Invisible Bitcoin payments don't drive adoption

We often encourage businesses to accept Bitcoin because it gives them access to an entirely new market.

The pattern is usually the same: they add Bitcoin as a payment option, a handful of people use it once or twice, and activity tapers off. Bitcoin may be sound money, but when few people are spending it in-store, merchants struggle to see the value.

I’d like to think this is changing. Data from Pick n Pay suggests that Bitcoin spend is increasing across categories such as clothing, data, airtime, and fuel, which is encouraging.

But on the ground, the story is often different.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve visited several Bitcoin-accepting stores, including Engen and Bootlegger, only to be reminded how infrequent Bitcoin payments are.

At both Bootlegger Gardens and Vredehoek, the staff told me I was the first person to ever pay with Bitcoin there. That’s not strictly true, as I (and others) have paid there before, but it’s certainly telling. Payments are still so rare that for some staff, this is genuinely their first Bitcoin payment.

Invisible payments don't create visible demand

There’s another issue too: you can technically pay with Bitcoin without anyone ever realising. You simply ask for the QR code and complete payment via your Lightning wallet — often without staff ever hearing the word “Bitcoin”.

That may be convenient, but if merchants never know they’re receiving Bitcoin payments, they perceive zero demand. And if there is zero demand, why should they care?

So today, I just wanted to give you a little nudge:

Go spend some sats at a Bitcoin-friendly store near you, let staff know you’re paying with Bitcoin, and if they look confused, talk them through it so they’re prepared for the next Bitcoin payment.

P.S.  If you need help finding stores that accept Bitcoin in SA, read our full guide: Stores that accept Bitcoin in South Africa.

Cheers

Nick

P.S. If you’d like to support my work, you can donate directly using the Bitcoin Lightning button below or send sats to nickdarlington@blink.sv from any Lightning wallet.

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