What You Can Buy With Bitcoin in 2025 (Practical Guide)

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Marcus Taylor

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Key Takeaways

  • Use gift card platforms like BitPay and Bitrefill to shop at major retailers without direct Bitcoin acceptance.
  • Travel industry widely accepts Bitcoin—book flights, hotels, and experiences with cryptocurrency.
  • Luxury goods like jewelry, cars, and real estate increasingly accept Bitcoin, especially in major markets.
  • Withdraw up to $9,999 daily from Hermes Bitcoin ATMs for instant cash to spend anywhere.
  • All Bitcoin withdrawals are taxable events requiring capital gains reporting—keep detailed records.

Bitcoin was created as an alternative to cash and traditional banking. As it’s grown in popularity and value over the past twenty years, more and more people are asking: What can you buy with Bitcoin? But, using Bitcoin to pay for physical items or services is anything but easy, and it usually requires someone to manually transfer money to their bank account or use Bitcoin ATMs to manually withdraw cash.

However, in 2025, Bitcoin is rapidly becoming mainstream—and more merchants are starting to accept the popular cryptocurrency as payment.

In this guide, we’re going to show what can you buy with Bitcoin, including everyday goods, luxury items, real estate, travel, and even services. We’ll also show you how to use popular workarounds to pay with Bitcoin even when the merchant doesn’t have a way to accept crypto.

What You Can Buy With Bitcoin

Everyday Items

Gift Cards

  • Groceries
  • Clothing
  • Electronics
  • Online Shopping

Travel & Events

Direct or Gift Cards

  • Flights
  • Hotels
  • Event Tickets
  • Car Rentals

Luxury Goods

Direct Purchase

  • Jewelry
  • Watches
  • Luxury Cars
  • Designer Items

Real Estate

OTC Services

  • Residential
  • Commercial
  • Land
  • Investment Property

Services

Direct Payment

  • VPN Services
  • Web Hosting
  • Freelancers
  • Subscriptions

Digital Goods

Direct or Platforms

  • Software
  • Games
  • Music
  • Digital Art

Everyday Purchases with Bitcoin

While Bitcoin has become solidly mainstream as an investment and online currency, most major retailers still don’t accept direct buy Bitcoin at the checkout or for online shopping. Even though you may not be able to pay directly with Bitcoin, you can use several practical workarounds to spend crypto on everyday items, like groceries, clothes, and other common purchases.

Gift Card Solution

One of the most common workarounds is to buy gift cards on popular platforms, like BitPay, Bitrefill, and others, to buy a digital gift card. You can choose to purchase a generic Visa gift card or a retailer-specific card.

This allows you to shop at major grocery chains, clothing stores, electronics retailers, and online shopping platforms using your Bitcoin wallet.

By buying gift cards, you’re able to bridge the gap between cryptocurrencies and the real world—without converting your Bitcoin into cash or having to visit a physical ATM.

Popular Platforms

  • BitPay
  • Bitrefill
  • CoinCards

Grocery Stores

  • Kroger
  • Safeway
  • Whole Foods

Retailers

  • Amazon (via cards)
  • Walmart
  • Target

Travel & Experiences

Worried about what you can buy with Bitcoin that’s actually interesting? Travel is one of the most popular ways to spend crypto in the real world. Plus, it’s one of the most crypto-friendly industries out there. Some airlines, particularly private charter services and a handful of commercial airlines, accept Bitcoin for online ticket purchases. In addition, more and more hotel chains and boutique hotels are accepting Bitcoin for reservations and incidentals.

Travel Booking Tips If you prefer to use Airbnb over a traditional hotel, simply purchase a Visa gift card to complete your reservation. You can do the same with Expedia for many other travel purchases, like airline fees, rental cars, and hotels.

Bitcoin is particularly useful for international trips and cross-border travel purchases since you can avoid currency fees and purchase delays.

