The city of Lugano in Switzerland is embracing Bitcoin by allowing organizations and individuals to pay for local services and taxes using cryptocurrency. On December 5th, Lugano officially announced that the local government now accepts cryptocurrency payments for taxes and all other community fees.
Starting immediately, Lugano will accept Bitcoin and the main stablecoin, Tether (USDT), as a means of payment in an automated process through Switzerland’s cryptocurrency organization, Bitcoin Suisse. According to the announcement, citizens and businesses in Lugano will be able to pay all local bills, regardless of the nature of the service or the invoiced amount, with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Residents of Lugano can pay taxes or services with Bitcoin using Switzerland’s QR invoice by scanning the code on the invoice and paying with their preferred mobile wallet and selected cryptocurrency. This latest cryptocurrency move by Lugano is part of Plan B, an initiative in collaboration with Tether to use Bitcoin technology as the basis for transforming the city’s financial system.
Bitcoin Suisse supports Lugano in Plan B by serving as a technical partner in the integrated payment solution, providing the option to accept payments in Bitcoin and Tether for taxes and other city services.