US tech company and financial services provider Block will roll out bitcoin (BTC) payments on point-of-sale (POS) platform Square.

Square, which is owned by Block, provides a POS system for both online and physical stores, allowing merchants to accept card payments and manage business operations.

Launched in 2009, Square currently serves more than four million sellers, processing $228 billion during 2024.

The new feature will allow merchants to accept bitcoin payments directly through their Square hardware, with users able to pay with the cryptocurrency by scanning a QR code at checkout.

The move will also see Block integrate the Lightning Network into the Square POS app.

The Lightning Network is a second layer for BTC designed to solve glitches associated with payments. It uses micropayment channels to scale the blockchain's capability and handle faster transactions.

The integration will also provide near-instant settlement and quick payment processes through real-time exchange rate calculations and confirmation notifications, the firm said.

The rollout will begin in the second half of 2025, with the new feature expected to reach all eligible Square sellers by next year.

The firm said the roll out will boost the cryptocurrency ecosystem by enabling merchants and customers use BTC as “a true peer-to-peer payment system.”

“We believe in an open, decentralised, fair, fast, and low-cost money system for everyone, and that’s exactly what we want to bring to Square sellers,” said Miles Suter, Bitcoin product lead at Block.

Existing bitcoin features on Square include digital wallet Cash, bitcoin wallet Bitkey, and Proto, a suite of bitcoin mining products and services.

Block brands also include CashApp, Afterpay, and TIDAL..

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