Bitcoin Payment Adoption Tracker

Major Adoption News

• South Africa — Fuel retailers: MoneyBadgerPay says it has enabled Bitcoin payments at Shell, TotalEnergies, and Engen, signaling potential everyday-spend penetration at national petrol stations @MoneyBadgerPay. A separate post claimed Shell is now accepting Bitcoin payments in South Africa @Vivek4real_.

• South Africa — Sports ticketing: A fan purchased Mamelodi Sundowns vs Remo Stars tickets at Loftus Versfeld Stadium using Bitcoin Lightning via MoneyBadgerPay and PeachPayments; the user reported checkout in under 60 seconds @Masandawana@440UrPp · 3.

• El Salvador (El Tunco) — Multi-location dining: Garage Burgers’ owner says they accept Bitcoin at all locations and cites customer acquisition benefits.

  "Bitcoin brings more customers" @BitcoinCoast_sv · 3

  Map link to a listed location was shared @BitcoinCoast_sv.

• El Salvador (San Salvador) — Travel/hospitality: Booking platform Airbtc is advertising a Hilton San Salvador room bookable with Bitcoin, timed to travelers heading to Adopting Bitcoin / #BitcoinHistorico in November @Airbtconline · 3.

Payment Infrastructure

• Lightning at checkout and gateway integrations: The Sundowns ticket purchase ran over Bitcoin Lightning with MoneyBadgerPay and PeachPayments, illustrating Lightning-processor interoperability for event commerce @440UrPp. User-reported payment time was under a minute @440UrPp.

• Lightning address/Paycode usage at merchants: Bulbi Health (Mossel Bay) shared a Paycode using a Blink address (stephanus@blink.sv) for point-of-sale payments @SimplySowBtc · 2. In Ghana, Homage Pub & Grill published a zap/merchant address (beyourownbossgh@blink.sv) alongside a Wallet of Satoshi payment example @bitcoin_aves · 2. A community meetup also shared a Lightning address for a participant, indicating grassroots readiness for LN-based payments @sisonkeBTC.

• Open mapping and acceptance verification: Bitcoin Coast asked locals and visitors to help maintain an open data map of Bitcoin-accepting places—DM to confirm acceptance, DM to add locations, tag videos of spending, or edit entries on BTC Map/OpenStreetMap @BitcoinCoast_sv · 5. BTC Map is seeking contributors across technical and non-technical roles, supporting data quality and discovery @btcmap · 2@BitcoinCoast_sv.

• Merchant enablement for travel: Airbtc promotes “booking Bitcoin stays made easy,” with a live property listing example (supports BTC-denominated travel planning) @Airbtconline · 2.

• Real-time settlement claims in circular economies: A Kenya-based circular economy reports Bitcoin payments “confirm in seconds,” highlighting user-perceived speed benefits for daily purchases @BtcBabies.

Regulatory Landscape

• Russia (claim on foreign-trade use): A widely shared post said “JUST IN: Russia to legalize Bitcoin and crypto in foreign trade,” which was subsequently amplified with the framing that global adoption is accelerating @BTC_Archive · 2@BitcoinKitui · 2. No additional legal detail or official text was provided in the cited posts.

Usage Metrics

• El Salvador (Bitcoin Coast): 3 new merchants were onboarded, bringing the running total to 194 merchants in the region @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2.

• Kenya (Kitui): A carwash that began accepting Bitcoin two months ago is processing about 1–2 transactions per week, indicating early but steady usage @BitcoinKitui.

• South Africa — Checkout performance and fees: A ticket buyer reported completing a Lightning payment in under 60 seconds @440UrPp. In a separate demonstration, a Bitcoin purchase at Pick n Pay showed a fee of R0.01, contrasting claims that retail Bitcoin payments are hindered by high fees @benblainex · 2.

Emerging Markets

• Ghana (Accra area): Homage Pub & Grill processed a drink purchase paid via Wallet of Satoshi; a Blink lightning address for the merchant was shared, reflecting LN-based acceptance and discoverability @bitcoin_aves · 2.

• Kenya: A local circular economy emphasized that “Bitcoin payments … confirm in seconds,” describing benefits to shops and mothers, and underscoring day-to-day spend use cases @BtcBabies. In Kitui, Peter Rockefeller Carwash continues to accept Bitcoin despite currently low weekly volumes, showing merchant persistence in early-stage adoption @BitcoinKitui.

• Ekiti: A newly onboarded merchant (Tobie) accepted sats for eggs purchased by a community volunteer, framed as strengthening local merchants within the circular economy @BitcoinEkiti · 3.

• South Africa (Mossel Bay): A health shop (Bulbi Health) processed a Bitcoin payment, with the organizer highlighting the role of local businesses in keeping “sats flowing” within the community @SimplySowBtc · 3.

• El Salvador: Youth entrepreneurship and broader circular-economy activity continue to surface in Berlín and along the Bitcoin Coast. A post highlighted young entrepreneurs accepting Bitcoin @BitcoinBerlinSV. Bitcoin Coast promoted an Exploration Week and local map to help visitors spend an entire week living on Bitcoin @BitcoinCoast_sv. A circular economy summit in Berlín is slated for Nov 22–23, positioned as the final big event of Bitcoin Month in El Salvador @EconomiaBtc · 3.

• LATAM ecosystem engagement: A team announced participation at LABITCONF (Argentina, Nov 7–8) and Adopting Bitcoin (El Salvador, Nov 14–15), indicating ongoing regional coordination around payments-focused initiatives @bitcoinr3 · 2.

Adoption Outlook

Evidence this cycle points to deepening real-world payment coverage: fuel retail enablement in South Africa, live Lightning transactions for sports ticketing, and steady merchant growth in El Salvador. Grassroots circular economies in Kenya, Ghana, Ekiti, and South Africa continue to demonstrate LN payments in everyday contexts, often using Lightning addresses and community mapping to improve discovery and reliability @MoneyBadgerPay@Vivek4real_@Masandawana@440UrPp · 3@BitcoinCoast_sv · 2@BtcBabies@bitcoin_aves@SimplySowBtc@BitcoinCoast_sv. Regulatory signals (e.g., the Russia claim) warrant verification, but the overall momentum across retail, hospitality, and events supports a cautiously optimistic trajectory for Bitcoin as a payment rail.

Major Adoption News

• FlySafair (South Africa) now accepts Bitcoin for flight bookings. Customers can request a Zapper QR at checkout, scan with the MoneyBadger app, and complete payment from any Lightning wallet @MoneyBadgerPay · 3.

  • Significance: Extends Bitcoin payments into the airline vertical and showcases a QR-aggregator-to-Lightning flow that reduces merchant integration complexity.

• Starbucks (El Salvador) acceptance observed at the El Encuentro mall location in San Blas, supported by an in-store video and the shop’s Google Maps listing @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2@BitcoinCoast_sv.

  • Significance: A global brand accepting Bitcoin at a specific location increases consumer visibility of routine retail payments.

• Bootlegger café (Gardens Centre, Cape Town, South Africa) processed a breakfast purchase in Bitcoin; on-the-spot staff onboarding used the MoneyBadger app, and 2,600 sats were sent to the waitress. The payer received 5,000 sats as a thank-you for product testing, with the transaction described as “fast, seamless” @MoneyBadgerPay · 3.

  • Significance: Demonstrates live, in-venue Lightning transactions and rapid staff enablement—key for scaling everyday retail acceptance.

• New “most northerly” Bitcoin-accepting merchant reported in Finland, approximately 400 km inside the Arctic Circle, with listing on BTCmap @btcmap · 3.

  • Significance: Expands geographic breadth of the merchant network, signaling resilience and reach across extreme locations.

• BurgerChickenCo (Awka, Nigeria) accepted Bitcoin for a meal; the community shared a Lightning address for tips/donations (burgerchickenandco@blink.sv) and framed it as part of building a local circular economy @BitcoinAnambra · 5.

  • Significance: Reinforces grassroots, real-world spend in food service and community-led merchant activation.

• Bitcoin Ekasi will sell a limited batch of hand-crafted mini surfboards at the Lugano Plan ₿ event (24–25 Oct), with proceeds reinvested into the Vuselela project to create jobs and sustain a Bitcoin circular economy (Lugano, Switzerland) @BitcoinEkasi.

  • Significance: Links commerce to circular-economy funding, highlighting economic development use cases tied to Bitcoin.

Payment Infrastructure

• QR-to-Lightning rails in South Africa: Zapper QR codes combined with the MoneyBadger app enable Lightning payments at merchants such as FlySafair and Bootlegger @MoneyBadgerPay · 2@MoneyBadgerPay.

  • Significance: Lowers deployment friction by leveraging existing QR infrastructure while enabling Lightning settlement from customer wallets.

• South Africa Lightning on-ramps and costs: Users can fund Lightning wallets (e.g., Blink, Wallet of Satoshi) with on-chain BTC, though some wallets may require manual setup @NickDarlington. Fees can be material for small amounts (e.g., Blink: 5,000 sats for payments below 1,000,000 sats; Wallet of Satoshi: 1.95% network fee), making frequent small top-ups costly @NickDarlington · 2. Major local exchanges Luno and VALR do not yet support Lightning deposits/withdrawals, pushing users to on-chain funding @NickDarlington. A tested workaround is using CapeCrypto, with step-by-step guidance published; the author later noted Binance can also move BTC onto Lightning @NickDarlington · 2@NickDarlington.

