Spar Supermarket in Switzerland Accepts Bitcoin Payments

One of the Spar supermarkets in Zug, Switzerland, has started accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment. This development is significant for the global grocery chain, which operates nearly 14,000 stores worldwide and serves approximately 15 million customers daily. The supermarket outlet in Zug has been added to the BTC Map, a community-powered platform that tracks businesses globally that accept Bitcoin payments. The system supports payment through the Bitcoin Lightning Network technology, allowing customers to make payments by scanning a QR code.

Rahim Taghizadegan, a Bitcoin economist and leader of the Bitcoin Association Switzerland, verified the system's functionality during a visit to the shop. In a video posted on LinkedIn, he demonstrated how customers can pay using cryptocurrency. The payment system operates on the OpenCryptoPay protocol, developed by DFX.swiss to support real-life crypto transactions. This protocol leverages the peer-to-peer features of the Bitcoin Lightning Network, accelerating transactions and making them more feasible for retail use.

Switzerland has become a hub for cryptocurrency acceptance, with over 1,000 businesses now accepting Bitcoin payments. The city of Lugano legalized BTC and USDT as legal tender in 2022 and recently added a statue dedicated to the anonymous founder of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Although the Bitcoin payment option is currently available at only one Spar store, a potential rollout to the chain’s international network could significantly impact cryptocurrency usage in day-to-day shopping. Spar has an international presence in 48 countries, which means it has the potential to bring millions of customers into contact with cryptocurrency payment.

This move is part of an increasing trend of Bitcoin adoption among retail businesses globally. For instance, Pick n Pay, one of South Africa’s largest food grocery chains, began accepting digital currency in 2022. Sports car maker Ferrari has also started accepting cryptocurrency payments, demonstrating adoption across various market sectors. The trend is extending beyond retail and high-end merchandise. Lomond School in the United Kingdom announced that it would accept tuition fees in BTC from autumn 2025, introducing cryptocurrency payments into the education sector.

As more institutions and businesses incorporate cryptocurrency payments, customers may find crypto becoming a standard choice for making payments instead of traditional methods. The Spar rollout in Switzerland could serve as a pilot for other markets within the grocery chain’s extensive network. This move by Spar reaffirms Switzerland’s welcoming attitude toward innovations in cryptocurrency. With the endorsement of a reputable global retailer like Spar, Bitcoin continues its transition from being fundamentally an investment currency to a practical currency for everyday shopping.