Spedn works with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum and the Winklevoss twins' US dollar-linked Gemini. Android support is "coming soon." And the feature doesn't require new point-of-sale hardware -- companies just have to configure their scanners to allow Spedn to work, according to Fortune.

It's hard to say if this will take off. Cryptocurrencies outside of those linked to conventional money still tend to be volatile. Do you want to spend Bitcoin getting ice cream when it could cost you significantly more one day than the next? Spedn still makes crypto far more practical for in-person spending, though, and shops may like it simply because it skips the usual fees they send to payment networks. If there's enough demand, you could see virtual cash accepted at larger retailers as a matter of course.