  • Significance: On-ramp frictions persist for micro-spends; interim solutions (local providers and major exchanges with Lightning support) help reduce costs and complexity.

• Wallet innovation: Wallet of Satoshi announced a “new self custody Wallet of Satoshi” and emphasized ongoing usability improvements; a sats giveaway accompanied the launch communications @walletofsatoshi · 3.

  • Significance: Movement toward self-custody options while prioritizing simplicity can broaden the addressable user base for payments.

• Skills enablement: YakiHonne x School of Satoshi will host an online Nostr workshop (Sat, 25 Oct 2025, 2 PM GMT+1) covering how to build on Nostr, experience YakiHonne, and “use Bitcoin payments & earn sats” @schoolOfSatoshi · 4.

  • Significance: Education on open-web protocols and Lightning-aligned earning flows supports developer and user onboarding in emerging ecosystems.

• Community infrastructure building (South Africa): Thulisa founded the BitcoinLoxion circular economy in Khayelitsha and spoke at Adopting Bitcoin Cape Town; talk link provided @abcptza · 4.

  • Significance: Grassroots ecosystem-building and knowledge sharing create local capacity for sustained adoption.

Regulatory Landscape

• No new regulatory changes or policy updates surfaced in today’s sources.

Usage Metrics

• Service-sector earnings via Lightning (anecdotal):

• Location/sector: Personal care services. Indicator: multi-year Lightning income accrual. Contextual note: a reply framed this as a recurring pattern (“Many such cases”) @_pretyflaco · 2.

• In-venue microtransactions (Cape Town, South Africa): 2,600 sats sent to a waitress during a Bitcoin-paid breakfast; 5,000 sats sent to the tester for feedback; described as completed in seconds @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.

• Lightning address usage (Awka, Nigeria): Merchant shared burgerchickenandco@blink.sv for tips, indicating Lightning-address adoption in local commerce @BitcoinAnambra.

• Note: Sources provided illustrative case studies rather than aggregated transaction volumes or regional totals.

Emerging Markets

• Kenya: A founder from Kenya represented the country at TBD by Trezor; a video highlighted unemployment, the gig economy, and how Bitcoin can open new job opportunities @BitEduhub@efenigson. In Kitui, an artist was encouraged to monetize his work via Bitcoin, positioning art + Bitcoin as a path to empowerment; local messaging emphasized “Bitcoin is Money” and “Bitcoin is Borderless” @BitcoinKitui@BitcoinKitui · 2.

  • Significance: Bitcoin-facilitated earnings channels for creatives and gig workers support income generation where traditional opportunities are limited.

• Uganda: The Nostr + Bitcoin payments workshop aims to help participants build, earn, and connect in the open web economy @schoolOfSatoshi · 4.

  • Significance: Practical training on Lightning-aligned applications is key to bottom-up adoption.

• Nigeria: Routine purchases via Lightning (e.g., BurgerChickenCo in Awka) are framed as “real adoption” with Lightning addresses shared for community support @BitcoinAnambra · 4.

  • Significance: Everyday spend across food service reinforces circular-economy dynamics.

• Peru: Motiv Peru’s “Life Saving Steps” program used Bitcoin to provide shoes for children in the Cusco highlands, emphasizing community impact @MotivPeru · 2.

  • Significance: Humanitarian deployments illustrate Bitcoin’s utility for directed aid and local needs.

• South Africa: Multiple signals—airline bookings (FlySafair), café payments (Bootlegger), community-building in Khayelitsha (BitcoinLoxion)—underscore growing infrastructure and merchant readiness @MoneyBadgerPay · 2@MoneyBadgerPay@abcptza.

  • Significance: Convergence of merchant enablement, payment rails, and community leadership positions South Africa as an active testbed for Bitcoin payments.

Adoption Outlook

Momentum this cycle is characterized by: (1) broader vertical coverage (airline, retail coffee, cafes), (2) pragmatic rails that bridge existing QR infrastructure to Lightning, (3) continued friction on on-ramps for small-value transactions in some markets alongside emerging workarounds, and (4) strong grassroots activity across African and Latin American communities. Geographic reach continues to widen—from El Salvador’s retail checkouts to an Arctic Circle merchant in Finland—while education and self-custody tooling aim to simplify user experiences and sustain real-world spending @MoneyBadgerPay@BitcoinCoast_sv@btcmap@walletofsatoshi.

Major Adoption News

• South Africa — National grocery retail: Checkers now accepts Bitcoin at over 300 stores; customers pay by asking for a Scan to Pay QR, scanning with the MoneyBadger app, and completing payment in a Lightning wallet. A Muizenberg store example shows Wazoogles purchases “paid for in sats,” indicating day-to-day retail usability @MoneyBadgerPay · 3@MoneyBadgerPay. Significance: mainstream retail reach plus QR-to-Lightning bridging lowers onboarding friction for shoppers and staff.

• South Africa — Additional national brand: MoneyBadger announced acceptance at Engen. Significance: expands acceptance footprint to another household-name retailer in the country @MoneyBadgerPay.

• South Africa — In-store spend examples: Pick n Pay purchases (juices, water, doughnuts) were paid in Bitcoin, and Bootlegger meals were paid via sats distributed to learners on-site, facilitated by MoneyBadgerPay @BitFitness21M · 2. Significance: demonstrates practical, small-ticket payments across grocery and restaurant settings.

• Southern Africa (cross-border) — Mozambique to South Africa: A field report highlights purchases at merchants including Pick n Pay and Wimpy using MoneyBadgerPay without currency exchange or bank card restrictions, requiring only a phone, Bitcoin wallet, and internet @luis_vinho · 2.

• Bolivia (La Paz) — First accepting store: elpulpobtc is cited as the first store in La Paz to accept Bitcoin, with a point-of-sale from LaWalletOk deployed at its Achumani branch, in collaboration with blinkbtc to seed adoption @bitcoinr3 · 3@bitcoinr3. Significance: creates a local reference merchant with integrated PoS, plus a payments partner supporting rollout.

• El Salvador — Micro-merchant resilience: “Elsi” operates a smoothie stand accepting Bitcoin; the project notes operational continuity even during wider service outages @BitcoinBerlinSV · 2.

• El Salvador — Mobility and tourism: Bitdriver promotes Bitcoin-ready ride bookings for visitors during “Bitcoin Month,” with direct booking link. A local initiative suggests co-branding with Bitcoin can attract customers ready to spend @bitdriver_sv · 2@BitcoinCoast_sv. Significance: transport services align with inbound crypto tourism.

• Kenya — Consumer offers tied to Bitcoin payments: Promotions show discounts across a supermarket (Gmax, 15%), a healthcare provider (Miale Medical Center, 25%), and a grocery (Wakare Grocery, 25% this week), encouraging payment in Bitcoin @BtcBabies · 4. Significance: price incentives can accelerate consumer trial and repeat usage.

• Nigeria (Ekiti) — Electronics accessory retail: A customer bought a phone screen guard at Adeofemi Communications using sats; the merchant publishes a Lightning address for payments @BitcoinEkiti · 2. Significance: everyday retail items purchased over Lightning demonstrate practical acceptance.

• Kenya — Everyday basics via mobile wallet: A local shop sale (nails) was paid with the Machankura wallet; the community also sold vegetables at a harambee event and moved proceeds into a clan Machankura account via the Bitika exchange @Bitcoinchama@Bitcoinchama · 3. Significance: shows a full earn–save–spend loop in community commerce.

• Mukuni Village — Restaurant payment: After a local Bitcoin class, the team paid Mundayami Restaurant in Bitcoin (video evidence attached in source) @BitcoinVicFalls · 2. Significance: on-the-ground merchant acceptance in rural/tourism settings.

• Global/online — Travel bookings: Airbtc offers peer-to-peer booking for travel and accommodation, payable in BTC, with the ability to earn sats; booking site is provided @Airbtconline · 2@JayW132. Significance: sectoral expansion into travel with P2P rails.

Payment Infrastructure

• Retail QR-to-Lightning bridge (South Africa): MoneyBadger’s flow uses South Africa’s Scan to Pay QR codes, with final settlement from a customer’s Lightning wallet; AquaBitcoin is tagged as a partner @MoneyBadgerPay · 2. Significance: leverages familiar QR standards to integrate Lightning payments at scale.

• Merchant PoS (Bolivia): LaWalletOk PoS was deployed at elpulpobtc during 2025 elections activity, enabling on-site Bitcoin payments @bitcoinr3. Significance: dedicated point-of-sale infrastructure supports consistent merchant operations.

• Wallet and on/off-ramps (Kenya): Community examples show proceeds moved into a Machankura account using Bitika (@bitika_KE) @Bitcoinchama. Significance: links between local exchange services and Lightning wallets facilitate circular flows.

