Inflation remains stubbornly above the U.S. Federal Reserve's 2% target, keeping pressure on policymakers despite months of cooling price growth. On Aug. 5, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Inflation remains stubbornly above the U.S. Federal Reserve's 2% target, keeping pressure on policymakers despite months of cooling price growth.
On Aug. 5, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said she is prepared to support another interest rate hike if inflation fails to ease further, following the July Federal Open Market Committee meeting in which three officials dissented in favor of raising rates.
With borrowing costs already at multi-year highs, Americans continue to grapple with elevated prices for everyday essentials even as inflation has retreated from its 2022 peak.
For millions of Americans, inflation isn't measured in government reports. It's measured every time they fill up their cars or shop for groceries.
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Americans are increasingly identifying the cost of living as their biggest concern, with inflation and household expenses overtaking geopolitical issues such as the Iran conflict.
Gasoline prices have climbed back above $4 per gallon in many parts of the United States, grocery prices remain elevated and excess household savings built during the pandemic have largely been depleted.
Bloomberg recently reported that earlier spikes in fuel prices were softened by tax refunds and remaining pandemic-era savings, but those financial buffers have now faded.
Economists say the personal savings rate has declined, leaving consumers with fewer options to absorb higher prices and increasing the likelihood that households will cut discretionary spending if inflation remains sticky.
As inflation proves more persistent than expected, many Americans are looking for new ways to stretch every dollar.
One company that says it is seeing that shift is crypto payments platform CoinZoom, which offers a Visa debit card linked to users' crypto and cash balances.
Customers can spend their digital assets at merchants that accept Visa, with CoinZoom automatically converting the cryptocurrency into fiat at the point of sale. The company says users increasingly rely on the card for everyday purchases rather than crypto trading.
According to CoinZoom, the average number of debit card transactions per user roughly tripled during the first half of 2026, while customers earned about $150 per month in cashback rewards. The company said those rewards are commonly used to offset recurring expenses such as fuel and groceries.
CoinZoom's debit card offers up to 5% cashback on eligible purchases, with rewards paid in cryptocurrency.
Unlike many traditional debit cards, which offer limited or no rewards, the company says users can earn cashback without taking on revolving debt. That contrasts with many U.S. credit cards, where interest rates often exceed 20% if balances are not paid in full.
The trend extends beyond a single company.
According to Paymentscan, crypto payment card spending reached a record $748.7 million in July, up 19% from June and nearly 145% year over year, while stablecoin neobank inflows surpassed $1 billion for the first time.
