12% of users opt for LTC or TRX to pay for VPN services in crypto 
Cryptocurrency Jun 20, 2025 Share
A growing number of virtual private network (VPN) users are turning to altcoins when paying for their subscriptions.
A June 19 case study by cryptocurrency payment processor CoinGate, shows that 12% of all crypto payments on NordVPN, its partner platform, are made using Litecoin (LTC) and TRON (TRX), which accounted for 5.7% and 5.4% of all transactions, respectively.
Bitcoin (BTC) dominates, with 40.9% of the NordVPN user base relying on it as their go-to choice. Tether (USDT) takes the silver, supporting 29.1% of all cryptocurrency payments.
Most often used cryptos at NordVPN. Source: CoinGate
Altcoin VPN payments
The popularity of alternatives like LTC and TRX highlights a clear shift in user preferences for networks that offer lower fees and better scalability.
Actually, the trend reflects the overall increasing popularity of altcoins. For example, CoinGate reported that TRON was the most-used blockchain on the platform in 2024, largely due to its strong support for USDT and low-cost architecture.
Memecoins are not to be ignored either. Shiba Inu (SHIB), for instance, saw a 61.6% increase in payment volume on CoinGate in 2024, propelled by its availability on Polygon (POL, formerly MATIC) and Binance Smart Chain (BSC).
All in all, while it is probably unlikely that stablecoins are getting dethroned any time soon, the payment flexibility provided by altcoins is hardly negligible, and their prominence is only expected to rise in the future.
Featured image via Shutterstock
