Valletta, Malta —OKX said on May 6 that transaction data from its OKX Card in Europe indicates that crypto-linked payments are mainly used for everyday purchases rather than luxury spending. The analysis covers settled purchase transactions across the European Economic Area from January 28 to February 26, 2026.
According to the company, grocery stores and supermarkets were the largest merchant category in the card’s first month of use, accounting for 26 percent of all transactions. Restaurants represented 12 percent, online marketplaces 13 percent, and fast food and convenience stores were also among the leading categories.
The data suggests that OKX Card users are using crypto-linked payments for routine purchases, including food, dining, online shopping and local retail. Food-related categories accounted for a significant share of transactions, with groceries at 26 percent and restaurants and fast food together at 18 percent.
Erald Ghoos, CEO of OKX Europe, said the data challenges the view that crypto spending is mainly associated with early adopters or luxury purchases. He said users in Europe are increasingly using crypto-linked payment cards at supermarkets, bakeries and takeaway counters.
Travel also emerged as a higher-value spending category. Although travel was not among the most frequent transaction categories, it accounted for 11 percent of total transaction volume across Europe. The Netherlands recorded the highest travel-related share at around 20 percent, compared with about 11 percent in Germany and Poland and 3 percent in France.
The data also showed differences by country. In France, bakeries accounted for 5 percent of OKX Card transactions, above the European average of 2 percent. In Germany, online marketplaces represented 30 percent of transactions, more than double the EEA average. In the Netherlands, groceries accounted for 37 percent of transactions, the highest share among the markets analyzed. In Poland, convenience stores represented 16 percent of transactions, while 9 percent of users made payments at fuel stations.
OKX said the card is accepted wherever Mastercard is supported and is designed for payments using stablecoins converted into euros. The company said the analysis was based on the top 20 merchant categories across the EEA, France, Poland, the Netherlands and Germany.
