Current state of Bitcoin adoption in El Salvador: McDonald’s, Starbucks and local businesses accept BTC payments, over 7,000 entrepreneurs receive BTC trading training

Van Wirdum, a journalist who traveled to El Salvador, shared his experience using Bitcoin to pay at a McDonald's in El Salvador on Twitter: Just walked into a McDonald's in El Salvador to see if I could pay for my breakfast with Bitcoin, and was expecting the clerk to say no. But lo and behold, they printed a ticket with a QR code that took me to a webpage with Bitcoin Lightning payments, and now I'm enjoying my breakfast!

McDonald's, Starbucks and Pizza Hut in El Salvador Start Accepting Bitcoin

Although El Salvador’s Bitcoin law requires businesses to accept Bitcoin, many are skeptical that large businesses will be able to integrate Bitcoin payment solutions before the law goes into effect.

On September 7, the same day the Bitcoin bill came into effect, fast food giant McDonald's and coffee giant Starbucks announced that they would begin accepting Bitcoin payments in El Salvador.

To the surprise of many Bitcoin enthusiasts, McDonald’s in El Salvador has already adopted enough technology to enable Bitcoin to be quickly paid in the service industry. The company has successfully integrated OpenNode Lightning Payments into its service, which means that anyone can use the Lightning Network to buy food from McDonald’s in El Salvador by scanning a paper receipt with a QR code on their phone.

OpenNode’s partnership with McDonald’s provides a timely payment solution. In response, Julie Landrum, head of OpenNode, issued a statement:
“We are very excited to be working with McDonald’s to help make the country’s Bitcoin law operationally successful. This is just a huge opportunity to demonstrate the power of the Lightning Network for everyday high-volume, low-value purchases at the world’s most popular and successful fast food chain. Clearly, this is another important milestone on the road to the Bitcoin economy.”

McDonald's is followed by global coffee giant Starbucks and American restaurant chain Pizza Hut.

Food and beverage franchisees including Starbucks Corp. and Pizza Hut Inc. are accepting bitcoin payments after El Salvador adopted the currency, President Nayib Bukele said on Twitter.

On September 7, a video of using Bitcoin to pay for goods in Starbucks in El Salvador appeared on Twitter. In the video, we can see that there are Bitcoin prices corresponding to the goods in the Starbucks store, and that you can directly use the Bitcoin wallet to scan and pay.

Many Bitcoin enthusiasts still wonder if giant companies in various industries outside of El Salvador will use Bitcoin as a payment solution. It seems unlikely that these companies will only provide superior payment technology solutions within El Salvador and neglect to provide services that allow people to pay with Bitcoin in the United States and other countries.

It remains to be confirmed whether other major American companies in El Salvador, such as Nike and Walmart, have also enabled Bitcoin payments.

Over 7,000 entrepreneurs trained in Bitcoin trading

According to local media in El Salvador, since the Bitcoin law came into effect on September 7, El Salvador has set up 51 training points across the country, and more than 7,000 entrepreneurs have received training in Bitcoin trading.

In response, Javier Argueta, legal adviser to the President of El Salvador, responded: “People and entrepreneurs are passionate about cryptocurrencies. Until yesterday, we had 7,000 trained entrepreneurs. In 200 Chivo Points, there are people giving advice and there are already many investors in the country.”

“Opening training sites across the country will help many entrepreneurs. The number of businesses facing Bitcoin issues is increasing.”

Local businesses in El Salvador also begin accepting Bitcoin payments

Globally renowned fast food giant McDonald’s and coffee giant Starbucks have taken the lead in the Bitcoin adoption wave in El Salvador, offering their customers the option to pay for their dishes in US dollars or Bitcoin, thus adding color to El Salvador’s new economic era through cryptocurrency.

Local El Calvario pharmacy, tattoo studios such as Roroskull Tattoo Studio and TESV Art Tattoo, La Ceiba bookstore, other restaurants such as Palacio De La Pizza, and even small merchants selling bread have not been left behind the wave of Bitcoin adoption. They have announced that they can accept payments through Bitcoin, thus joining the country's technological and economic progress.

Usage by local businesses and residents in El Salvador

After Bitcoin officially becomes legal tender in El Salvador, the country will provide citizens with free services to facilitate Bitcoin transactions: Chivo Wallet digital wallet, 200 Chivo ATMs (for exchanging Bitcoin and US dollars), 50 banks for withdrawals and deposits, and Chivo Points.

El Salvador's native wallet Chivo will provide $30 in Bitcoin for free to registered Salvadoran citizens. In addition, transaction fees for using the wallet will be waived and will be borne entirely by the state.

The President’s legal counsel explained: “A Salvadoran abroad who sends money to his family needs to pay a commission of US$15.00 per transaction, and with the Chivo wallet he will no longer pay that commission and the US$15.00 can be added to the remittance.”

The ATMs will also not charge transaction fees, and Salvadoran President Bukele stressed: "No commissions for everything, no one, they will be able to keep Bitcoin for free or automatically convert it into dollars."

However, doubts about the adoption of Bitcoin by residents of El Salvador still exist. On the third day of Bitcoin's implementation as legal tender, some residents of Santa Tecla realized that their mobile phones were too old to use the Chivo wallet, and they were very disappointed.

The following pictures come from BitcoinMagazine, showing us Bitcoin in the lives of El Salvador residents: