OKX Card users in Europe spent most of their crypto on groceries, dining, and other routine purchases during the product’s first month, according to data released by the exchange.
Summary
- OKX Card data shows groceries and supermarkets accounted for 26% of European crypto card transactions.
- Restaurants and fast food added 18%, showing crypto payments moved beyond luxury spending habits overall.
- Country trends varied, with Germany favoring marketplaces and Netherlands leading grocery card use across Europe.
The figures cover settled OKX Card transactions across the European Economic Area from Jan. 28 to Feb. 26, 2026. OKX said the data was based on the top 20 merchant categories by transaction count, volume, or unique users.
Groceries lead crypto card spending
Grocery stores and supermarkets accounted for 26% of OKX Card transactions in Europe. That means more than one in four payments happened at a supermarket checkout.
Restaurants accounted for 12%, while online marketplaces made up 13%. OKX said food-related spending, including groceries, restaurants, and fast food, represented 44% of European transactions.
The data points to a shift in how some users spend stablecoins. Instead of large luxury purchases, the card was mostly used for daily needs such as food, takeaways, and small retail payments.
A spokesperson said the dataset captured the “majority of daily spending behaviors and any high-value outliers,” while excluding peer-to-peer transfers. The company framed the data as a sign that crypto cards are moving closer to normal card habits.
Country data shows local spending habits
OKX said national patterns differed across Europe. In France, bakeries made up 5% of OKX Card transactions, compared with a 2% EEA average.
Germany showed heavier online use. OKX said 30% of German card transactions took place on online marketplaces, more than double the EEA average of 13%.
The Netherlands led in supermarket use, with 37% of transactions happening in grocery stores. Dutch users also recorded a higher travel share, with nearly 20% of card volume going to travel bookings and accommodation.
Poland showed stronger small-ticket in-person use. OKX said 16% of Polish transactions occurred in convenience stores, while close to one in ten Polish users paid for fuel with crypto.
Stablecoin payment push expands
OKX Card launched in Europe as part of a wider stablecoin payment push. The product lets users spend stablecoins where Mastercard is accepted, with conversion taking place at payment.
As previously covered, Mastercard partnered with OKX and Nuvei to support stablecoin payment services from wallets to checkout. The partnership also included the OKX Card and payments through Circle’s USDC.
That earlier report said Mastercard wants consumers and merchants to use stablecoins more easily across payments, transfers, and settlement. The OKX Card data now adds early transaction patterns from European users.
Broader market data also points to smaller crypto card purchases in Europe. Cex.io reported in 2025 that nearly 45% of crypto card transactions in Europe were below 10 euros.
Everyday payments remain the key test
The first-month OKX data suggests some users are testing crypto cards in ordinary settings. Supermarkets, restaurants, convenience stores, fuel stations, and online marketplaces led the activity.
The figures do not show full market adoption. They only cover OKX Card users in the EEA during one early period.
Still, the spending mix gives a clearer view of how stablecoin cards may be used when payment rails connect crypto balances to familiar card networks.
