns Crypto: Adoption & Demographics

51% of Gen Z adults own or have owned cryptocurrency—the highest share of any generation in the survey. Gemini State of Crypto, 2025

  • 30% of US adults, about 70.4 million people, own cryptocurrency in 2026, up from 15% in 2021. Security.org, 2026
  • In the US, 51% of Gen Z respondents own or have owned crypto, versus 49% of Millennials and 29% of Gen X. Gemini State of Crypto, 2025
  • 33% of US Gen Z respondents would be comfortable allocating at least 5% of their portfolio to crypto, versus 21% of the general US population. Gemini State of Crypto, 2025
  • 48% of Gen Z respondents globally invest in crypto as a means of generating income, versus 41% of the general population. Gemini State of Crypto, 2025
  • Global digital-currency ownership grew at a 99% CAGR from 2018 to 2023, versus roughly 8% for traditional payment methods. Triple-A, 2024
  • 65% of crypto owners say they prefer paying in crypto. Triple-A, 2024
  • 61% of current US crypto owners plan to buy more crypto in 2026. Security.org, 2026
  • US ownership of USDC rose from 12% of crypto holders in 2024 to 18% in 2026; 7% hold USDT. Security.org, 2026
  • 53% of Americans who have ever owned crypto report a net gain; 21% report a net loss. Security.org, 2026
  • 10% of US adults cite avoiding banking and transaction fees as crypto's greatest benefit; 20% cite anonymity. Security.org, 2026

US crypto owners by age group, 2026

Age group Share
18–29 19%
30–44 32%
45–59 31%
60+ 17%

Source: Security.org 2026 Cryptocurrency Adoption and Sentiment Report.

US adults owning crypto

Year Share of US adults
2021 15%
2022 33%
2023 30%
2024 27%
2025 28%
2026 30%

Source: Security.org, 2026.

Digital Goods & App-Store Economics

$149 billion in digital goods flowed through Apple's App Store in 2025, commissioned at 15–30%. Apple, via TechCrunch, 2026

  • Apple's App Store facilitated more than $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales in 2025, up from $1.3 trillion in 2024. Apple, via TechCrunch, 2026
  • $149 billion of 2025 App Store billings were digital goods and services, the segment commissioned at 15–30%, up from $131 billion a year earlier. Apple, via TechCrunch, 2026
  • In-app advertising revenue on the App Store reached $151 billion in 2025. Apple, via TechCrunch, 2026
  • The App Store averaged more than 850 million weekly users across 175 countries in 2025. Apple, via TechCrunch, 2026
  • 90% of the $1.4 trillion in App Store billings involved transactions where developers paid Apple no commission, meaning nearly all commission revenue came from the digital-goods slice. Apple, via TechCrunch, 2026

The Telegram Economy

Telegram passed 1 billion monthly active users in 2025. Telegram / Statista sources, compiled by Backlinko

Emerging Markets & Stablecoins as Digital Dollars

Sub-Saharan Africa's on-chain value grew 52% to more than $205 billion. Chainalysis, 2025

  • Sub-Saharan Africa received more than $205 billion in on-chain value between July 2024 and June 2025, up roughly 52% year over year and making it the world's third-fastest-growing crypto region. Chainalysis, 2025
  • Nigeria leads the region with more than $92.1 billion in value received, nearly triple second-placed South Africa. Chainalysis, 2025
  • Monthly on-chain volume in Sub-Saharan Africa spiked to nearly $25 billion in March 2025, driven by Nigeria's currency devaluation. Chainalysis, 2025
  • More than 8% of value transferred in Sub-Saharan Africa is in transactions under $10,000, versus 6% for the rest of the world, a marker of retail usage. Chainalysis, 2025
  • Bitcoin makes up 89% of fiat crypto purchases in Nigeria and 74% in South Africa, compared with 51% in USD markets. Chainalysis, 2025
  • USDT accounts for 7% of fiat purchases in Nigeria versus 5% in the USD cohort, reflecting stablecoins' role as a dollar substitute where local currency is volatile. Chainalysis, 2025

Future Projections

  • The US Treasury Secretary said stablecoin supply could reach $3 trillion by 2030; leading financial institutions project $2–4 trillion. US Treasury, via McKinsey, 2025
  • 57% of US adults expect the overall crypto market to increase in 2026; 19% expect a decline. Security.org, 2026
  • Among US non-owners, 47% would consider acquiring crypto in the future and 6% intend to buy within 12 months. Security.org, 2026
  • Of Americans planning to buy crypto in the next 12 months, 59% plan to buy Bitcoin, 49% Ethereum, and 14% USDC. Security.org, 2026
  • Congress passed the GENIUS Act in July 2025 to regulate stablecoins, the first US federal stablecoin framework. Security.org, 2026

FAQ

How big are crypto payments in 2026?

Genuine stablecoin payment volume reached about $390 billion in 2025, more than double 2024 levels, according to McKinsey and Artemis Analytics. Headline on-chain volumes of up to $35 trillion mostly reflect trading and internal transfers, not real payments.

How many people own cryptocurrency?

More than 560 million people worldwide own digital currencies, according to Triple-A. In the US, 30% of adults—about 70.4 million people—own crypto in 2026, according to Security.org.

Why buy digital goods with crypto instead of through app stores?

In-app digital-goods purchases carry 15–30% platform commissions. Apple reported $149 billion in digital-goods billings in 2025. Crypto payment rails can provide an alternative settlement path for eligible digital-goods flows; 65% of crypto owners say they prefer paying in crypto. Apple / TechCrunch · Triple-A

Which regions are adopting crypto payments fastest?

Asia originates about 60% of stablecoin payment volume ($245 billion), according to McKinsey and Artemis. Sub-Saharan Africa was the third-fastest-growing region at 52% year over year, led by Nigeria with $92.1 billion in value received. Chainalysis

Are stablecoins used for payments or mainly for trading?

The answer is both, but trading and internal transfers make up most of reported on-chain volume. Of up to $35 trillion in annual transfers, McKinsey and Artemis estimate about $390 billion as genuine payment activity, including B2B payments ($226 billion), payroll and remittances ($90 billion), settlement ($8 billion), and card spending ($4.5 billion).

Sources and Evidence

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