• Lightning addresses and self-custody (Global): Posts celebrate a new self-custody Wallet of Satoshi release and invite users to share Lightning addresses for random zaps, underscoring low-friction micro-receipts @walletofsatoshi · 3.

Significance: convenience is rising, while user education around privacy and custody models remains important.

• Protocol direction (Global): A contributor highlights reducing dependency on “low proofs of work,” noting on-chain reversibility risks and contrasting them with Lightning channels’ longer commitment horizons @alexbosworth. Significance: informs design considerations for robust settlement assurances as fee dynamics evolve.

• Reliability (Global):

Significance: high availability supports continuous merchant uptime during third-party service interruptions.

• Education driving correct usage (Uganda): A hands-on session covered the UTXO model, transaction lifecycle via Sparrow Wallet and mempool.space, wallet UTXO composition, and miner fee-rate prioritization (sat/vB) @schoolOfSatoshi · 5. Significance: better fee selection and UTXO management reduces failed or delayed payments.

• On-chain artistic QR codes (Brazil/Global): Praia Bitcoin Brazil shares developer resources and calls to standardize artistic QR codes for on-chain Bitcoin addresses; links include a ControlNet model and a public QR generator. The initiative emphasizes permissionless payments, self-custody, and using satoshis as unit of account @BitcoinBeachBR · 4@BitcoinBeachBR@BitcoinBeachBR. Significance: donation and payment UX improvements for creators and communities.

• Ecosystem coordination: The Bitcoin Economy Confederation offers free, no-obligation profiles to connect circular economies and developers. FBCE focuses solely on circular economies, while the broader Bitcoin Confederation includes them among other initiatives @BitcoinConfed · 2@BitcoinBeachBR · 2. Significance: organizational scaffolding can streamline integrations and share best practices.

• Microtransaction proof points: A 1,000-sat Lightning payment is showcased publicly @walletofsatoshi. Significance: confirms operational ease for small payments.

• Payments enablement partners: Airbtconline was cited as helping make Bitcoin practical for everyday use in a youth-focused activity day, complementing in-store payments at local venues @BitFitness21M · 2.

Regulatory Landscape

• Brazil (Ceará): The state government denied a request to create a Bitcoin community bank. In response, the project pivoted toward fully permissionless flows using artistic on-chain QR codes pointing directly to Bitcoin addresses @BitcoinBeachBR · 2. Significance: regulatory resistance to fiat–Bitcoin bridging can push initiatives toward direct, bankless P2P payment models.

Usage Metrics

• Store coverage (South Africa): “Over 300 Checkers stores” now support Bitcoin payments @MoneyBadgerPay.

• Offer count (Kenya): Three named consumer offers tied to Bitcoin payments (Gmax, Miale Medical Center, Wakare Grocery) @BtcBabies · 3.

• Geographic footprint (this cycle): sources document real-world payments in South Africa @MoneyBadgerPay, Kenya @BtcBabies, Nigeria (Ekiti) @BitcoinEkiti, Bolivia (La Paz) @bitcoinr3, and El Salvador @BitcoinBerlinSV, plus a restaurant payment in Mukuni Village @BitcoinVicFalls.

• Sector coverage (this cycle): retail grocery @MoneyBadgerPay@BitFitness21M, restaurants/cafés @BitFitness21M@BitcoinVicFalls@BitcoinBerlinSV, fuel/convenience @MoneyBadgerPay, healthcare @BtcBabies, electronics accessories @BitcoinEkiti, transportation/ride-hailing @bitdriver_sv, and travel bookings @Airbtconline · 2.

Note: No transaction volume figures or growth rates were reported in the reviewed sources for this period.

Emerging Markets and New Sectors

• Kenya: Community members report day-to-day spending (e.g., nails at a local shop via Machankura) and event-based commerce (vegetable sales with proceeds saved to a clan Machankura account via Bitika), alongside promotional discounts across supermarket, healthcare, and grocery categories @Bitcoinchama@Bitcoinchama · 3@BtcBabies · 3.

• Nigeria (Ekiti): Retail electronics accessory purchase settled in sats at Adeofemi Communications via Lightning address @BitcoinEkiti · 2.

• Bolivia (La Paz): First known accepting store (elpulpobtc) with local PoS deployment and a processor partner (blinkbtc) supports early-stage circular economy formation @bitcoinr3 · 2@bitcoinr3.

• El Salvador: Micro-merchant acceptance (smoothie stand) and mobility (Bitdriver) highlight everyday spending and tourism-aligned services @BitcoinBerlinSV · 2@bitdriver_sv.

• Mukuni Village: Restaurant payment at Mundayami after a Bitcoin class underscores rural/tourism acceptance @BitcoinVicFalls.

• South Africa (community): Witsand Bitcoin Octoberfest emphasized local adoption and self-custody education, reflecting grassroots capacity-building for circular economies @BitcoinPlett · 3.

• Creative economies (Brazil): Praia Bitcoin Brazil documents direct BTC funding for music and arts, adoption of satoshis as unit of account, multisig controls for artist income, and a planned rollout of artistic on-chain QR codes starting November 10 @BitcoinBeachBR · 4. The project notes growth in private P2P art purchases as part of its funding thesis @BitcoinBeachBR.

• Merchant circulation programs:

• Business development:

• New sector engagement (Global): Game of Satoshi launches a free, global puzzle-learning challenge paying Bitcoin rewards, promoted by Wallet of Satoshi @gameofsatoshi@walletofsatoshi · 3.

Adoption Outlook

Observed momentum concentrates in South Africa’s retail sector (national chains, QR-to-Lightning bridges), with new footholds in Bolivia’s capital and steady micro-merchant usage in El Salvador and community commerce across Kenya and Nigeria. Infrastructure advances span merchant PoS, Lightning address usage, education on fees/UTXO management, and UX innovations like artistic on-chain QR codes—while privacy and regulatory considerations (Brazil/Ceará) shape implementation choices @MoneyBadgerPay@bitcoinr3@BitcoinBerlinSV@Bitcoinchama@BitcoinEkiti@schoolOfSatoshi@BitcoinBeachBR@BitcoinBeachBR. Overall, the data points to growing sectoral breadth (grocery, restaurants, healthcare, transport, travel) and cross-border practicality, with ecosystem organizations actively connecting circular economies and builders @BitcoinConfed · 2.

Major Adoption News

South Africa

• Engen fuel network: MoneyBadger reports you can pay with Bitcoin at over 1,300 Engen service stations nationwide, expanding day-to-day acceptance across a large, high-frequency category @MoneyBadgerPay. Payments are initiated via “Scan to Pay” QR at checkout, scanned with the MoneyBadger app and completed in a user’s Bitcoin Lightning wallet @MoneyBadgerPay. Mentioned wallet partners include Blink and Aqua, indicating multi-wallet interoperability @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.
• Retail checkout: A community member purchased goods at Yuppiechef Claremont using Bitcoin; the flow involved scanning a Zapper QR with MoneyBadger and paying through Binance Pay, reported as completed “in seconds” @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.
• Everyday spend demos: During a community outing, snacks at Pick n Pay were paid in Bitcoin, and MoneyBadger’s Carel sent sats to kids so they could pay for meals at Bootlegger, illustrating practical usage at familiar venues @BitFitness21M · 2.

Significance: Broad, multi-vertical coverage (fuel, retail, dining) and compatibility with existing QR rails lower checkout friction and increase the likelihood of habitual Bitcoin spending in South Africa.

Payment Infrastructure

• Lightning at point of sale (South Africa): MoneyBadger’s “Scan to Pay” flow lets shoppers scan merchant QRs with the MoneyBadger app and settle from a Lightning wallet, with a demonstrated path via Zapper and Binance Pay for rapid completion @MoneyBadgerPay@MoneyBadgerPay. Wallet mentions (Blink, Aqua) signal an open, multi-wallet approach @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.
• Self-custody Lightning (Global): Wallet of Satoshi announced a new self-custody Lightning wallet and showcased LN micro-payments by inviting users to post self-custody Lightning addresses to receive random “zap” amounts. Messaging emphasizes speed and simplicity @walletofsatoshi · 3.
• Travel and hospitality platform (Global): Airbtc positions the market shift from saving to spending and focuses on enabling bookings in Bitcoin across “eat, stay, travel.” The platform directs users to book stays with Bitcoin and describes connecting travelers and hosts to build circular usage; outreach includes multilingual promotion @Airbtconline · 2@Airbtconline · 4@indywidualista. Community commentary from an education event also described Airbtc as helping make Bitcoin practical for everyday use @BitFitness21M.

Significance: These developments strengthen the rails for low-friction, fast Lightning payments at mainstream checkouts and expand sector-specific usability (travel/hospitality), while adding a self-custody option that may reduce custodial risk for LN users.

Regulatory Landscape

• No new legal or regulatory changes affecting Bitcoin payments were reported in the provided sources for this period.

Usage Metrics

• Merchant coverage: Over 1,300 Engen service stations in South Africa were reported as Bitcoin-enabled @MoneyBadgerPay.
• Checkout speed indicator: A reported retail payment via Zapper and MoneyBadger settled “in seconds” (South Africa) @MoneyBadgerPay.
• Micro-payment activity: Wallet of Satoshi showcased zapping small amounts to self-custody Lightning addresses (Global) @walletofsatoshi.

