Global retail giant Spar introduces Bitcoin payments via Lightning Network

Key Takeaways

• Spar Switzerland launches Bitcoin payments through the Lightning Network in Zug.
• Switzerland has over 1,013 businesses accepting Bitcoin, emphasizing its crypto-friendly environment.

Spar, one of the world’s most popular retail franchises, has accepted Bitcoin as a form of payment at a supermarket in Zug, Switzerland, according to a recent announcement from DFX.swiss, a Swiss-based company that facilitates the implementation.

DFX.swiss-developed payment solution enables customers to pay directly at checkout using Bitcoin via LNURL, an open peer-to-peer standard for in-person crypto payments.

LNURL (Lightning Network URL) is a protocol that simplifies interactions on the Bitcoin Lightning Network. It enables seamless payments, withdrawals, and authentications through encoded URLs or QR codes.

Footage shared by Rahim Taghizadegan, an Austrian-Iranian economist and Bitcoin advocate, shows that customers can now opt to pay with Bitcoin directly at the checkout terminal through scanning a QR code with their phones and completing the payment in just a few seconds.

A key player in European retail with over 13,900 stores across 48 countries, Spar has operated for more than six decades, serving over 14 million customers daily.

With its move into crypto, the popular brand is now part of Switzerland’s growing list of over 1,013 businesses already embracing Bitcoin, according to BTCmap. Taghizadegan said it was Spar’s first crypto payment implementation in the country, but it may not be the last.

“If enough people use it, it may be rolled out in the whole country,” said Taghizadegan.

Switzerland is recognized as one of Europe’s most crypto-friendly jurisdictions. Backed by a clear and supportive regulatory framework, the country has become a hub for DeFi projects and digital asset funds.

Since December 2024, Lugano, a Swiss city, has allowed residents and businesses to pay for municipal services and taxes using Bitcoin and Tether. Payments are enabled via a Swiss QR-bill backed by Bitcoin Suisse’s automated system.

Switzerland is among the most tax-advantaged European countries for private crypto investors, as capital gains are tax-free and only a small wealth tax applies.