Stripe (Bridge)

Overview

Stripe (Bridge) is Stripe's stablecoin payment infrastructure, built on the Bridge platform Stripe acquired in 2024. It lets merchants accept major stablecoins — USDC, USDT and PYUSD — as a payment method and settle straight into their Stripe balance or bank account in USD, without ever touching crypto.

Stablecoins now process over $1 trillion in monthly adjusted transaction volume, and Stripe's stablecoin offering brings that rail inside Stripe's familiar payments stack — one integration, one dashboard, regulated custody and KYC handled by Stripe. It's a strong fit for merchants already on Stripe who want to accept crypto from global customers without adding a separate crypto gateway.

Best for: existing Stripe merchants who want to accept stablecoins from international customers and settle to fiat, especially those serving emerging markets where card and local banking rails are unreliable or unavailable.

Fees & Pricing

Stripe (Bridge) uses a flat 1.5% processing fee on stablecoin payments, with settlement to your Stripe balance in USD.

Processing

Transaction fee — 1.5% per stablecoin payment
Settlement — USD to your Stripe balance / linked bank account
No separate crypto gateway or wallet custody to stand up

Availability

Merchants in 48 countries can enable stablecoin acceptance through their existing Stripe account.
Stablecoins supported: USDC, USDT, PYUSD (more as the network expands).

Because settlement lands in USD inside the same Stripe balance as card payments, reconciliation and treasury stay unified — no separate crypto bank or exchange relationship to maintain.

Features & Integrations

Accept stablecoins, settle in fiat

Accept USDC, USDT and PYUSD at checkout — with auto-conversion so merchants never hold crypto.
Settle straight to your Stripe balance or linked bank account in USD — one payout stream alongside card payments.
Single Stripe dashboard for cards and stablecoins; no second gateway to manage.

Global reach

Always-on settlement — transfers clear in minutes, 24/7, with no banking cutoff times.
Lower transfer costs — fees are driven by network activity, not transaction size.
Access without local banking — reach customers in emerging markets where domestic payment rails are limited.

Programmable & compliant

Programmable flows — tie payments to events (delivery confirmation, milestones, balance thresholds) for automated execution.
Regulated custody with Stripe-managed KYC and compliance.
Multiple integration models: fully abstracted stablecoin acceptance, direct ownership (custodial / noncustodial wallets), or hybrid via wallet and payment APIs.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Built into Stripe — one integration and dashboard for cards and stablecoins
Settles straight to Stripe balance / bank in USD — no crypto custody for the merchant
Accept USDC, USDT and PYUSD from global customers
1.5% flat fee, simple and predictable
Always-on settlement in minutes — no banking cutoff times
Lower transfer costs vs cards for high-volume or low-value payments
Reach emerging markets where local banking rails are limited
Regulated custody + Stripe-managed KYC and compliance
Programmable payment flows supported (event-triggered execution)
Backed by Stripe's payments infrastructure and support

Cons

KYC required — Stripe-managed identity verification on every merchant
Stablecoin only (USDC, USDT, PYUSD) — no non-stablecoin crypto like BTC or ETH at checkout
1.5% is higher than some dedicated crypto gateways (e.g. CoinsPaid at sub-1%)
Settlement in USD only — limited fiat currencies vs multi-fiat gateways
Available in 48 countries — not truly global yet
Newer product — feature set still maturing vs established crypto-first gateways

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Stripe (Bridge)?

Stripe's stablecoin payment infrastructure, built on the Bridge platform Stripe acquired in 2024. It lets merchants accept stablecoins (USDC, USDT, PYUSD) and settle to their Stripe balance in USD.

Which stablecoins can my customers pay with?

USDC, USDT and PYUSD at checkout, with additional stablecoins expected as the network expands.

How does settlement work?

Stablecoin payments auto-convert to USD and land in your existing Stripe balance or linked bank account — no separate crypto bank or exchange needed.

What are the fees?

A flat 1.5% per stablecoin payment, with settlement to your Stripe balance in USD.

Do I need to custody crypto?

No. Stripe handles regulated custody and KYC/AML; merchants never touch private keys or hold crypto.

Is Stripe (Bridge) regulated?

Yes — custody is regulated and Stripe manages KYC and compliance on every merchant.

Who is this best for?

Existing Stripe merchants who want to accept stablecoins from international customers and settle to fiat, especially those reaching emerging markets where cards and local banking are limited.