Note: The sources did not provide aggregate transaction volumes or growth-rate statistics for this period.

Emerging Markets

• Mozambique (Tofo): “Famba” store on Tofo Beach accepts Bitcoin; the post includes a video of the transaction. Local framing emphasizes everyday usability @bitcointofo · 2@BitcoinEkasi.

• El Salvador (La Libertad): Punta Azul restaurant accepts Bitcoin; the stated business rationale highlights customer acquisition @BitcoinCoast_sv.

• Kenya (Kitui): Advocates designated Nzambani Rock—a popular tourist site—as a “Bitcoin Zone,” signaling outreach to visitors @BitcoinKitui.
• Dominican Republic: Community messaging promotes Bitcoin for permissionless cross-border remittances to and from the country @btcdominicana · 2.

Adoption Outlook

• Momentum is strongest in South Africa, where a large fuel network and multiple retailers demonstrate practical, repeatable payment flows across familiar checkout infrastructure @MoneyBadgerPay@MoneyBadgerPay.
• Infrastructure upgrades—self-custody Lightning from Wallet of Satoshi and a travel-booking platform focused on Bitcoin—support a broader “spend sats” transition and expand sector coverage @walletofsatoshi · 3@Airbtconline@Airbtconline.
• Emerging markets across Mozambique, El Salvador, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic show continued grassroots merchant acceptance and use-case messaging, particularly around tourism and remittances @bitcointofo@BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinKitui@btcdominicana.

Major Adoption News

• South Africa — Engen Paradyskloof (convenience retail): A water-and-snack purchase was completed via the store’s “Scan to Pay” QR using the MoneyBadger app, which connected to a Bitcoin Lightning wallet. Location: South Africa. Significance: demonstrates in-store QR checkout with Bitcoin and a frictionless experience in mainstream retail @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.

  "No questions asked. No hassle. Just another day in 🇿🇦!" @MoneyBadgerPay

• El Salvador — Soya Nutribar (The Spot mall, San Blas): Merchant accepts Bitcoin. Location: San Blas, El Salvador. Significance: adds food-and-beverage acceptance in a mall setting; payment processor not specified in the post @BitcoinCoast_sv.

• El Salvador — Elsi’s smoothie stand: Post frames Bitcoin as starting as a payment method and becoming a way to save and grow the business. Location: El Salvador. Significance: ties acceptance to cash management and growth outcomes as described by the merchant’s advocates @BitcoinBerlinSV · 2.

• Peru — Ohuay (Cusco): Artisans offering Andean textiles accept Bitcoin; NGO MOTIV Perú states it educates and equips communities to use Bitcoin and build circular economies. Location: Ohuay, Cusco, Peru. Significance: sectoral adoption in artisanal goods with an education-led rollout @MotivPeru · 2.

• Travel platform (online) — Airbtc: Accepts Bitcoin for tickets and stays at airbtc.online; positions itself as connecting travelers and hosts “one booking, one payment, one stay at a time,” and encourages everyday spending (eat, stay, travel in Bitcoin) rather than just holding. Location: online (not specified). Significance: vertical platform integration in travel and hospitality @Airbtconline · 2@Airbtconline · 3.

Payment Infrastructure

• QR-to-Lightning checkout path: At Engen Paradyskloof, the buyer used a standard “Scan to Pay” QR and finalized payment by linking a Bitcoin Lightning wallet via the MoneyBadger app. Significance: shows a practical bridge between existing merchant QR flows and Lightning wallets @MoneyBadgerPay.

• Feature phone access: A community report notes payments can be made in sats without a smartphone or internet; one shopper paid for flour and cooking fat from a feature phone at a local shop. Significance: expands accessibility to users without data plans or smartphones @Bitcoinchama · 2.

• Lightning in community markets: The Bitcoin Farmers Market announced an event in El Zonte with a Lightning indicator (⚡️). Significance: signals Lightning-enabled commerce in a market setting; location: El Zonte (country not stated in the post) @njelsalvador.

• On/off-ramps (planned): A group announced intent to tour Bolivia with a K1 mini Bitcoin ATM and indicated upcoming presence in El Salvador; they also asked if others know of additional ATMs. Significance: prospective expansion of cash–BTC conversion points in Bolivia and presence in El Salvador as stated by the organizers @bitcoinr3 · 2.

• Travel booking rails: Airbtc promotes Bitcoin-native booking and payments for stays and tickets, supporting real-world usage in the travel vertical @Airbtconline@Airbtconline.

Regulatory Landscape

• No legal or regulatory changes affecting Bitcoin payments were cited in the provided sources this cycle.

Usage Metrics

• The provided sources did not include transaction volumes, growth statistics, or geographic breakdowns of payment activity.

Emerging Markets

• Maasai lands (country not specified): A community purchased five goats with Bitcoin via Tando; the caretaker’s salary will be paid in Bitcoin, future returns saved in Bitcoin on “Machankura clans,” and goat waste will be sold for sats to a women’s group. Significance: end-to-end use across procurement, payroll, savings, and byproduct sales within a local agricultural micro-economy @Bitcoinchama · 4@tando_me.

• Local shop (location not specified): “Regina” paid for flour and cooking fat with Bitcoin from a feature phone; the community reports learning to earn, save, and live on sats. Significance: everyday essentials purchased with Bitcoin and growing household-level usage @Bitcoinchama · 2.

• Retail micropayments (location not specified): A child buying candy with Bitcoin (#SPEDN) illustrates small-ticket transactions at point of sale. Significance: demonstrates Lightning-style micro-spend use cases @btcshule · 2.

• Community preparation (location not specified): Praia Bitcoin Brazil reports backstage work to help circular economies and artists get ready for the “Enjoy Being Free” campaign with Bitcoin. Significance: targeted outreach to creatives and local circular economies, building pipelines for future adoption @BitcoinBeachBR · 3.

Adoption Outlook

Grassroots merchant acceptance continues across Latin America and Africa, spanning food and beverage, artisanal goods, and convenience retail, with travel-platform integration broadening use cases. Infrastructure trends tilt toward practical bridges (QR-to-Lightning at checkout), inclusive access (feature phone transactions), and planned on/off-ramp expansion (Bolivia ATM tour). While no regulatory or metrics data surfaced in this set, the on-the-ground examples indicate steady, utility-driven adoption led by community initiatives and sector-specific platforms @MoneyBadgerPay · 2@BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinBerlinSV · 2@MotivPeru · 2@Airbtconline@Airbtconline@Bitcoinchama · 2@bitcoinr3.

Major Adoption News

• United States — Square is enabling merchants to accept bitcoin starting November 10 with zero processing fees until 2027. Learn more: http://squ.re/squarebitcoin@Square · 2

  "Square is rolling out flawless bitcoin payment UX via its point of sale systems." @MartyBent

  "Square is the first to make a strong move and giant contribution to the movement!" @BitcoinConfed · 2

  "This month, he’s turned on bitcoin payments for 4 million US businesses." @agbegin

• Global travel — BitcoinTravel reports three international flights processed and fully paid in bitcoin, originating from Canada, Kenya, and South Africa; tickets were issued/validated by AirCanada, AirMauritius, and Kenya Airways @Bitcointravel_ · 2. The service pitches “Bitcoin Travel – Freedom is boarding” @Bitcointravel_.

• El Salvador — Bitcoin Farmers Market returns this Sunday at Plaza Mango Verde, with organizers emphasizing bitcoin’s use as a medium of exchange and acknowledging partners including @blinkbtc, @CheritoCafe, @Bitcoinbeach, and @tbhs_sv @btcfarmersmrkt · 2@btcfarmersmrkt. Separately, Yorkafe now accepts Bitcoin Lightning in El Tunco, with a call to support the business @BitcoinCoast_sv · 3.

• South Africa — A purchase of surfboard wax at Muizenberg’s Surf Emporium was completed in bitcoin using the MoneyBadgerPay app to scan a Zapper code; the process was described as smooth and the location was shared @MoneyBadgerPay · 4.

Payment Infrastructure

• Wallets — BULL Wallet is now available worldwide on iOS and Android. It is a self‑custodial, Bitcoin‑only wallet designed for low‑fee, private payments and long‑term cold storage; it is open‑source and privacy‑focused, and supports Bitcoin, Lightning, and Liquid with non‑custodial atomic swaps between networks @BullBitcoin_ · 4. A community lead in Mérida reports their users appreciate the app’s simplicity and access @mayanbitcoin.

• Merchant enablement — In South Africa, Nick Darlington invites businesses to discuss why and how to accept bitcoin and provides step‑by‑step resources: “why accept bitcoin” and “how to accept bitcoin as a business in South Africa” @NickDarlington · 4.

• Spending workflows — Tando notes many users hold bitcoin on exchanges like Binance and can spend via Tando, but the experience is not as smooth or as cheap as using a Bitcoin‑only Lightning wallet. They recommend moving funds off exchanges to a Bitcoin‑only, preferably non‑custodial wallet, and released a short tutorial video showing how to transfer from Binance to Lightning wallets @tando_me · 5.

