Back in April, I took a trip to El Salvador. I stumbled upon cafes where Bitcoin was an accepted payment method and learned about Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte, which is super popular among surfers, crypto enthusiasts, and digital nomads.
That got me wondering: are there more real-life places out there named after Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies?
I started looking around and was shocked to find that crypto has left its mark on geography in quite a few ways. Some are official ventures, others just nicknames, some are marketing stunts, and a few seem straight out of a cyberpunk novel.
Here are some of the coolest ones I came across.
1. Bitcoin Beach El Zonte, El Salvador
This is probably the most well-known crypto-related spot on the planet.
Bitcoin Beach began as a small circular economy using Bitcoin in this surf town. Over time, it gained international fame and even played a role in El Salvador deciding to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender.
Now, this place attracts:
- surfers
- digital nomads
- Bitcoin lovers
- crypto travelers
You can still pay with Bitcoin at many local shops through Lightning Network wallets.
2. Bitcoin City El Salvador
This isn’t just a nickname; it’s a massive government project announced by President Nayib Bukele.
The vision was grand:
- a city using geothermal energy from volcanoes
- infrastructure for Bitcoin mining
- lower taxes
- an economy built around crypto
The project is far from done, but the name "Bitcoin City" has already become part of the global crypto scene.
3. BTC City / Bitcoin City Ljubljana, Slovenia
This one’s particularly intriguing because the name originates from a local business initiative.
Places in the real world named after Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies
18 replies 156 views
Wow, this is really a nice work because I didnt actually know that some really beautiful monuments like the Bitcoin Roundabout exist if not for this post.
Id suggest you add the pictures of some of these places youve mentioned to make it more visually appealing to read through you post just as the former threads about places you can travel with bitcoin by d5000 does.
When I have some free time I would also research and find more places and document them here..
just_bridgeSenior Member
Posts: 160 · Reputation: 1146
#3Jul 24, 2023, 06:09 PM
Great list of places and it is no surprise that since bitcoin became widespread and trending, many people knew that it attracts others and they may have decided to add bitcoin for branding , market, and advertising purposes of their business and not because they genuinely believe in it or invest in it. I wonder how many of them in these places hold bitcoin or opt for payment in bitcoin where it is possible.
Thanks, thats a great idea. Ill try to find some photos that are safe to use and dont violate copyright. Wikimedia Commons seems promising because many images there are published under Creative Commons licenses.
You forgot to mention Bitcoin Jungle! It is a network of communities in Costa Rica!
https://www.bitcoinjungle.app/visit-us
It is a place where they incentive the use of bitcoin and teach people how to use it
If we have to talk about the geographical regions with Bitcoin landmarks, I don't think if any country could be compared with El Salvador which governments is fully supporting the crypto adoption at the peak of its legal tenders which Bitcoin can be used to exchange of goods and services in the absence of its traditional currency.
I don't get surprised if the region also have local landmark branches where is notably recognized with the ascription of Bitcoin because it ideal that such governmental Bitcoin friendly region as El Salvador could still have local domains with the Bitcoins landmarks.
I do also have some Bitcoina landmarks in my locality with I think it is only notable within the residence in the axis but not geographically recognized in the map.
It is very interesting to introduce the digital asset Bitcoin
But as far as I know, there is one in Malta like this city and Vanuatu which is known as Blockchain Island and this kind of initiative is really positive.
There will be more places based on this name,
Recently, many bars and cafes have also put their own BTCitcoin payment method!
Example:
👉 Bit Coffee ( Argentina)
👉 Australia - The Little Mule Cafe
👉 Argentina have Ducatus Cafe
👉 Bitcoin Coffee in Prague and
👉 Cafe de Roemer (Netherlands)
Many personal websites and their personal small transactions want to connect to Bitcoin!
This is interesting. Id heard a couple of names before, but its a good idea to start a thread like this, where more names will likely be added over time. Ultimately, this shows that, aside from the economic aspect, Bitcoin is already beginning to permeate culture and society.
Last year i did a compilations of real world places where you can actually buy and sell with bitcoin. Seeing your thread reminded me of the compilation, and Im sure if you take your research from the list of places on my compilation youll find more of place probably renamed after bitcoin or crypto in general.
Did you really visit? Because this topic is something I've tried to comment on in the past and find more information about. Sources I could find either said that Bitcoin Beach was, at best, accepting Bitcoin IF you paid through the government-approved app (which meant, they actually only accepted fiat as the app takes your coin and settles it in their account as fiat). At worst, people struggled to find someone who would accept BTC or operate the app properly.
