Faith meets fintech: How churches are betting on AI and crypto
Don't have cash for the offering plate at church on Sunday? Just use bitcoin.
Weaving bitcoin into the same conversation as Sunday service might seem odd, but it's now a reality for some churches in the United States, where church leaders are embracing modern technology.
Last month, Pushpay, a financial services company for churches, published the 2025 State of Church Tech report. It surveyed over 1,700 church leaders across the United States from ministries of different sizes, denominations, and budgets.
"The most tech-forward churches are starting to think of tech not just as operational or administrative. They see it as part of the mission," Gruia Pitigoi-Aron, PushPay's chief product officer, told Business Insider.
Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and other fields have reshaped the global landscape, making such advancements impossible for industries to ignore. Churches are no different.
The report said 45% of respondents now use artificial intelligence, an 80% jump from last year. Most church leaders use AI for communication-based tasks like writing content, editing, and generating graphic designs. However, 18% said they used it to develop sermons.
Earlier this month, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV discussed AI during his first address to the College of Cardinals, saying it posed "new challenges."
"In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labor," the first US-born pope said.
Pitigoi-Aron said church leaders who leverage technology don't want to replace people or the human aspects of worship. Rather, it's meant to amplify their mission and create community.
Livestreaming also proved to be a popular tech tool for church leaders during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report. Nearly 90% of surveyed church leaders said they live-streamed worship services or events.
"Paul the Apostle took ships from place to place and told people about Jesus, right? Now you're livestreaming," Pitigoi-Aron said.
Technology has also influenced how the church navigates donations.
"Online giving continues to be the most popular digital solution among all churches — not surprising, considering 70% of leaders believe technology has increased generosity in their church. That proven impact is likely responsible for the fast-growing interest in accepting cryptocurrency and stock donations," the report said.
Only 10% of surveyed church leaders said they're leveraging cryptocurrency, but 39% said it will become "strategically important to their church in the next two to three years." That's a 44% increase from 2024, but 62% of respondents said they "don't know" or "need to learn more" about the benefits of cryptocurrency.
Pitigoi-Aron said non-traditional giving, like stocks and cryptocurrency, could be a "huge opportunity" for churches. In the digital age, where nearly everything is one click away, accepting new platforms can lower the barrier of entry for some congregants hoping to donate and connect.
Similarly, some church leaders are now using QR codes.
"Tangentially, QR codes are being utilized more than ever, often to drive community members and streaming viewers to next steps via a simple scan or tap," the report said.
The increasing focus on modern technology isn't just talk for church leaders. Over half said they increased their tech budgets over the last two years.
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Chicago Tribune
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