• Regional rails and education — In Santo Domingo, a Bitcoin workshop highlighted payment platforms enabling everyday use: BlinkBTC (instant bitcoin payments), LaWalletOK/LaCryptaOk (regional adoption), and Bitrefill (spending via vouchers/services) @unidosxsatoshi · 5.

Regulatory Landscape

• No material legal or policy changes affecting bitcoin payments were identified in the provided sources this period.

• Observation (Malaysia):

  "People at Bank Negara are learning how to buy no-KYC Bitcoin with cash, peer-to-peer" @sakak_musdom

  This is a social media claim rather than an official policy update; no formal regulatory statement accompanied it @sakak_musdom.

Usage Metrics

• Africa (multi‑country program) — 696 bitcoin payment transactions over eight months across eight countries (Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Burundi, Tanzania). A public list of the video‑recorded transactions is available; creators summarize the effort as “Bitcoin is everyday money.” @BitcoinEkasi · 5.

• Global travel — Three international flights processed and paid fully in bitcoin (origins: Canada, Kenya, South Africa) @Bitcointravel_.

• United States — A community post asserts bitcoin payments were turned on for 4 million US businesses this month in connection with Square’s rollout (attribution provided; not an official Square metric) @agbegin.

Emerging Markets

• Nigeria — New in‑person Lightning payments: Tobias Venture (Ekiti) accepted dinner payment as a newly onboarded merchant (video evidence; #spedn), and BurgerChickenCo (Awka) processed a shawarma/juice purchase “paid entirely in Bitcoin,” sharing a Lightning address for zaps @BitcoinEkiti · 3@BitcoinAnambra · 3. These point to grassroots merchant penetration and community‑led onboarding.

• Kenya — Community commerce via bitcoin: five goats were purchased and paid for using Tando; sourcing from Maasai Lands (approx. 1.5‑hour drive). The initiative plans to pay a youth caretaker in bitcoin and save future returns via Machankura clans; goat waste will be sold to a women’s chama for sats, all under a self‑reliant circular‑economy push @Bitcoinchama · 5.

• South Africa — Retail traction includes a Muizenberg purchase using MoneyBadgerPay and a national radio discussion about growing bitcoin payment solutions in retail (Moneyweb interview). Local advocates are actively helping businesses get set up and explaining the rationale for acceptance @MoneyBadgerPay · 4@MoneyBadgerPay · 2@NickDarlington · 2.

• Zimbabwe — Community reports that “Spending sats is becoming a normal way of life,” with accompanying media from Victoria Falls (#Spedn) @BitcoinVicFalls · 3.

• El Salvador — Recurring merchant activity via the Bitcoin Farmers Market (El Zonte) and Lightning acceptance at Yorkafe in El Tunco underscore continued everyday usage @njelsalvador@btcfarmersmrkt@BitcoinCoast_sv. The upcoming Bitcoin Circular Economy World’s Fair at Adopting Bitcoin 2025 further concentrates global circular‑economy communities in the country @AdoptingBTC · 2.

• Mexico — Community leads in Mérida highlight easier access and simplicity with the newly available BULL Wallet, indicating local user‑experience improvements for payments @mayanbitcoin.

Adoption Outlook

• Momentum is building across two fronts: mainstream processor support in the US (Square’s zero‑fee acceptance through 2027) and growing grassroots usage in emerging markets (Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, El Salvador). Processor and wallet improvements (e.g., BULL Wallet’s cross‑network capability; clearer guidance on moving funds off exchanges for smoother spending) reduce practical friction for everyday payments @Square@BullBitcoin_ · 2@tando_me. Cross‑border viability is visible in travel bookings, while local merchant meetups and markets continue onboarding users and businesses. No regulatory changes were surfaced this period in the sources reviewed, but on‑the‑ground activity shows continued expansion of bitcoin as a medium of exchange across regions @Bitcointravel_@sisonkeBTC@btcfarmersmrkt.

Major Adoption News

• South Africa — nationwide retail rollout at Clicks: Customers can pay with Bitcoin at 740+ Clicks stores. Flow: ask for a Scan to Pay QR, scan it with the MoneyBadger app, then complete in a preferred Bitcoin Lightning wallet @MoneyBadgerPay · 3.

  • Why it matters: A large pharmacy and health/beauty chain accepting Lightning-backed payments provides broad, everyday retail coverage and tests consumer UX at scale.

• Global/US — Square to launch Bitcoin payments with zero processing fees until 2027 (starting Nov 10). Official program page: squ.re/squarebitcoin @Square · 2.

  • Why it matters: Eliminating processing fees can materially improve merchant economics and lower adoption barriers across Square’s installed base.

• Washington, DC, USA — Live merchant demo: Compass Coffee (27 locations) showcased Square Bitcoin Payments at DC Fintech Week @milessuter · 2.

  • Why it matters: Real-time demonstrations by a multi-location merchant signal readiness for operational use and staff workflows.

• El Salvador — McDonald’s accepts Bitcoin. As shared in the post: “El Salvador has the only McDonald’s on earth where you can pay for your meal in Bitcoin.” @SalvadoranPride

  • Why it matters: Recognition by a global QSR brand normalizes Bitcoin payments for mainstream consumers.

• Online (global) — Bitcointravel_: Bitcoin-only flight bookings with a Lightning QR checkout (“enter dates & choose flights → scan LN QR code”) @BitcoinKampala · 3.

  • Why it matters: Travel is a high-ticket, international use case; native LN checkout showcases cross-border, cardless payments.

Payment Infrastructure

• South Africa — MoneyBadger x Scan to Pay integration: Users pay at participating merchants (e.g., Clicks) by requesting a Scan to Pay QR, scanning with MoneyBadger, and settling via Lightning @MoneyBadgerPay. A tutorial is available, reinforcing onboarding and reducing friction @MoneyBadgerPay · 2@bearcreative27 · 2.

  • Why it matters: Bridges existing QR rails with Lightning, leveraging familiar in-store flows while enabling Bitcoin settlement.

• Square — fee incentive for onboarding: “Accept bitcoin with zero processing fees until 2027” begins Nov 10 @Square · 2. Wallet of Satoshi is urging users to be ready and try purchases at Square-powered shops @walletofsatoshi · 2.

  • Why it matters: Combined platform incentives and wallet readiness can accelerate first-time transactions and merchant trials.

• Mexico (Tulum) — Lightning in the field (Swapido): Street coconut vendor accepts transfer; users can pay with Lightning. The team also demonstrated Lightning-native microrewards (10,000 sats) via LN address collection @SwapidoBTC · 2@SwapidoBTC.

  • Why it matters: Confirms LN suitability for low-value, real-world transactions and immediate disbursements.

• Uganda/Online — Bitcointravel_ Lightning checkout: “Just completed my ticket booking in 3 steps… Scan LN QR code and bam,” emphasizing a Bitcoin-only interface @BitcoinKampala · 2.

  • Why it matters: Clean, Bitcoin-only UX reduces decision friction and highlights LN’s speed at ecommerce scale.

Regulatory Landscape

• No material legal or regulatory changes affecting Bitcoin payments were cited in the provided sources for this period.

Usage Metrics

• Bolivia — merchant count growth: Reported locations accepting Bitcoin rose from 33 to 67 over time. Latest snapshot: 67 locations with departmental breakdown La Paz 33; Cochabamba 20; Santa Cruz 6; Chuquisaca 0; Potosí 1; Oruro 0; Tarija 6; Pando 0; Beni 1 @bitcoinr3 · 2. Earlier milestones show a steady ramp: 33 @bitcoinr3 · 2 → 46 @bitcoinr3 · 2 → 52 @bitcoinr3 · 2 → 53 @bitcoinr3 · 2 → 63 @bitcoinr3 · 2.

  • Why it matters: Consistent, geographically distributed merchant onboarding signals durable grassroots growth.

• El Salvador — Bitcoin Coast merchant directory: Net change of +4 merchants (added 5, removed 1) brings the total listed to 190 @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2.

  • Why it matters: A growing directory eases discovery and supports circular-economy density.

• Pan‑Africa — documented everyday use: “Bitcoin is everyday money.” Evidence set includes 696 video‑recorded transactions over 8 months across 8 countries (Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Burundi, Tanzania) with public lists and highlight reel @BitcoinEkasi · 5@BitcoinEkasi · 2.

  • Why it matters: Publicly auditable transaction logs strengthen credibility of real-world usage claims.

• South Africa — retail scale at Clicks: 740+ stores accepting Bitcoin via Lightning-enabled flow @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.

  • Why it matters: Chain-wide availability provides large-sample visibility into consumer uptake and operational KPIs.

Emerging Markets

• Nigeria — local merchant activity and circularity: Community revisits Adeofemi Communications (onboarded merchant) to make everyday purchases; initiative framed as “building a Bitcoin circular economy” and tagged #BitcoinNigeria @BitcoinEkiti · 2@BitcoinEkiti.

  • Significance: Demonstrates retention and repeat transactions at small businesses, not just one‑off pilots.

• Kenya (Nairobi) — delivery/logistics: A delivery worker operating across Nairobi accepts Bitcoin as routine practice; post includes demonstration video @BitBiashara · 2.