Missing from your list is Arnhem, (I believe the original Bitcoin City), which, in my personal experience is the only true place with a good network of cafes, restaurants, hotels, etc that take Bitcoin. It is also the most active and properly community-run I've ever seen. My own last visit did note that some stores had the signs but also lacked personnel who were adequately trained to use the payments... so, the experience can be tricky if you're not a seasoned user.
I suspect, and I want to be proven wrong, that many of these so-called places aren't as Bitcoin-friendly as advertised.
falcon_diamondFull Member
Posts: 113 · Reputation: 406
#11Jul 27, 2023, 10:52 AM
In Italy we have the Bitcoin valley
A very active community of bitcoiners (bitcoin ≠ crypto) in Italy Dolomites
defi_whaleFull Member
Posts: 140 · Reputation: 461
#12Jul 27, 2023, 03:32 PM
When it comes to Bitcoin, the primary target should be:
- Those who do (or want to do) the right things that a state or society will likely disallow.
- People who help those that are persecuted by the state for pursuing what is right,
- Those who could get canceled for refusing to follow the wrong path,
- Those that want to be independent of a system that will hinder their freedom to do the right things
- The despised/rejects of the state...
or basically anyone that is at risk of existing, operating or carrying out his moral functions in a state/society controlled by an evil system that could be affected by the functions. ,
It's not normal for people in the above category to be comfortable in the matrix. This is why I tend to see them as people who don't get the idea or people whose main goal is to have fun and make as much money as possible
The primary targets will ofcourse need to be nomads, mobile, anonymous, living in remote areas, doing no evil nor attacking the state/governments, and if possible very transparent about their public activities
wizard_rocketFull Member
Posts: 77 · Reputation: 381
#13Jul 27, 2023, 05:31 PM
That's really quite impressive and interesting to know that bitcoin has already reached to such an extent.
I never knew there are beaches, cities, islands dedicated to bitcoin even though I knew about El Salvador.
Quite impressive I must say. As bitcoin grows over time, I believe we will see more such places where bitcoin will dominate the industry.
This is nice to read, and I would love to visit one of these cities one day. I do not know if I should be saying this, but the governments that have allowed their citizens to express themselves freely through Bitcoin should be applauded. It is sad to know that in some countries, people are still not bold enough to give their businesses Bitcoin branding.
Bitcoin has gone global and cutting across many cultures. Bitcoin on its own is a brand, and cities/governments are taking advantage of it to attract clients, investors, and tourists. Those still fighting Bitcoin, even at this time when things have turned around positively for Bitcoin, are really sleeping on updates.
humblefarmSenior Member
Posts: 378 · Reputation: 1571
#15Jul 28, 2023, 02:59 AM
Visiting El Salvador to have a first-hand experience of using Bitcoin without any restrictions would be a great experience. With the crime reduction, the country is now a good tourist attraction.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has been given the moniker Bitcoin Village because of the high concentration of Bitcoin ATM and businesses that accept Bitcoin.
There are many factors that make them like that. The obvious problem lies in the regulations of each country, which are very different, so we should not view all regulations in various countries as the same. Perhaps in some countries that prohibit them, they want to add that option, but because it conflicts with regulations and there are potential legal penalties for violating them, it might not be possible. For example, in my country, payments can only be made using the national currency, and Bitcoin crypto is prohibited as a means of transaction it only serves as a trade commodity.
Not an actual one now but it's been planned to be named after Akon which was the Akon city because it's said to use blockchain and cryptocurrencies and IIRC the akoin.
But it's now a failed plan and won't be happening anymore.
As per my research, there's also the Tokyo Bitcoin Base in Japan.
Laws and regulations are not static; they are dynamic. Governments yet to accommodate Bitcoin and provide a friendly environment for it to thrive have no valid reason for still insisting on Bitcoin's prohibition. Other governments that are now flexible with their regulations regarding Bitcoin were once strict, but when they realised how beneficial Bitcoin could be to them, they adjusted their regulations.
These strict governments will not want to admit it, but the truth is that they are still skeptical about Bitcoin since they cannot directly control it. If they could, this would not have been a big deal.
We should not make excuses for them. If they want to make their countries Bitcoin-friendly today, they know exactly what to do.
During my trip, I was genuinely impressed by how quickly El Salvador managed to improve the security situation. Just a few years ago, many people considered it one of the most dangerous countries in the region, and now it feels completely different for tourists.
Sometimes it turns out that a country simply needs a president who fights corruption instead of becoming part of it. Unfortunately, not every country is lucky enough to get such leadership.