Since the end of 2023, Lugano has allowed its residents to pay in Bitcoin and has attracted thousands of BTC users, thanks to an initiative supported by Plan B and Tether. During our on-site visit, we were able to see that more than 250 merchants now accept BTC, confirming Lugano's position as the true European capital of Bitcoin.
Bitcoin is now legal tender in Lugano, or almost
Bitcoin is an increasingly adopted currency around the world. Although its main use remains investment, as demonstrated by companies such as MicroStrategy or Metaplanet, its adoption as a means of payment is also growing.
BTC is thus accepted for payments, notably in El Salvador, where it became legal tender in 2021, but also in numerous points of sale around the world, including in Europe and France, such as at the Carrefour Express on rue of the Republic in Rouen.
Lugano, a city in the south of Italian-speaking Switzerland, is on its way to becoming, if not already, the European capital of Bitcoin. In this city, BTC has almost been recognized as legal tender since the end of 2023.
💶 To learn more — Is Bitcoin (BTC) really a currency?
The municipality of Lugano not only allows its residents to pay their taxes in Bitcoin, but also has nearly 250 trained BTC merchants who accept payments via the Lightning Network.
Map of Luganese merchants accepting Bitcoin payments
This adoption is notably possible thanks to the involvement of Plan B in the regiona company backed by Tether, issuer of the USDT stablecoin, and Fulgur Ventures, an investment fund focused on companies working around Bitcoin and the Lightning Network.
We also had the opportunity to go to Lugano, invited by Plan B and the Plan B Network learning platform to attend the Plan B Forum conference on October 25 and 26. We are also preparing a YouTube video to share our experience, our meetings, and the progress of the adoption of Bitcoin on site.
In Lugano, merchants not only accept Bitcoin, but also USDT, the world's most widely used stablecoin, as well as LUGAa stablecoin backed by the Swiss franc and usable only in the Lugano region.
However, it should be noted that these traders are not all motivated by enthusiasm for Bitcoin, but rather by the opportunity to attract BTC-loving customers without having to expose themselves to this new currency, since they can convert the funds directly into francs.
This nevertheless creates a disadvantage: payments are slower than a “real” payment executed via the Lightning Network because funds go through an intermediary.
In comparison, the devices installed by the FREE Madeira community on Madeira, a Portuguese island off the coast of Africa, or the applications used by merchants in France which “really” work via Lightning, with transactions confirmed almost instantly, compared to around ten seconds in Lugano.
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Lugano Plan B Forum, a conference for Bitcoiners by Bitcoiners
Despite unfavorable weather conditions, the Plan B Forum in Lugano offered a complete and interesting conference, accessible to beginners while interesting for experienced participants. All subjects were discussed, from technical aspects, such as potential future covenants on Bitcoin, to political and economic questions.
We were able to interview several personalities, including Rogzy, founder of Discover Bitcoin and co-founder of Plan B Network, Giacomo Zucco, also co-founder of Plan B Network, Doctor Maxim Orlovsky, main contributor to RGB, a second layer network improving the programmability and privacy of Bitcoin.
Follow the conference @LuganoPlanB in this thread 🧵 2 days of conferences dedicated to #Bitcoin ⚡️
If you come across @AaB_Mariusdon't hesitate to say hello!
(We came by Bitcoinmobile, do you think we are well parked?) pic.twitter.com/pmE0Pe5fz4
— Cryptoast (@CryptoastMedia) October 25, 2024
On the occasion of the conference, a new statue of Satoshi Nakamoto was inaugurated in Ciana Park in Lugano. Unlike the statue in Budapest in Hungary, this one chooses not to reveal interpreted details about the appearance of the creator of Bitcoin, letting the light pass through to create an effect of erasing the work.
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We also attended the football match between FC Lugano and Young Boys, where the partnership between Plan B and the Lugano club was made official. From now on, Bitcoin logos as well as the phrase “Lugano's Plan B” (or “Le Plan B de Lugano” in French) are visible throughout the stadium.
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Source: BTCmap
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First attracted by the lure of gain, I am now trapped deep into the rabbit hole. With no way out, I just have to share my knowledge and convey the passion I have for Bitcoin. I am also the creator of Adopt a Block, an educational site dedicated to Bitcoin.
Marius Farashi Tasooji
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