  • Significance: Service‑sector acceptance (last‑mile delivery) expands beyond retail, broadening practical utility.

• Mexico (Tulum) — micro‑merchants: Street coconut vendor takes Lightning payments in day‑to‑day sales @SwapidoBTC.

  • Significance: Low-friction LN payments support informal economies and small-ticket commerce.

• El Salvador — community markets and merchant growth: Bitcoin Bazaar in El Zonte (Shred House, 9:00–15:00, Sat Oct 18) invites attendees to “spend your sats,” highlighting a local merchant ecosystem @BitcoinCoast_sv@bitcoin_bazar · 3. Seaside Sourdough scaled from a farmers market booth to a multi‑location enterprise in the country @BitcoinCoast_sv · 3.

  • Significance: Dense local networks and merchant scaling are hallmarks of a functioning circular economy.

• South Africa — merchant interest pipeline: Public calls urge Square to deploy Bitcoin payments in Canada soon and elsewhere; locally, community asks include potential adoption by Woolworths South Africa @BTCcoalition_ca@BTCcoalition_ca@NickDarlington.

  • Significance: Visible demand signals help prioritize processor rollouts and large‑merchant onboarding.

• Food service — independent restaurants: BurgerChickenCo purchase “paid entirely in Bitcoin,” with Lightning‑style “zap” handle shared for support @BitcoinAnambra · 3.

  • Significance: Independent food outlets provide frequent‑purchase contexts ideal for testing repeat usage.

Adoption Outlook

• Processor incentives are accelerating: Square’s zero‑fee program and live demos, plus wallet readiness campaigns, set conditions for a near‑term rise in Bitcoin payment trials at mainstream merchants @Square · 2@walletofsatoshi@milessuter.
• Retail scale tests are here: Clicks’ 740+‑store rollout offers a large, measurable sandbox for Lightning UX, staff training, refunds, and reconciliation workflows @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.
• Circular economies continue to deepen: Evidence from El Salvador, Nigeria, and broader Africa shows merchant counts, local markets, and repeat‑purchase patterns strengthening @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinEkiti.
• Grassroots growth is trackable: Bolivia’s department‑level counts and Africa’s video‑verified transactions provide transparent baselines for trend monitoring @bitcoinr3@BitcoinEkasi.

Major Adoption News

• United States — Square Lightning at Compass Coffee (Washington, D.C.)

  • Compass Coffee showcased Square Bitcoin Payments at DC Fintech Week; the brand operates 27 locations @milessuter. A Square terminal accepting Lightning was deployed at a Compass Coffee shop and tested across a range of wallets, with acknowledgements to Cash App, Wallet of Satoshi, Zeus, and BTCDistrict; the team expressed hope to see this on Square devices worldwide @CompassCoffeeDC · 4@walletofsatoshi.
  • Significance: Mainstream POS support via Square could materially lower merchant integration friction and broaden acceptance if expanded beyond the pilot @CompassCoffeeDC@walletofsatoshi.

• South Africa — QR-rail acceptance at national scale

  • MoneyBadger’s integrations (Yoyo, PeachPayments, Zapper, Scan to Pay) enable Bitcoin payments at hundreds of thousands of stores nationwide, including Checkers, Engen, Makro, and Vodacom; Pick n Pay has accepted Bitcoin for years via MoneyBadger @NickDarlington · 3. Separately, 31,000+ businesses accept BTC via the Luno Pay + Zapper integration @NickDarlington.
  • Significance: Aggregator-driven QR acceptance turns existing retail into Bitcoin-capable checkouts with minimal merchant retraining, shifting focus from discovery to usage @NickDarlington.

• El Salvador — Expanding coastal merchant density

  • El Zonte (Bitcoin Beach) lists 89 merchants; nearby Playa El Tunco shows 40+ restaurants, stores, experiences, and stays @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv. New additions include Coco Surf hotel in the San Blas zone and “Airbtc” for booking homes and rooms on the coast @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2@BitcoinCoast_sv. Everyday spending persists, e.g., coffee at CheritoCafe (San Benito) paid with Bitcoin @njelsalvador · 4.
  • Significance: Dense acceptance clusters reinforce circular-spending behavior, particularly in hospitality and tourism corridors @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv.

• Netherlands — Entertainment venue joins Arnhem “Bitcoin City”

  • A new laser tag/pixel floor/VR escape venue in Arnhem now accepts Bitcoin; the community invites meetups to encourage usage @bitcoinstad.
  • Significance: Adds experiential spend to a European city’s merchant mix, broadening real-world use cases @bitcoinstad.

• Dominican Republic — Street market onboarding

  • At Mercado Modelo, a fresh-produce vendor was onboarded while noting not all stalls accept Bitcoin yet; organizers describe accepting merchants as pillars of a local circular economy @btcdominicana.
  • Significance: Early-stage vendor penetration in informal markets illustrates bottom-up expansion paths for everyday payments @btcdominicana.

Payment Infrastructure

• Square terminal Lightning pilot (U.S.)

  • The first Square terminal accepting Lightning went live at Compass Coffee, worked with multiple wallets (including Wallet of Satoshi), and highlighted the “beauty of open standards” @CompassCoffeeDC · 2@walletofsatoshi · 2.

    “Tested on a huge range of wallets, all worked seamlessly. The beauty of open standards.” @CompassCoffeeDC

• QR acceptance flow (South Africa)

  • MoneyBadger-enabled checkout: ask for the QR payment option, scan with MoneyBadger, which links to a chosen Lightning wallet (e.g., Blink). Users can also scan and pay directly using Luno, VALR, or Binance at certain merchants; SnapScan QR support is temporarily disabled @NickDarlington · 3. MoneyBadger confirms Checkers support when a Scan to Pay QR is available @MoneyBadgerPay.
  • Integrations reiterated: MoneyBadger works with PeachPayments, Zapper, and Scan to Pay to enable paying with sats practically anywhere there’s a QR code @BitcoinEkasi.

    “Use the MoneyBadger App to shop!” @BitcoinEkasi

• UX and performance signals

  “Easier than using a credit card!” @MoneyBadgerPay

  • A shopper reported buying a watch via MoneyBadger and described the process as easy and fast; another reported a Checkers payment confirmed in ~10 seconds @wildlife_van@HodlSouth. A demo showed a milk/mylk purchase with Bitcoin in Camps Bay @MoneyBadgerPay · 2.

• Community node expansion

  • Two light nodes joined the My First Bitcoin Node Network (BitcoinFlagship and BitKwaofficial), framed as planting Bitcoin awareness “one community at a time” @MyFirstBitcoin_ · 3@BitcoinFlagship · 2.

• On-/off-ramps and multi-rail support

  • Senegal: A user completed a first Lightning purchase of sats via Wave using Banxaas @black_legacy44@banxaas_sn. Kenya: bitika supports conversions from as little as 1 Kenyan shilling @bitika_KE · 2. Mozambique: Bitcoin Famba now accepts donations across on-chain, Lightning, and Liquid, with addresses registered on the Bitcoin Confederation profile @BitcoinFamba · 6.

• Merchant outreach tooling (El Salvador)

  • Bitcoin Coast is distributing another 70 free merchant booklets this week (4th batch in a month) to accelerate onboarding @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2.

Regulatory Landscape

• Africa — Kenya

  • “Kenya officially signs Virtual Asset Bill to regulate Bitcoin and crypto,” per BTC Archive; local advocates amplified the update @BTC_Archive@BitcoinKitui · 2.
  • Significance: A regulatory framework can enable compliant on-/off-ramps and merchant solutions, improving clarity for payment providers @BTC_Archive.

• United States — Tax treatment friction for spending

  • Commentary highlighted the need to track small capital gains when spending BTC and warned (rhetorically) about enforcement risks, underscoring compliance friction for everyday purchases @JoeNakamoto · 2.

Usage Metrics

• South Africa

  • Coverage scale: 31,000+ businesses via Luno Pay + Zapper @NickDarlington, and “hundreds of thousands” of stores via MoneyBadger partnerships (including Checkers, Engen, Makro, Vodacom) @NickDarlington · 2. “Thousands of locations” now accept BTC nationally @NickDarlington.
  • Representative purchases (Cape Town and vicinity): breakfast (Our Local), coffee (Tamboerswinkel), groceries (Pick n Pay), medicine (Checkers), fuel (Engen), lunch (Terbodore) @NickDarlington · 6.
  • Performance note: user-reported ~10s confirmation at Checkers @HodlSouth.

• El Salvador

  • Merchant counts: El Zonte (89 merchants) and Playa El Tunco (40+ venues) @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv.

• United States

  • Compass Coffee (27 locations) demonstrated Square Bitcoin Payments at DC Fintech Week; the first Square Lightning terminal was deployed at a Compass location @milessuter@CompassCoffeeDC@walletofsatoshi.

Emerging Markets

• Nigeria

  • Reports cite citizens using Bitcoin to protect savings during currency crises and to send/receive funds freely via mobile wallets despite controls; advocates emphasize its borderless, decentralized nature @BitcoinEkiti@BitcoinEkiti.

