Shopify, valued at roughly $142 billion, has partnered with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to enable Bitcoin and other digital-asset payments across its platform. The agreement, disclosed on 12 June, will give more than 5.5 million merchants in over 175 countries the ability to accept crypto at checkout, broadening payment options for shoppers and sellers alike. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported on 13 June that Amazon and Walmart have recently discussed issuing their own U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins. The two retailers—whose operations generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual sales—believe proprietary tokens could trim billions in card-processing fees and accelerate settlements. A final decision is expected to hinge on the GENIUS Act, a bill moving through Congress that seeks to provide regulatory clarity for corporate stablecoin issuers. The twin developments underscore growing interest among major merchants in blockchain-based payments. Investors reacted by pushing Visa shares down about 4 percent in pre-market trading, while Mastercard and American Express each fell roughly 2 percent, reflecting concern that digital tokens could divert volume from traditional payment networks.