More Australians reported using cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services in 2026 compared to the year before, but banking friction has continued to weigh on crypto users, according to a new report by crypto exchange Independent Reserve.
The annual survey of 2,000 “everyday Australians” was conducted between Jan. 12 and Jan. 30.
It found that the share of Australians using crypto to buy goods or pay for services doubled from 6% to 12%, with the report suggesting “more Aussies are viewing crypto as a practical payment method rather than just a speculative bet.”
Among the respondents who used crypto for goods and services, 21% reported using crypto for online shopping, making it the leading real-world use case.
Another 16% said they used crypto to pay for services such as freelancing and video game purchases.
Despite growing adoption, barriers remain, with some citing a lack of education and training and the technology being too complex to use.
Banking issues on the rise
Beyond complexity, banking blocks were highlighted as a significant obstacle. A Binance survey last year found that users faced banking barriers when engaging with exchanges and crypto businesses — a problem the Independent Reserve’s survey respondents also flagged.
Around 30% of investors said they have experienced delays or rejections when trying to buy cryptocurrency or transfer funds to a crypto exchange at least once, compared with 19.3% in 2025.
Banking restrictions on crypto transactions in Australia tightened around 2023, when major banks, including Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank, introduced measures such as payment delays, caps on transfers to crypto exchanges and additional identity checks.
Younger investors reported more trouble with transaction delays than their older counterparts, and those making smaller transactions reported greater interference.
“For many Australians, the lack of regulation hits home when a payment to a crypto exchange is delayed or blocked, an issue that has continued to rise for another year,” the report authors said.
“These interruptions affect both consumers and businesses, showing how cautious banks are with crypto when the rules aren’t clear.”
Clear licensing and regulation are the solution
The report said the findings suggest that banks have not relaxed their posture toward crypto and may be refining their approach by focusing on user behavior and transaction patterns instead of transaction size, underscoring the growing need for regulatory clarity.
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“Clear licensing and regulation can help fix this. By setting high standards for crypto operators, banks would have more confidence that transactions are legitimate,” they added.
“For Australia’s blockchain industry, which has faced banking hurdles for over a decade, effective regulation could finally bridge the gap between exchanges and banks, giving investors and businesses more certainty and reliability.”
Crypto executives told Cointelegraph last month that Australia’s crypto market is making progress in user growth and regulatory reforms, but there are still a range of issues to iron out.
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