• Mozambique

  • Bitcoin Famba (Maputo) now accepts donations across on-chain, Lightning, and Liquid, with addresses registered on the Bitcoin Confederation profile @BitcoinFamba · 6.

• Kenya

  • bitika offers micro-conversions starting at KES 1; regulatory movement via the reported Virtual Asset Bill may support broader ecosystem growth @bitika_KE · 2@BTC_Archive.

• Senegal

  • Banxaas: user completed a Lightning purchase of sats funded from Wave, signaling early retail on-ramp activity @black_legacy44@banxaas_sn.

• Dominican Republic

  • Mercado Modelo onboarded a produce vendor amid partial acceptance; community actors reference tools like btcmap, Blink, and NoWasteBTCsigns to support the rollout @btcdominicana · 5.

• Mexico

  • Swapido promoted an illustration of paying for tacos with Bitcoin in Mexico City; the post characterized it as symbolic rather than a live deployment @SwapidoBTC · 2@SwapidoBTC.

Adoption Outlook

• Momentum is broadening across regions via two complementary paths: top-down integrations (e.g., Square terminal Lightning pilot in the U.S.) and bottom-up QR-rail adoption at scale (South Africa), both reducing merchant-side friction @CompassCoffeeDC@walletofsatoshi@NickDarlington. Dense coastal clusters in El Salvador continue to grow, reinforcing everyday spending, while street-market onboarding in the Dominican Republic shows early circular-economy formation @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv@btcdominicana.
• On-/off-ramp progress in Africa (Kenya micro-conversions, Senegal Lightning buys) and multi-rail donation acceptance (Mozambique) indicate diverse entry points and use cases, with Kenya’s reported Virtual Asset Bill pointing toward greater regulatory clarity @bitika_KE@black_legacy44@BitcoinFamba@BTC_Archive.
• Friction remains where tax treatment complicates small purchases (U.S.), but practitioner focus is shifting from “Where can I spend?” to “How can I spend?” as tools mature and coverage expands @JoeNakamoto@NickDarlington.

Major Adoption News

• South Africa — QR payment rails open mainstream acceptance: MoneyBadger’s partnerships with Scan to Pay, Zapper, Peach Payments, and Yoyo enable Bitcoin payments at hundreds of thousands of businesses nationwide, including Bootlegger, Makro, Engen, and Vodacom @NickDarlington · 2. Separately, the Luno Pay + Zapper integration covers 31,000+ businesses @NickDarlington. Everyday spend is being reported (coffee at BootleggerCC, groceries at Pick n Pay, and parking) @NickDarlington. Significance: broad merchant coverage across grocery, fuel, and retail makes routine Bitcoin spending practical at scale.

• El Salvador (Bitcoin Coast region) — verified fuel and micro‑merchant acceptance: PUMA gas station was re‑verified accepting Bitcoin @BitcoinCoast_sv, and a bicycle repair shop just north of El Tunco now accepts via a mobile Lightning wallet and is seeking customer business @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2. Significance: cross‑sector acceptance—from fuel to small repairs—supported by active field verification.

• Finland (Arctic Circle) — new geographic milestone: BTC Map reports the most northerly bitcoin‑accepting merchant, 400 km inside Finland’s Arctic Circle; listing available for reference @btcmap · 3. Significance: continued geographic dispersion, even in remote regions.

• Awka (Anambra) — local dining spend: BurgerChickenCo at Government House, Ukwuoji Junction, Awka is a verified merchant; the local lead paid with Bitcoin using Spedn @BitcoinAnambra · 4. Significance: on‑the‑ground payments in food service, backed by a named processor.

Payment Infrastructure

• South Africa — QR code integrations for Lightning/Sats: MoneyBadger works with PeachPayments, ZapperTM, and Scan to Pay so users can pay with sats anywhere a merchant displays a QR code; the app is positioned for in‑store shopping and offers setup support @BitcoinEkasi · 4. Significance: bridges Bitcoin payments into existing national QR ecosystems, accelerating merchant readiness.

• Lightning PoS in the wild — Wallet of Satoshi: Hang Ten Café displayed a “We Accept Bitcoin” sticker and processed a Lightning payment using a Wallet of Satoshi PoS device (MoneyBadger app not used at this checkout) @MoneyBadgerPay · 2. Significance: small merchants are adopting dedicated Lightning PoS solutions, adding optionality at checkout.

• Global wallet stack — BlueWallet modernization: Work in progress includes migration to TypeScript, stronger reproducible builds for F‑Droid, and enhanced Silent Payments aligned with BIPs; shared by Bitcoin Kampala @btrustteam. Significance: improves reliability and privacy features in a widely used wallet.

• Francophone Africa — Machankura tutorial: A PlanB Network guide to the Machankura mobile wallet was highlighted by the service, noting a Beninese contributor @Machankura8333 · 2. Significance: localized education for mobile‑first users helps reduce onboarding friction.

• Jeri — merchant server operations: Praia Bitcoin reported collecting machines and migrating all local merchants to a new server; shipping and tracking for recent Bitcoinize machine orders are being delivered @BitcoinBeachBR · 2. Significance: back‑end maintenance and device logistics support business continuity for accepting merchants.

• Global social platforms — creator tipping pending: Praia Bitcoin Brazil reiterated expectations for a “ZAP” feature on X to enable direct creator incentives and criticized the status quo of platforms without direct creator payments; it framed Bitcoin as key to a better internet @BitcoinBeachBR · 3. Significance: potential platform‑level micropayments could expand everyday Bitcoin use cases if implemented.

Regulatory Landscape

• Canada — policy advocacy (no new legal changes reported in sources):

  “Canada’s federal, provincial and municipal governments must capitalize on our strategic energy abundance to chart a better future, one catalyzed through and measured in Bitcoin (BTC).” @BTCcoalition_ca

  “Bitcoin can monetize excess energy load-balance AI data centers bootstrap energy buildout” @SamEdwardsIV

  Significance: active advocacy frames Bitcoin within national energy strategy and industrial policy, though no specific legislative or regulatory changes were cited in this period @BTCcoalition_ca.

Usage Metrics

• El Salvador (Bitcoin Coast) — merchant map growth and hygiene: Business count rose from 121 (Sept 7) to 179 (Oct 7). Additions to the map: +66 by the Bitcoin Coast team and +1 by others; closures/removals: −9 by the team @BitcoinCoast_sv · 4. As Nicolas Burtey notes, “The hard part is the ‘closed/removed’” @nicolasburtey. The project also asks visitors to report spending to keep the map at “100% accuracy” @BitcoinCoast_sv. Significance: measurable net growth with emphasis on continuous verification.

• South Africa — merchant reach via existing rails: MoneyBadger’s integrations indicate coverage across hundreds of thousands of businesses, while Luno Pay + Zapper covers 31,000+ locations @NickDarlington · 3. Significance: large potential acceptance footprint accessible through familiar QR payment flows.

• Adoption quality and circularity metrics — guidance from practitioners:

  “IT. IS. NOT. ABOUT. THE. NUMBERS.” @BitcoinEkasi

  Bitcoin Ekasi (South Africa) emphasizes that onboarding merchants and education are necessary but insufficient; the key is payment frequency and “nurturing the flow of sats.” It’s “better to have 10 merchants, each receiving 1 payment in Bitcoin, every single day, rather than 100 merchants [each] only 1 payment… once every 10 days” @BitcoinEkasi · 5. Significance: prioritizes active usage per merchant over raw signup counts.

  El Flaco ranks merchant value for adoption: businesses that knowingly accept Bitcoin outrank those that accept without awareness; those who keep Bitcoin or pay suppliers in Bitcoin outrank instant‑converters to fiat—though even unaware instant‑converters still add value @_pretyflaco · 3. Significance: suggests a quality ladder that correlates with deeper circularity.

Emerging Markets

• Kibera (AfriBit “bitcoin Valley”) — fashion retail: SATS and KrezzyKicks are highlighted as fashion merchants associated with Bitcoin payments (#SPEDN) @AfribitKibera · 2. Significance: retail sector adoption within a dense urban community.

• Victoria Falls — services: a haircut was paid with Bitcoin (#Spedn), demonstrating service‑sector acceptance @BitcoinVicFalls · 2. Significance: everyday services provide recurring, small‑ticket use cases.

• Awka (Anambra) — food and beverage: BurgerChickenCo (Government House, Ukwuoji Junction) processed a Bitcoin payment via Spedn, and invites customers to “enjoy delicious meals, chilled beer” paid in Bitcoin @BitcoinAnambra · 4. Significance: restaurant‑level payments reinforce practical, local spend.

Adoption Outlook

South Africa’s QR‑rail integrations and documented everyday purchases indicate practical pathways for mainstream spend where merchants already use QR codes @NickDarlington · 2@NickDarlington. Field work in El Salvador shows new and re‑verified acceptance across sectors, while BTC Map adds a landmark Arctic Circle merchant, underscoring geographic breadth @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv@btcmap. Practitioners stress that frequency of Bitcoin payments and “sats flow” are better leading indicators than merchant counts, offering a useful lens for assessing circularity @BitcoinEkasi · 2. Wallet and PoS improvements (BlueWallet, Lightning PoS sightings, Machankura education) lower friction at the edge @btrustteam@MoneyBadgerPay@Machankura8333. Policy discussion in Canada remains advocacy‑focused without cited legal changes this cycle @BTCcoalition_ca.

