Square, the merchant payments platform owned by Block, has introduced a range of new features aimed at helping businesses streamline operations and embrace digital innovation. The updates include AI-powered voice ordering for restaurants, enhancements to its AI assistant, and an integrated Bitcoin solution that enables merchants to accept, hold, and manage the cryptocurrency.
Restaurants and cafes using Square can now rely on AI to handle incoming calls and take orders. This feature is especially useful for cloud kitchens and delivery-focused outlets, as the AI can manage custom requests and menu-related queries such as “What is special in your menu today?” or “Make my food spicy, but don’t use any dairy.”
While other companies like Yelp and Kea also offer voice AI tools for restaurants, Square said its system stands out because it is fully integrated with its payment and kiosk ecosystem. The company is also adding Grubhub integration to simplify third-party delivery orders, a redesigned kiosk interface for quicker menu access, and an AI-powered inventory management tool to help restaurants track and optimise their supplies.
Square’s AI assistant, which was launched earlier this year, has also received several upgrades. It can now provide local insights, including weather updates, nearby events, and market trends. Merchants can create and save visual dashboards that automatically update, access conversation histories, and manage everything through a mobile app dashboard.
The company is expanding its Bitcoin offerings as well. Square will now allow merchants to accept Bitcoin directly through their point-of-sale systems, with no processing fees for the first year. Starting in 2027, a 1% processing fee will apply. The integrated Square Bitcoin wallet enables businesses to buy, sell, hold, and withdraw Bitcoin from within their dashboards.
Last year, Square let merchants convert 1% to 10% of their daily earnings into Bitcoin. With the new update, they can now convert up to 50%. Since the programme began, users have accumulated 142 Bitcoins, valued at more than 17 million dollars.
“The Bitcoin tools we’re building at Square deliver on two critical needs: ensuring sellers never miss a sale, and giving them access to powerful financial tools that help them more easily manage and grow their finances,” said Miles Suter, Head of Bitcoin Product at Block. He added that Square aims to make Bitcoin payments as easy as card payments while helping small businesses future-proof their operations.
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