The Swiss city of Lugano is transforming into a state-of-the-art European crypto hub
The Swiss city of Lugano is transforming into a European crypto hub where crypto payments will enjoy equal status to other mainstream payment methods. The Municipality of Lugano is realizing its vision through the highly-anticipated project, called Plan ₿.
Crypto in stores
The initiative behind Plan ₿ is to set up a user-friendly blockchain-based infrastructure that will support crypto payments on all city levels, from small and medium-sized merchants to larger companies and even public services.
This will open the city up to new local and foreign visitors, attract crypto investors and innovative crypto projects while giving local merchants access to a wide new customer base of more than 300M crypto users from all over the world.
One device, many wallets
The Swiss Municipality will initially promote Plan ₿ among the merchants, who are already participating in the city’s ‘My Lugano circuit’ program.
These merchants will have an opportunity to start accepting cryptocurrency payments in their stores. They will use GoCrypto's smart POS terminals which support Bitcoin Lightning (BTC), Tether (USDT) and Lugano’s loyalty LVGA token. Customers will be able to pay with any crypto wallet that supports the mentioned currencies. The POS device will also support MyLugano App, where both residents and tourists can receive 5% to 10% cash back in LVGA tokens for every purchase. LVGA, in addition to BTC and USDT, is accepted as legal tender in Lugano and can be used to pay taxes, public service and parking fees, and for goods and services at more than 200 shops and businesses in the area.
Every Plan ₿ participant will be able to test and use the crypto payment infrastructure without any contractual obligation. They will be able to opt-in or out of the project at any given moment which gives them complete business freedom.
Simple and safe
The entire crypto payment process is extremely simple, resembling card payments. Merchants don’t require any crypto knowledge to use the crypto-friendly POS terminal. What's more, they can choose to be settled in one of the supported cryptocurrencies or in Swiss Francs. While crypto settlements are instant and give the merchant the possibility to manage their crypto portfolio as they see fit, the local currency settlements keep the merchant's revenue safe from any potential crypto volatility risks. The GoCrypto gateway is fully regulated and equipped with the highest security standards on the market, making the merchant’s payment experience reliable and completely secure.
The hub of innovation
The newest European Bitcoin city will differentiate from other crypto-friendly zones in Switzerland as it strives to achieve a significantly higher level of crypto adoption among its citizens. The City of Lugano aims to educate students and workers about the possibilities that cryptocurrencies bring not only as an investment tool but rather as a real-life means of payment. This is their plan B - the alternative to the current financial system and the perfect opportunity to follow the hottest trend in the world, attract new customers, tourists and innovative business ideas. Helping their citizens and all like-minded visitors to reach new potential in this ever-changing world.
The only thing left to do now is to Make Plan ₿ your plan B!
Learn more about Lugano’s Plan ₿ Forum
Lugano’s Plan ₿ Forum will take place on October 28th and 29th, 2022. Hosted by Tether and the city of Lugano, the forum will bring together the foremost thought leaders and creators from the world of digital finance to discuss how Bitcoin is disrupting the world on a social and economical level through four different tracks: governmental, corporate, individual, and technological.
Confirmed speakers include Stella Assange, lawyer and wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange; Gabriel Shipton, film producer and brother of Julian Assange, Milena Mayorga, ambassador of El Salvador to the United States, Fadi Elsalameen, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, Farida Bemba Nabourema, human rights activist and founder of the "Faure Must Go" movement in Togo, Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, Jameson Lopp, CTO at CASA, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert, Co-Founders of El Zonte Capital, Peter McCormak, host of What Bitcoin Did Podcast and Chairman of Real Bedford, Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Bitfinex/Tether, Samson Mow, Architect of the Bitcoin bond, Arnab Naskar, Co-Founder of STOKR and more.
Join us at the Plan B Forum in Lugano on October 28th and 29th, 2022: https://planb.lugano.ch/planb-forum/.
