365Crypto
Spar shoppers in Zug can now use Bitcoin to pay for groceries. It’s made possible through the Lightning Network, which speeds up BTC transactions.
DFX Swiss announced the news, saying their OpenCryptoPay system is behind it. It uses LNURL, which lets people scan a QR code to pay fast and easy.
This makes Spar one of the first Swiss supermarkets to allow direct Bitcoin payments. A big step, but not too surprising—Switzerland is already super crypto-friendly.
Back in 2023, Lugano became one of the first cities in the world to accept Bitcoin and Tether for public fees. Switzerland isn’t just banking anymore—it’s blockchain too.
More than 1,000 businesses in Switzerland now accept Bitcoin, according to BTCmap. That’s a lot of cheese and chocolate you can buy with sats.*
Spar is a global brand with over 13,900 stores across 48 countries. If this pilot works, Bitcoin payments might roll out to more locations.
Paying is easy: scan a static QR code and you’re done. University lecturer Rahim Taghizadegan said he used Phoenix Wallet, but most Lightning wallets should work.
He added: “If enough people use it, it could expand across the country.” Looks like Bitcoin’s checkout line just got shorter.
*Footnote: “Sats” is short for “satoshis,” the smallest unit of Bitcoin. 100 million sats = 1 BTC.
