Canonical URL: https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/upay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c/ --- description: UPay outlines three routes for spending digital assets online, while tax and redemption rules distinguish crypto-funded purchases from ordinary card payments. title: UPay Compares Gift Card Purchases, Merchant Checkouts and Crypto Cards image: https://giftcard.news/images/social/v1/upay-compares-gift-card-purchases-merchant-checkouts-crypto-cards-769622276d67920ecac586565b13ac33.jpg --- 1. [Home](https://giftcard.news/) 2. [Gift Cards](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/) # UPay Compares Gift Card Purchases, Merchant Checkouts and Crypto Cards UPay outlines three routes for spending digital assets online, while tax and redemption rules distinguish crypto-funded purchases from ordinary card payments. By [Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/) June 16, 2026 2 min read Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fgift-cards%2Fupay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=UPay%20Compares%20Gift%20Card%20Purchases%2C%20Merchant%20Checkouts%20and%20Crypto%20Cards "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fgift-cards%2Fupay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=UPay%20Compares%20Gift%20Card%20Purchases%2C%20Merchant%20Checkouts%20and%20Crypto%20Cards%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fgift-cards%2Fupay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Source image for Upay Publishes Guide to Spending Crypto Online with Gift Cards and Other Methods](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/upay-compares-gift-card-purchases-merchant-checkouts-crypto-cards-source-image-publishes-w1200.webp) Photo: Source: blog.upay.com [UPay](https://giftcard.news/company/upay/) has compared three ways to use cryptocurrency for online purchases: paying at a merchant’s crypto checkout, converting funds through a payment card, or buying a retailer gift card. Its June 16, 2026 guide identifies gift card platforms as a route to retailers that have not integrated cryptocurrency payments themselves. The gift card examples include [Bitrefill](https://giftcard.news/company/bitrefill/) and [eGifter](https://giftcard.news/company/egifter/). In that model, the customer purchases a retailer’s card through a distributor using a supported cryptocurrency, then redeems the card under the retailer’s normal terms. The retailer need not accept or hold the customer’s digital assets. Direct acceptance is a different arrangement. A merchant uses a crypto payment processor to receive a transaction, with settlement depending on the service and merchant configuration. UPay discusses processors including [BitPay](https://giftcard.news/company/bitpay/) and [NOWPayments](https://giftcard.news/company/nowpayments/), alongside its own payment offering. Crypto-funded cards create a third route by converting the funding asset into currency used for a card transaction. Acceptance still depends on the card program, merchant and location; the existence of a [Visa](https://giftcard.news/company/visa/) or [Mastercard](https://giftcard.news/company/mastercard/) network connection does not guarantee that every transaction or country is supported. The guide recommends checking network fees, conversion costs and any gift card markup before completing a purchase. For gift cards, the available region, denomination and redemption channel also determine whether a product fits the intended purchase. The source’s suggestion that USDC spending has no tax consequences is too broad. IRS digital-asset guidance states that disposing of stablecoins held as capital assets requires recognition of a capital gain or loss, even when a broker does not issue a transaction statement. A small or zero gain does not make the asset categorically exempt from the relevant reporting rules. UPay’s transaction-record advice includes retaining cost basis and disposal values. Those records matter when digital assets are exchanged for goods, services or gift cards, regardless of whether the merchant ultimately receives cryptocurrency or conventional currency. ## Sources and documents ExpandCollapse * [Best Places to Spend Crypto Online](https://blog.upay.com/best-places-to-spend-crypto-online/?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news) — blog.upay.com * [IRS digital-asset guidance](https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/frequently-asked-questions-on-digital-asset-transactions?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news) ## In this article ### Companies * [BitPay](https://giftcard.news/company/bitpay/) * [Bitrefill](https://giftcard.news/company/bitrefill/) * [Mastercard](https://giftcard.news/company/mastercard/) * [NOWPayments](https://giftcard.news/company/nowpayments/) * [UPay](https://giftcard.news/company/upay/) * [Visa](https://giftcard.news/company/visa/) * [eGifter](https://giftcard.news/company/egifter/) Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fgift-cards%2Fupay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=UPay%20Compares%20Gift%20Card%20Purchases%2C%20Merchant%20Checkouts%20and%20Crypto%20Cards "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fgift-cards%2Fupay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=UPay%20Compares%20Gift%20Card%20Purchases%2C%20Merchant%20Checkouts%20and%20Crypto%20Cards%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Fgift-cards%2Fupay-publishes-guide-to-spending-crypto-online-with-gift-cards-and-other-c0b638dae15c%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Portrait of Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/suzie-elis-editorial-portrait-w320.webp) About the author ## [Suzie Elis](https://giftcard.news/author/suzie-elis/) Journalist — Gift Cards & Digital Gifting Suzie Elis covers gift card products, digital gifting and distribution for Gift Card News. From reading to building ## Your next move in gift cards. Tell us what you’re building. We’ll help you explore suitable providers. [Find a provider ](https://giftcard.news/find-a-provider/) ## Related articles [Gift Cards](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/) News ### [Kohl’s expands Babies R Us shops and adds lower-priced baby gifts](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/kohl-s-expands-babies-r-us-shops-and-adds-lower-priced-baby-gifts-8327d70bb56c/) [Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/author/emma-carter/) September 14, 2026 2 min [Gift Cards](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/) News ### [Edible Arrangements expands fall gifting range and delivery options](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/edible-arrangements-expands-fall-gifting-range-and-delivery-options-6e7977b8ee8a/) [Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/author/emma-carter/) September 14, 2026 2 min [Gift Cards](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/) News ### [World Vision launches 2026 gift catalog with artisan-made donor gifts](https://giftcard.news/gift-cards/world-vision-launches-2026-gift-catalog-with-artisan-made-donor-gifts-206e00e3a8ae/) [Suzie 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