Switzerland allows taxes and fines to be paid in bitcoins and USDT

Key points:

• Lugano has allowed municipal services to be paid for in bitcoins and USDT with instant conversion into francs.
• Crypto payments go through Lightning, or Bitcoin Suisse partner with a fee of about 1%.
• More than 350 retail outlets in the city already accept cryptocurrency, reducing business costs and speeding up payments.

Residents of Lugano, Switzerland, now have the opportunity to pay for municipal services using cryptocurrencies. Taxes, fines, and utility bills are now accepted in bitcoins and USDT, with automatic conversion to Swiss francs.

The initiative is part of the city’s Plan ₿ program. It allows residents to pay for almost any municipal service: income and corporate taxes, education, garbage collection, and fines. The city officially accepts BTC, bitcoins via the Lightning Network, and the stablecoin USDT, with no limits on the amount — even for large tax bills.

How crypto payments work in Lugano

Payments are made either directly through Lightning or through the payment partner Bitcoin Suisse. Its fee is about 1% and is already included in the exchange rate. This is a significant saving for businesses: bank card fees are usually two to three times higher.

Importantly, the city does not hold cryptocurrency on its balance sheet. All proceeds are immediately exchanged for francs. The authorities emphasize that for Lugano, this is not an investment, but a convenient payment method for residents and companies that already use crypto assets.

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At the same time, a local economy has formed around the payment system. Through the MyLugano app, buyers receive up to 10% cashback in LVGA tokens when paying with cryptocurrency at partner stores. These tokens can be used to pay for parking, kindergarten, and other city services.

Today, more than 350 retail outlets in Lugano accept crypto payments via Lightning, from cafes to small shops. For many entrepreneurs, the choice is obvious: the fee is lower, and the money comes in faster.