Car Rental Fees Also Paid in Crypto as Travel and Rental Car Payments Rise 15% in 2025

▲ Bitcoin (BTC), cryptocurrency payments, rental cars, travel / ChatGPT-generated image

Virtual assets are being adopted as everyday payment methods beyond their role as simple investment vehicles. In particular, more than $113 million worth of cryptocurrency payments were made in the travel and rental car sectors alone last year.

According to a Feb. 26 (local time) report by Yahoo Finance, travel-related spending using virtual assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) is showing steep growth. An analysis of data from crypto payment service provider BitPay found that payment volume in the travel industry increased by more than 15% year-over-year. This indicates that despite price volatility, the practical use of virtual assets in the real economy continues to expand steadily.

In particular, the adoption of virtual assets in the rental car market has risen noticeably. As the number of customers paying rental fees with cryptocurrency surges—ranging from luxury sports cars to standard passenger vehicles—major rental companies are rushing to implement crypto payment systems. BitPay CEO Stephen Pair said, “Travelers are choosing cryptocurrency payments to avoid the hassle of currency exchange and high fees,” adding, “The efficiency of virtual assets is maximized especially in cross-border travel.”

Across the broader travel industry, cryptocurrency payments are becoming a new standard. Major airlines and hotel booking platforms are allowing not only Bitcoin but also altcoins such as XRP, creating an environment where travelers can cover expenses worldwide using just a smartphone. XRP, with its fast transaction speeds and low fees, is gaining popularity among travelers, and related payment transactions are recording triple-digit annual growth rates.

The entry of institutional investors into the virtual asset market and the establishment of regulations, such as the U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill (CLARITY), are also positively affecting the expansion of real-world payments. As regulations become clearer, the legal risks for companies accepting virtual assets as payment have decreased. Major financial institutions such as Citibank preparing cryptocurrency custody services are also enhancing the stability of the payment infrastructure.

Cryptocurrency payments are now becoming a key driver of digital transformation in the travel industry. If the use of stablecoins, which can mitigate price volatility, continues to grow, the scale of real-world payments is expected to expand even more dramatically. To capture cryptocurrency holders, travel companies are strengthening dedicated discount benefits and customized services to accelerate the expansion of their market share.

Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only and the publisher is not responsible for any investment losses incurred based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.