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From Cafés to City Hall: Lugano Becomes a Global Model for Crypto Payments
The Swiss city of Lugano has taken a bold step in mainstream cryptocurrency adoption, allowing residents to pay virtually any municipal invoice—including income and corporate taxes, parking fines, tuition fees, and waste collection charges—with Bitcoin (BTC) or Tether’s USDT, thanks to its Plan ₿ initiative. Payments are instantly converted to Swiss francs, ensuring the city avoids holding crypto while offering residents a convenient payment method.
Lightning Network and Merchant Benefits
Residents can pay directly via the Lightning Network or through Bitcoin Suisse, which processes payments with a modest 1% fee embedded in the FX rate. For local cafés and small merchants, this is a notable improvement over traditional card fees, which can range from 2.5% to 3.4% per transaction. “Bitcoin fees are below 1%, my card terminal takes up to 3.4%—I don’t need a philosophy degree to choose,” said one shop owner, highlighting the practical advantages of crypto payments.
Circular Economy and LVGA Tokens
Beyond basic payments, Lugano is fostering a circular economy through the MyLugano app. Shoppers earn up to 10% cashback in LVGA tokens when paying with crypto at participating businesses. These tokens can then be redeemed for municipal services, public parking, and childcare fees, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that merges digital currency with daily life.
Growing Institutional and Public Engagement
More than 350 merchants now accept Lightning payments, and the fourth Plan ₿ Forum attracted over 4,000 participants from 64 countries, marking a 140% increase from 2022. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino described Lugano as “a working model of Bitcoin adoption and open technology,” emphasizing that Bitcoin usage for payments continues to grow year over year.
Real-World Impact
For Lugano, Plan ₿ is about practical adoption, not speculation. Every BTC payment converted to francs strengthens local businesses and municipal cash flow. As Ardoino summarized: “Less moon, more receipts.” The city has transformed cryptocurrency from an abstract investment into a tangible tool for everyday municipal life.
