Companies in the area will be supported by the 3M CHF investment fund as they incorporate Bitcoin, USDT, and LVGA tokens as payment methods. More than 500 college students will receive grants from the foundation to help them get ready for blockchain technology jobs.
As part of a larger effort to incorporate blockchain technology into local business initiatives and incorporate Bitcoin into Lugano’s financial infrastructure, the project came to fruition. The educational project Plan ₿ Biz School was launched by the city authorities in partnership with the American company Tether, which issues USDT stablecoins. More than 300 professionals and blockchain enthusiasts will be giving seminars on topics such as how businesses can use blockchain to streamline their operations, how businesses can take cryptocurrency payments, and how people can pay their taxes using Bitcoin.
The municipal government of Lugano accepted Bitcoin, Ethereum, and LVGA as payment in 2022. Over 150 retail outlets and businesses now accept these crypto assets. Using the Swiss cryptocurrency platform Bitcoin Suisse, the Lugano City Hall introduced a system in December for the payment of taxes and municipal services using Bitcoin and USDT.
Lugano was the site of the opening of El Salvador’s “bitcoin office” in 2022. El Salvador was an early adopter of bitcoin as a payment method.