Airlines & Transportation

Private charter services and select commercial airlines now accept Bitcoin. Use platforms like Alternative Airlines or purchase gift cards for major carriers.

Hotels & Accommodations

Boutique hotels and chains increasingly accept Bitcoin directly. For others, use gift cards from platforms like Booking.com or Expedia via BitPay.

Event Tickets

You can often use Bitcoin to purchase event tickets, such as movies, concerts, and plays. The popular BitPay card platform also partners with many popular ticket services, letting you buy tickets directly with your Bitcoin wallet.

Luxury Goods & Collectibles

While many industries are slow to adopt Bitcoin as a standard purchase option, the luxury goods industry is at the forefront of cryptocurrency adoption. Many luxury jewelry stores, car dealerships, and watchmakers accept Bitcoin for major purchases. Often this is done directly through the storefront, although sometimes the payment must be made through a third-party broker.

Luxury Purchase Examples

Looking to cash out your Bitcoin wallet for a new Tesla or Mercedes? Contact the dealership to ask them how you can pay with Bitcoin.

Vehicles

Tesla, Mercedes, BMW dealerships accept Bitcoin in select markets

Jewelry & Watches

High-end brands and boutiques offer Bitcoin payment options

Real estate is another popular area where Bitcoin is becoming more and more accepted as a currency. This is particularly true in hot markets, like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami, where real estate agents are used to dealing with foreign purchases and alternative payment methods.

Real Estate Transactions: You’ll normally need to use an over-the-counter (OTC) service, like the one offered by Hermes Bitcoin, to facilitate the large-volume transaction. Alternatively, you can use a specialized escrow service to transfer money. Traditional exchanges, like Coinbase, aren’t able to provide the same level of personalized service.

Using Bitcoin to purchase real estate and luxury goods is particularly useful for high-net-worth individuals who value speed, privacy, and the ability to move large sums of money across borders without burdensome banking roadblocks.

Services You Can Pay with Bitcoin

Bulk purchases aren’t the only things you can buy with Bitcoin. You can also use the cryptocurrency to buy everyday services, like digital subscriptions, freelance payments, and even nonprofit donations. A huge number of digital service providers, like VPNs, web hosters, insurance platforms, and internet services, accept Bitcoin transactions as a standard payment method.

In addition, it’s easy to launch a business and pay freelancers with Bitcoin transactions. Platforms like Bitwage allow you to pay freelancers using cryptocurrencies, while many high-value freelancers accept direct buy Bitcoin. This option allows you to hire experienced freelancers to design, write, program, and consult on lucrative projects.

Finally, you can often use Bitcoin transactions to donate directly to your favorite nonprofit organization. Charities, media outlets, and some independent journalists are accepting crypto payments as a way to keep their work going strong.

Digital Services

  • VPN Services
  • Web Hosting
  • Cloud Storage
  • Domain Names

Grocery Stores

It’s easy to launch a business and pay freelancers with Bitcoin transactions. Platforms like Bitwage allow you to pay freelancers using cryptocurrencies.

Many high-value freelancers accept direct Bitcoin for design, writing, programming, and consulting projects.

Retailers

You can often use Bitcoin transactions to donate directly to your favorite nonprofit organization.

Charities, media outlets, and some independent journalists are accepting crypto payments as a way to keep their work going strong.

How People Actually Spend Bitcoin in 2025

While more merchants are starting to accept direct buy Bitcoin, the reality is that you’ll often need to use a workaround to purchase with cryptocurrencies. One of the most popular workarounds is to buy gift cards with Bitcoin. This could be a store-specific card, like a Walmart, Home Depot, Wayfair, or Macy’s gift card, or a general one like a Visa Gift Card.

