Shopify Payments supports USDC payments via the Base network in the early access phase, with a global expansion expected by the end of 2025.
Shopify has officially integrated the stablecoin USDC into the Shopify Payments system through a partnership with Coinbase and Stripe, significantly expanding global payment options for sellers. The feature is currently in the early access phase, allowing sellers worldwide to accept USDC payments from customers through the Base blockchain network, a Layer-2 solution on Ethereum developed by Coinbase.
Customers can pay with USDC through supported wallets during checkout, including Shop Pay and the guest checkout option. According to announcements from Shopify, sellers using Shopify Payments do not need to implement any additional payment gateways or new integrations; the connection occurs completely automatically within the existing system.
Source: Shopify's X page
A noteworthy point is that sellers will automatically receive payments in the local currency of the country without incurring foreign exchange conversion fees or international transaction surcharges. Additionally, they can choose to receive USDC directly into their personal cryptocurrency wallet through the functionality supported by Stripe.
Optimized smart contract for e-commerce
Shopify and Coinbase have collaborated to build a new smart contract along with an open-source payment protocol to handle specific commercial transactions. This system is capable of tax calculation, recording late payments, and processing refunds, all integrated directly into Shopify's existing order process without needing to be separated from the original order processing system.
The payment experience is designed to be simple for customers when they choose to pay with USDC at the checkout step, then connect their cryptocurrency wallet containing USDC on the Base network through a secure popup window and confirm the transaction. In the US, Shopify will launch a 1% cashback program in USDC for customers using this method by the end of 2025 without charging sellers.
The current feature is only available to a group of sellers in the early access program, but Shopify has stated that it will expand support to all stores using Shopify Payments globally by the end of 2025. For eligible sellers, no additional setup is needed to activate this feature, demonstrating Shopify's commitment to simplifying the adoption of blockchain technology for e-commerce.
