One worry disappears fast once you see how pricing works: you never have to think in Bitcoin. You set prices in dollars, exactly as you do now. The payment tool does the translation at the register.
What is left is a small set of choices about conversion and settlement, and they are easier to make once you understand the moving parts.
In this article
How a price quote works
When you charge a customer twelve dollars, the tool converts that to the right amount of Bitcoin or stablecoin at the current rate and locks it into a QR code. The customer has a short window, usually a few minutes, to pay that exact amount before the quote refreshes. That window is what protects both of you from a price move mid-sale.
To convert or not to convert
- Auto-convert to dollars: the tool sells the crypto instantly and sends you dollars. No price risk, no holdings, a small spread.
- Keep the crypto: you hold what you receive and accept that its value will move.
- Split: some services let you convert a percentage and keep the rest.
The FAQ can I convert to dollars immediately? covers the mechanics in brief.
The spread, and how to think about it
Converting crypto to dollars carries a small fee or spread, the processor's cut for doing the exchange. Compare it against what cards cost you today rather than against zero, since every payment method has a cost.
The Credit Card Fee Calculator gives you the card number to compare against.
Common questions
- Do I have to set prices in Bitcoin?
- No. You price in dollars. The payment tool converts to crypto at checkout, so your menu and tags never change.
- What if the price moves while the customer is paying?
- The quote is locked for a short window. If the customer does not pay in time, the tool issues a fresh quote at the new rate.