Method Speed Ease of Use Cost Best For
Gift CardsEveryday purchases Instant Very Easy Low Works everywhere
Instant delivery
Bitcoin ATMCash withdrawals ~10 mins Easy Medium Get physical cash
Up to $9,999/day
OTC ServiceLarge transactions 1–3 days Moderate Low (large amounts) Best rates for large amounts
Personal service

Gift Cards (Most Popular) When you purchase a digital gift card with crypto pay, you’re able to instantly make purchases at in-person and online retailers without hassle or delay. Gift cards are loaded instantly; they don’t require a bank transfer, ATM visit, or conversation with an OTC service.

Bitcoin ATMs (Instant Cash) However, if you really want cash (or your merchant only accepts cash), you can always visit one of Hermes Bitcoin’s many ATMs. We allow you to quickly withdraw up to $9,999 in cash in a single day. You don’t have to transfer money out of your account beforehand; you simply show up to the ATM with a phone, government ID, and your wallet address. You’ll have cash in hand in minutes and be able to spend that cash wherever you shop.

You’ll have cash in hand in minutes and be able to spend that cash wherever you shop.

OTC Services (Large Transactions)
Finally, many Bitcoin enthusiasts still use OTC services and wire transfers to make purchases. This is especially true for high-value purchases like real estate, vehicles, or high-end jewelry. OTC desks are safe, private, and comply with relevant national laws.

Hermes Bitcoin offers both ATMs for instant cash and OTC services for large volume transactions. Reach out to a Hermes Bitcoin rep today to set up an OTC account and start making major purchases with your cryptocurrency reserves.

Risks & Considerations Before You Spend

While Bitcoin payments are an increasingly common way to make digital and in-person purchases, it’s also important to understand the risks associated with Bitcoin purchases before you buy anything.

The most important risk is Bitcoin’s tendency to swing widely in price over a single day. If you’re planning to make a purchase, it’s important to understand that the value of your Bitcoin may change between the time you initiate a transaction and it completes. This can be a benefit or a drawback, depending on which way the price swings.

In addition, using Bitcoin for purchases isn’t free. You’ll have to pay network fees, an ATM withdrawal charge, or conversion fees that may add a significant cost to your purchase. Always make sure that you check the total cost of your purchase before finalizing a transaction.

Finally, keep in mind that the United States and other countries consider the withdrawal of a cryptocurrency to be a taxable event. When you withdraw Bitcoin in cash or make a purchase with your wallet, you’ll likely trigger this event and will owe capital gains tax on the difference between the purchase price and the price you sold the Bitcoin for.

Make sure you keep detailed records and work with a tax professional to file your taxes.

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FAQs

Can you buy groceries with Bitcoin?

Absolutely! While most major grocery store chains and local grocers don’t accept Bitcoin directly, you can always purchase a digital gift card to buy groceries. You can purchase a retailer-specific gift card for national chains like Kroger and Safeway, or a Visa gift card for smaller mom-and-pop grocers.

Check out platforms like Bitpay and Bitrefill to see what gift card options are available, and what can you buy with Bitcoin payments.

Some bill payment services do offer the option to pay your bill with Bitcoin; however, this is relatively uncommon. You’ll often need to use a third-party platform to convert Bitcoin into USD or another currency, which you can then use to pay utilities, phone bills, and even rent. Check if your local service provider offers this option.

Unfortunately, Amazon doesn’t accept Bitcoin—yet. However, you can use third-party services like Bitpay or Bitrefill to purchase digital Amazon gift cards. Once you have the gift card, simply upload it to your Amazon account and shop like you normally do.

The easiest way to spend crypto is through third-party gift card platforms, like Bitpay or Bitrefill. They allow you to quickly trade your cryptocurrency for digital gift cards that you can use instantly. You can also buy crypto debit cards, like a Visa debit card, for convenient purchases anywhere that accepts credit cards.

Yes, withdrawing cryptocurrency for any purpose is considered a taxable event in the United States and many other countries. That’s why it’s important to keep detailed records of your transactions and to work with an experienced tax professional to make sure you pay the capital gains taxes that you owe.

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