Tallinn, Estonia, June 9th 2025 — The travel industry is increasingly turning to cryptocurrency as a reliable method of payment systems, with Estonia-licensed crypto payment ecosystem CoinsPaid reporting a 38% year-on-year increase in crypto transactions across its travel sector clients.
The trend reflects growing demand for faster, borderless, and cost-efficient payment solutions, particularly among travellers in emerging markets and digital-first demographics.
When booking a flight takes seconds but cross-border payments can drag on for days – the travel industry is finally waking up to something it can’t ignore: crypto.
For a long time, digital assets sat on the sidelines as a novelty payment option for a handful of adventurous travelers. Now, crypto is quietly becoming a core part of how people book, pay, and move across the world.
And at the heart of it all is CoinsPaid, a crypto payment gateway that’s powering a new era of travel.
According to internal data, stablecoins now account for more than 40% of crypto payments processed through the platform, reflecting broader market trends in cross-border payments and consumer demand for faster, lower-cost alternatives to traditional card systems.
The reasons are simple: crypto solves real problems that traditional payment systems don’t:
Lower processing fees (think 0.8–1.5% vs. the usual 3–5% with cards).
Instant, borderless payments.
No chargebacks, fewer fraud headaches.
Real-time settlement (no waiting, no delays).
“Crypto isn’t a novelty anymore,” says Max Krupyshev, CEO of CoinsPaid. “In 2025, the benefits are clear – it cuts costs, opens markets, and gets the job done.”
Who’s paying with crypto?
CoinsPaid observes that today’s crypto users go well beyond early adopters.
From digital nomads and Gen Z freelancers to high-net-worth individuals booking first-class flights or private jets, crypto is becoming a mainstream choice for global travel payments.
There’s the high-net-worth crowd, booking first-class cabins and private jets using stablecoins or ETH. Across the board, crypto users tend to spend more – 2.5x more, in fact, than traditional fiat users, according to Travala.com.
Travel brands are already on board
The shift is well underway.
Travala.com processed $103M in bookings in 2024 – and 80% were paid in crypto. CheapAir has been accepting BTC since 2013.
Destinia is a longtime crypto adopter in Spain.
Mirai Flights, a luxury private jet service, had already cut payment fees by 75%.
Even platforms like Skyscanner are reportedly exploring crypto integrations for their 110 million users.
Where does CoinsPaid fit in?
CoinsPaid provides a secure, compliant and easy-to-integrate crypto payment solution for businesses in the travel industry, including flight aggregators, boutique hotels, and private travel services. Think of CoinsPaid as the missing bridge between the crypto world and the travel world. Their solution is simple, fast, and tailored for businesses.
Accept 20+ cryptocurrencies.
Instantly convert to fiat and avoid volatility.
Stay compliant with KYC/AML rules.
Onboard smoothly and timely.
All with an interface that doesn’t demand a deep knowledge of crypto.
“You don’t need to be a blockchain expert,” Krupyshev says. “You just need a gateway that works.”
Looking ahead
With over 650 million crypto holders worldwide and growing demand for crypto payments, especially in emerging markets, the future is clear.
CoinsPaid estimates that by 2027, crypto could account for 15% of all travel bookings in regions like Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe.
As regulation stabilizes and payment rails modernize, one thing becomes obvious: crypto is infrastructure – one that the travel industry is ready to build on.
About CoinsPaid
CoinsPaid is one of the leading crypto payment ecosystems based in Estonia and trusted by hundreds of merchants globally. The company has processed more than €19 billion in transactions and offers licensed, scalable solutions for crypto-fiat payments.