RIGA, Latvia — 88Facets.com, a Riga-based bespoke diamond engagement ring atelier, has begun accepting USDC stablecoin as a payment method for custom engagement rings, positioning itself among the first fine jewelry houses in the Baltics to offer cryptocurrency checkout alongside traditional payment methods.

The move reflects a broader shift in luxury retail, where high-value, considered purchases — engagement rings among the most personal of all — are increasingly being paired with the flexibility that digital assets offer international buyers. USDC, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, allows clients to pay directly from a digital wallet without exposure to the price volatility associated with other cryptocurrencies.

“An engagement ring is one of the most significant purchases someone will make, and it’s rarely a spontaneous one,” said Ivars Sudmalis, founder of 88Facets.com. “For clients who hold assets in crypto — including many of our international buyers — we wanted to remove the extra step of converting to fiat before they can commission a ring. It’s about meeting clients where they already are.”

Ilze, a 88Facets client who commissioned a custom engagement ring earlier this year, said the option made a real difference. “I hold most of my savings in crypto, and I didn’t want to sell and convert everything just to pay for the ring. Being able to pay directly in USDC meant the process matched how I actually manage my finances — it felt like the atelier had thought this through, not just added it as a gimmick.”

88Facets operates as a bespoke atelier rather than a traditional retailer: every ring is designed individually, with diamonds — natural or lab-grown — sourced to match each client’s budget and specifications, and settings built entirely in-house from initial concept through final polish. The atelier is based at in central Riga, with an online storefront serving clients across the Baltics and internationally.

The addition of USDC checkout comes as part of a wider modernization of 88Facets‘ payment infrastructure, aimed at supporting a growing international client base without adding friction to a purchase process that already involves close consultation between client and atelier.

Cryptocurrency payments are available now through 88facets.com, alongside standard card and bank transfer options.

*About 88Facets*
88Facets is a bespoke diamond engagement ring atelier based in Riga, Latvia. The atelier designs and crafts each ring individually, offering both natural and lab-grown diamonds sourced to each client’s specifications.