This edition maps notable expansions in merchant acceptance, processor integrations, Lightning education, and regulatory signals shaping Bitcoin’s use as everyday money.

Major Adoption News

• South Africa — QR-aggregated acceptance reaches mainstream retail and dining

  • MoneyBadger’s partnerships with Scan to Pay, Zapper, Peach Payments, and Yoyo enable Bitcoin payments at “hundreds of thousands” of businesses nationwide, including Bootlegger, Makro, Engen, and Vodacom @NickDarlington. This builds on broader QR acceptance rails that let customers “pay with sats, practically anywhere in South Africa” where a merchant displays a QR code @BitcoinEkasi.
  • Tiger’s Milk (Waterfront) accepts Bitcoin via the Zapper QR flow; customers can tip waiters in sats. “Just ask to pay via Zapper QR code, scan the code with the MoneyBadger app and complete payment in your preferred Bitcoin Lightning wallet.” @MoneyBadgerPay · 2
  • Field activity: Community purchases at Pick n Pay were paid in Bitcoin, and MoneyBadger funded kids with sats to pay for meals, demonstrating routine spend patterns in person @BitFitness21M · 2.
  • Significance: The QR-aggregator model collapses the long tail of merchant onboarding into an immediately usable acceptance network for everyday spend @NickDarlington@BitcoinEkasi.

• United States (New York) — Customer incentive at PubKey

  • A customer reported “saved 21% for paying in bitcoin” at @PubKey_NYC; post notes the New York context @bulebitcoin@btchousebali · 2.
  • Significance: Direct price incentives can accelerate consumer payment preference shifts.

• El Salvador — Restaurants and retail

  • Restaurante Pirate Beer (La Libertad) accepts Bitcoin and is welcoming customers. “Many no longer carry cash.” @BitcoinCoast_sv · 2
  • MAK Meats (San Blas) is verifying acceptance of Bitcoin Lightning @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv.
  • Significance: Continued merchant coverage in key tourist and coastal corridors supports organic, cash-lite spending.

• Dominican Republic — Service-sector onboarding

  • Chenar Barbería is set up with a BlinkBTC wallet, listed on BTCMap, and ready to receive sats; the post notes adoption momentum in the country @unidosxsatoshi · 5.
  • Significance: Low-friction wallet setup plus directory visibility lowers discovery costs for Bitcoin-paying customers.

• Nigeria (Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State) — Fuel retail acceptance

  • T&N Gas accepts Bitcoin; local circular-economy activity reports sats circulating among merchants @BitcoinEkiti · 3.
  • Significance: Acceptance at essential services (fuel) strengthens day-to-day payment viability.

Payment Infrastructure

• South Africa — Aggregated QR rails + Lightning wallet flow

  • MoneyBadger works with PeachPayments, ZapperTM, and Scan to Pay, enabling customers to “pay with sats” anywhere a merchant presents a QR code @BitcoinEkasi. A standard flow: request a Zapper QR, scan with MoneyBadger, and settle from a preferred Lightning wallet @MoneyBadgerPay.
  • Luno Pay + Zapper integration already covers 31,000+ businesses, expanding acceptance density across the country @NickDarlington.
  • Significance: Interoperability between Bitcoin payment apps and incumbent QR networks provides immediate reach without bespoke terminal upgrades @BitcoinEkasi@NickDarlington.

• Kenya (Kitui) — Offline acceptance via Machankura

  • A corn merchant without a smartphone is receiving Bitcoin using a Machankura wallet via QR, enabling “Bitcoin without the internet” in local trade @BitcoinKitui.
  • Significance: Offline-capable rails increase inclusivity in low-connectivity contexts.

• Uganda — Lightning in the classroom

  • Students learned custodial vs self-custodial wallets (“Not your keys, not your coins”), set up and backed up mobile wallets, and practiced instant, small-value Lightning transactions for everyday use @schoolOfSatoshi · 4.
  • Significance: Practical training on Lightning and custody fundamentals improves safe consumer onboarding and daily-usage readiness.

• Wallet preferences

  • User endorsement: Blink cited as a preferred Lightning wallet @NickDarlington.

• Creative economy payment design (Jeri)

  • Artists are releasing works with sovereign Bitcoin QR codes embedded in artwork, enabling direct artist–audience payments; Banda Singular is cited as “the first album fully paid in Bitcoin” with a second release scheduled @BitcoinBeachBR@BitcoinBeachBR. Posts describe a “new standard” emerging from Jeri and argue that durable on-chain addresses foster persistent connections with audiences @BitcoinBeachBR · 2.
  • Significance: Embedding payment coordinates into cultural products creates always-on, platform-independent economic links.

Regulatory Landscape

• Kenya
  • Parliament approved legislation to regulate cryptocurrency and digital assets, aiming “to attract investment to the sector,” per Reuters summary @Cointelegraph.
  • Local reporting points to passage of a VASP Bill as Kenya “set to adopt its first crypto law” @BitcoinKitui. Other posts say the bill to legalize Bitcoin and crypto is headed to the President’s desk @pete_rizzo_, with some local claims that Parliament has passed a legalization bill @Vivek4real_. Local reactions framed the move as a milestone @BitcoinKitui · 2 and progress for the country @BitcoinKitui.
  • Significance: A regulatory framework for service providers and digital assets would clarify rules of engagement for payments infrastructure and merchant acceptance @Cointelegraph@BitcoinKitui.

Usage Metrics

• South Africa

  • 31,000+ businesses accept Bitcoin through Luno Pay’s integration with Zapper @NickDarlington.
  • Partnerships with Scan to Pay, Zapper, Peach Payments, and Yoyo extend enablement to “hundreds of thousands” of businesses nationwide, including major brands @NickDarlington.
  • On-the-ground capability: One user reported living 14 days in Cape Town “100% on Bitcoin,” crediting MoneyBadger @megasley, and the provider asserts that “You can live with Bitcoin in 🇿🇦” @MoneyBadgerPay.
  • The narrative is shifting from “Where can I spend?” to “How can I spend?” as “thousands of locations now accept BTC” @NickDarlington · 2.

• Nigeria

  • Local circular-economy activity indicates sats circulating and being spent with merchants in Ado Ekiti @BitcoinEkiti.

• Dominican Republic

  • Merchant listing on BTCMap provides directory-level visibility for Bitcoin spend at Chenar Barbería @unidosxsatoshi.

• Proof-of-spend promotions (South Africa)

  • Community campaigns invite shoppers to post MoneyBadger till slips and storefront photos as proof of Bitcoin payments, reinforcing verifiable usage at the point of sale @BitcoinEkasi@BitcoinEkasi.

Emerging Markets

• Kenya (Kibera) — Everyday spend narrative

  • “Bitcoin isn’t just for saving, it’s for living. Save a little, spend a little. Everyday moments, powered by Sats.” @AfribitKibera
  • Significance: Grassroots spending complements savings use cases, supporting circular-economy development.

• South Africa (Khayelitsha) — Township circular economy

  • Visitors are advised to load sats on a Lightning wallet to buy coffee and support local businesses in the community @BitcoinLoxion@BitcoinLoxion.
  • Significance: Community-led guidance channels Bitcoin spend to small businesses, fostering localized acceptance.

• Nigeria (Ado Ekiti) — Fuel sector

  • Bitcoin acceptance at T&N Gas indicates penetration into essential services @BitcoinEkiti.

• El Salvador (La Libertad, San Blas) — Hospitality and retail

  • Restaurant acceptance and ongoing verification at a meat retailer suggest continued Lightning presence in tourist corridors @BitcoinCoast_sv@BitcoinCoast_sv.

• Creative sector (Jeri; global distribution)

  • The “Enjoy Being Free” campaign organizes 100 artist releases with Bitcoin QR-enabled artwork; fans can donate directly, and a collective 100 BTC goal aims to accelerate circular-economy projects via Bitcoin Confederation initiatives @BitcoinBeachBR · 2@BitcoinBeachBR · 3.

Adoption Outlook

• Aggregated QR rails in South Africa materially lower the barrier for everyday Bitcoin spending by piggybacking on existing payment infrastructure, with demonstrable merchant coverage and live spend evidence @NickDarlington@BitcoinEkasi@MoneyBadgerPay.
• Offline and low-friction solutions (e.g., Machankura) expand reach to merchants without smartphones or reliable internet, broadening participation @BitcoinKitui.
• Kenya’s legislative progress suggests regulatory clarity is forming, which could support investment and compliant service provisioning @Cointelegraph@BitcoinKitui.
• Education-driven Lightning usage (Uganda) and community-led circular economies (Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria) are translating into day-to-day transactions @schoolOfSatoshi · 2@BitcoinEkiti@BitcoinLoxion.
• The focus is shifting from “where to spend” to “how to spend” efficiently across many locations @NickDarlington · 2. At the same time, observers caution that while some projects drive utility-based adoption, there can also be “adoption theatre,” underscoring the need for verifiable usage data and durable business value @AnitaPosch.