The Swiss city that lets you pay for most things with bitcoin

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete December 11, 2025 at 01:22 AM
The Swiss city that lets you pay for most things with bitcoin

AI Summary

long article 5 min

The Swiss city of Lugano is increasingly embracing Bitcoin, with around 350 shops and restaurants now accepting it as payment alongside Swiss francs. The city council is also accepting cryptocurrency for municipal services like pre-school childcare. Local businesses are equipped with payment terminals that allow customers to pay with Bitcoin from their mobile wallets. Some shop owners are motivated by lower transaction fees compared to credit cards. While Bitcoin payments are still sporadic, some residents see it as a way to gain financial freedom. Prepaid Bitcoin gift cards are also available in Switzerland.

Key Entities & Roles

Keywords

bitcoin 100% cryptocurrency 80% lugano 70% payment 60% transaction fees 50% swiss francs 50% municipal services 40% digital wallet 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive
Score: 0.20

Source Transparency

Source
BBC News - World
Political Lean
Center (0.00)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
Lugano

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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