Onboarding 100 Businesses

Onboard 100
Businesses in 1 Year

Win 1,000,000 sats for every business you onboard · March 2026 – 2027

For bitcoiners, community members, and local advocates who want to make Charlotte a bitcoin city.

Our mission is to expand customer spending options, slash business payment fees, foster true monetary independence, spark conversations about bitcoin, and be a proven blueprint to inspire cities everywhere.

🏙 Businesses Onboarded
— / 100
 
—

Think you can add to this list? Here's how ↓

1,000,000
⚡ Sats (0.01 BTC) Earned Per Onboarded Business

Complete all three criteria below and we'll send the sats straight to your on-chain address.

How to Earn Your Sats

  1. 01
    Add Business to BTCMap.orgThe business must be a brick and mortar location with an address, and must be properly tagged on BTCMap.org.
  2. 02

    Submit Proof to TelegramPost the following to the Bitcoin Charlotte Telegram chat:

    • Photo or video of a bitcoin sign/sticker at the entrance
    • Photo or video of a bitcoin sign/sticker at the register
    • Video confirmation of a successful Lightning payment at the store
  3. 03
    Contact & Receive 1,000,000 SatsOnce we verify all criteria are met, sats are sent to your provided on-chain address. Contact @btcknight21 on Telegram for receiving instructions.

How to Onboard a Business

BTCPay Server Bitcoin Charlotte Hosted
Open-source, self-sovereign — we handle the setup for you
▼

Open-source and self-sovereign. Bitcoin Charlotte runs a hosted instance on behalf of local merchants — no technical expertise required. You can also self-host your own instance if you prefer full control.

🎬Video walkthrough coming soon — we'll be demonstrating the full BTCPay Server setup and PoS experience here.
⚡ Demonstrating to a Merchant

  1. Show the Point-of-SaleWalk the merchant through the demo store PoS. Lightning is the default — fast, low-fee, and instant. On-chain Bitcoin can also be accepted if preferred.

    • Type in the transaction amount
    • Let the customer choose a tip
    • Hit "Charge"
    • The customer will scan the QR code and send the payment
    • Wait for the confetti 🎉 — that means payment received!

  2. Explain How Settlements WorkLightning payments go directly to the merchant's wallet in real time via Strike — instant and automatic.

    On-chain Bitcoin is disabled by default. If the merchant wants to accept on-chain transactions, they can be enabled on request. On-chain payments are held by Bitcoin Charlotte and distributed at the end of each month. If you know a simple way to forward on-chain payments directly to a Strike account, let us know!
  3. The PoS is Just a URLThe point-of-sale is a web page — nothing to install. Any device with a browser (phone, tablet, laptop) can access the merchant's unique PoS link and start accepting bitcoin immediately.
  4. Fitting Into Existing WorkflowsMost merchants continue using their current register system (like Clover) as normal. When a customer wants to pay in bitcoin, ring it as cash in your POS, then switch to the BTCPay PoS URL to collect payment. Treat bitcoin exactly like physical cash — just digital.

  5. Show the Transaction DashboardWalk the merchant through the BTCPay reporting dashboard — it's straightforward. You can look up invoices, check payment status, and export records. It's not feature-rich, but it does the job well for receiving bitcoin.
    Show them the demo store backend:

    • User: pos@bitcoincharlotte.com
    • Pass: bitcoinpos
🛠 Setup Process

  1. Get the Merchant's Strike API Key

    Send the merchant a link to download Strike and ask them to create an account (personal is fine). The goal is to get their API key — once you have it, send it to Bitcoin Charlotte and we'll handle the rest. You can use the email template below, or walk them through it on a call.

    Email Template (click to expand)
    Hello [BUSINESS OWNER], Visit the Strike Dashboard on a desktop. Login, click the profile icon, and select "API Keys". Select "Create API Key" on the next page. Type in a key name, then check all boxes under: → Account → Sending Payments → Receive Requests ← (NOT "Receiving Payments") → Rates Once the API key appears on screen, copy it and send it back to me. If you'd rather walk through it together, let's set up a time. Once I have the API key, I'll get everything configured on my end and we can do a full walkthrough of how it works. 🙂 [YOUR NAME]

  2. We'll Send You Back:

    • Their unique PoS URL
    • Login credentials for transaction and reporting access
    • Link to their Monthly Bitcoin Received Report
  3. Notify the MerchantLet them know the store is live and pass along all the relevant information.
  4. Walkthrough & TrainingGo through the PoS, reports, and any other details again if the merchant wants a refresher.
  5. Send the First Transaction ⚡Test it live — send a small payment to confirm everything is working end-to-end.
Zaprite
Zaprite
Bitcoin-native invoicing and payment tools
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Invoicing and payment tools built natively for Bitcoin and Lightning. Great for service-based businesses that need to send invoices.

Breez
Breez
Mobile-first Lightning wallet with point-of-sale features
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Mobile-first Lightning wallet with built-in point-of-sale features. Great for on-the-go merchants or businesses without a fixed register.

IBEX
IBEX
Enterprise-grade Bitcoin and Lightning infrastructure
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Enterprise-grade Bitcoin and Lightning infrastructure for businesses that need advanced integrations or higher volume capacity.

OpenNode
OpenNode
Plug-and-play Bitcoin payment processing with Lightning
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Plug-and-play Bitcoin payment processing with Lightning support and easy e-commerce integrations.

Onboarding Resources

Ready to Stack Sats?

Join the Telegram, onboard a business, and earn your 1,000,000 sats.

Join the Telegram