Some cafes in Brisbane now have a small Bitcoin logo stuck next to their card machines. Adoption is still patchy across the country. Most Australian businesses haven’t set up crypto payments yet, though travellers with digital wallets will find places that accept Bitcoin and Ethereum if they know where to look.
Australia treats cryptocurrency as property rather than real money. Businesses can accept crypto or refuse it completely, with no legal requirement either way. Tourism operators have been quicker to adopt than other sectors, mainly because international visitors arrive with Bitcoin already loaded. Hotels around the major cities accept it, tour companies in popular coastal spots take it, and experience providers near tourist attractions have started offering it as an option. Brisbane Airport got over 30 of its outlets accepting crypto back in 2019, and some regional tourist towns have convinced entire business districts to go crypto-friendly.
Online businesses have been faster to catch on. Cryptocurrency casinos for Aussies have gained traction through offshore sites that accept Bitcoin and other tokens, with most platforms requiring nothing more than an email address to start playing. Outside the gaming world, online retailers and digital service platforms have been adding crypto checkout options, though the rollout has been uneven across different sectors and industries.
Most merchants that advertise crypto acceptance don’t actually keep the coins. Payment processors handle the conversion from Bitcoin or Ethereum into Australian dollars the moment a transaction goes through. The business receives fiat currency, the customer pays in crypto, and the processor absorbs any volatility between the two. It’s a tidy system that removes risk for merchants, but travellers need to watch for conversion fees and spreads that eat into the transaction value. The convenience comes with a cost that isn’t always obvious at checkout.
Australian regulators are paying closer attention to crypto these days. Every crypto exchange and payment provider in Australia needs AUSTRAC registration and has to verify user identities. Larger transactions get reviewed for compliance, and the Travel Rule takes effect in March 2026, which means platforms will need to gather and exchange information about the people on both ends of a crypto transfer. Moving larger sums through regulated channels means providing proof of identity. Anyone moving larger amounts through regulated services should expect identity verification requests. The rules around personal wallets and peer-to-peer transfers are also getting more restrictive as regulators work to close compliance gaps.
Australia now has more than 1,200 crypto ATMs, which makes converting cash to digital currency fairly simple. AUSTRAC has formed a task force to hunt down non-compliant machines though, so identity verification and fees are becoming more common at these terminals.
For anyone planning to spend crypto while travelling in Australia, verification matters. Some businesses display crypto logos but haven’t properly set up their payment systems. Conversion fees differ wildly between platforms, so comparing rates makes sense for anything substantial. Keeping a backup payment method is smart because most Australian merchants still prefer dollars. Crypto works as an option when the stars align, but it’s not dependable enough to be the sole method. Infrastructure is improving and regulations are finding their footing, but treating crypto as a secondary option rather than the primary wallet makes the most sense for now.
