Published: Dec 12, 2025, 24:49 IST | Updated: Dec 12, 2025, 24:49 IST
Lugano, a picturesque Swiss city on the Italian border, has quietly become Europe’s most ambitious real-world bitcoin experiment. More than 350 shops and restaurants now accept bitcoin, from McDonald’s to luxury boutiques, thanks to a city-backed initiative that distributed free crypto payment terminals to local businesses. The city even allows residents to pay for some municipal services—including childcare—in bitcoin.