A survey of 4,599 users reveals rising demand for practical, everyday crypto spending.
Gaming, travel, and everyday purchases are the top areas where crypto users want to spend their digital assets, according to a recent report by Bitget Wallet.
The research, titled “PayFi Unlocked: Crypto Payment Use Cases,” found that among 4,599 surveyed crypto wallet users, 36% showed the strongest interest in paying with crypto for gaming, while 35% prioritized daily purchases and travel bookings.
Specifically, Gen Z users favored gaming and gifting, while millennials showed more diverse interests, including travel and subscriptions, and Gen X prioritized travel and high-value purchases. “This distribution reflects the need for flexible and secure crypto payment experiences tailored to different life stages and priorities,” noted an accompanying press release viewed by The Defiant.
Crypto usage also varies by region. In Southeast Asia, 41% of respondents primarily use it for gaming payments. In East Asia, 41% spend crypto on daily shopping and digital products, whereas in Africa, 38% use crypto to pay for education. In Latin America, 38% purchase digital products with crypto. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, 31% are interested in buying luxury items, and 29% want to buy cars using crypto.
Bitget’s report highlights a growing demand for seamless crypto payments, both online and offline, as users increasingly seek to utilize digital assets for more than just investing or trading, but also for everyday, practical spending.
“Crypto payments are no longer a fringe behavior – they’re becoming embedded in how people transact across regions and age groups,” said Jamie Elkaleh, CMO of Bitget Wallet, per the press release. “What users are asking for is reliability, compatibility, and control. Whether it’s a QR code at checkout or a stablecoin-powered purchase online, the expectation is that spending crypto should feel as seamless as spending cash.”
Crypto and DeFi Growth
The findings come as the total crypto market capitalization recently surpassed $4 trillion for the first time last week. Moreover, the total value locked (TVL) in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector has surged from $86 billion in April to over $136 billion as of July 23 – a 58% increase in just three months, according to DeFiLlama.
Experts say the recent jump in DeFi TVL and crypto market cap shows growing investor confidence, driven by accessibility, on-chain yields, and clearer regulations.
Most recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed three key crypto bills: the broader markets structure-focused CLARITY Act, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, and the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act, which U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law on July 18.
