Cash, Card or Bitcoin? In recent days, the French Bitcoin microcosm has been in turmoil, and suddenly the prefecture of Normandy has become the star of social network X. Why? Because the Carrefour Express in Rouen had decided to accept bitcoins for payments, of course! One of the most powerful European retail groups, with more than 14,000 stores in 40 countries, was going to accept Bitcoins! So here we are at dawn of the long-awaited great adoption and we would see what we would see…
Actually, this is just a franchisee initiative of the group and even if it is commendable and quite nice, it remains quite limited. Norman friends, if you have too many satoshis, you can go and spend them at the supermarket which is located on rue de la République and which just had a lower price advertising gimmick.
The initiative of this Carrefour franchisee in the prefecture of Normandy is making waves in the cryptosphere
We’re kidding a bit, but overall the idea is very cool and has the merit of getting people talking about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. That’s it site well known to the French Bitcoin.fr who first relayed the information as well as card interactive global consultations BTC.card which lists the merchants who accept bitcoin payments. According to his teams, there will be in continental France 171 stores or businesses that would therefore accept this type of payment and therefore the youngest would be Carrefour City from rue de la République in Rouen.
In particular, this is clearly not an initiative of all the brand’s stores, but rather that of franchise manager and reactions quickly multiplied along with the announcement. Some internet users in the ecosystem like a determined Le Cryptonome i even went straight to the supermarket in question to shop, paid in satoshi and everything went pretty well, even if it was a bit long.
This type of initiative is being developed around the world, but the exercise remains delicate in France.
The store decided to use decision Bridge wallet (which uses Lightning Network) offered by Cape Peaka Swiss specialist in the sector, but the story does not say what the store manager will do with them satoshi thus reimbursed or even if customers will feel obliged to declare this purchase of goods in crypto. Because it must be said that this type of payment raises questions in the French regulatory environment, which is rather strict on the matter and as’explain so good the french pro of Waltio cryptocurrency taxation : « crypto tax is triggered when you sell or exchange crypto for something other than crypto ».
In fact, it would be necessary to include in the calculating your capital gains of the year every such small expense! And even if everyone understands that it is both annoying et mockeryno one should ignore the law. But let’s forget Bersi and taxes for a moment and we warmly welcome these small steps towardsadoption which are changing the general public’s opinion about Bitcoin and which is contributing to the change in mentality.
And about the small steps that change the world, how can we not talk again of the Bitcoin Ekassi initiative in South Africa which combines poverty alleviation, surfing education and economic emancipation through Bitcoin. Talking about adoption ultimately means highlighting these small gestures and these small people who don’t wait for change to come from above to move. From Rue de la République in Rouen to Mossel Bay Beach in the Western Cape, things are progressing and it’s good to know that.