Onboard 100
Businesses in 1 Year

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

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
    Onboard a BusinessGet a local brick-and-mortar business accepting bitcoin over Lightning. Not sure where to start? Check out our step-by-step guides below.
  2. 02
    Add the Business to BTCMap.orgThe business must be a brick-and-mortar location with an address, and must be properly tagged on BTCMap.org.
  3. 03

    Submit Video ProofPost 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 of a successful Lightning payment at the store

Once verified, we'll send 1,000,000 sats to your provided on-chain address.

Contact hodl@bitcoincharlotte.org to claim.

How to Onboard a Business

Every business is different — the right payment setup depends on what they're already using. A shop on Square can flip a switch. A shop on Toast or Clover should consider BTC Pay. Browse the options below and pick the best fit for the business you're onboarding.

Square Recommended
Easiest setup for brick-and-mortar if they use Square already
▼

The fastest path for brick-and-mortar businesses using Square. Square's Bitcoin integration is beginner-friendly and widely supported with a free marketing kit to help signal acceptance.

BTC Pay Recommended for Non-Square POS
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. 
Note: You can also self-host your own instance if you prefer full control. See LunaNode and Voltage setup guides.

⚡ 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.org
    • 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 to Send to Merchant (click to expand)
    Hello [BUSINESS OWNER], Visit the Strike Dashboard (https://dashboard.strike.me) 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. Send Us the Details

    Once you have the API key, send us the following and we'll handle the rest:

    • Business name
    • Strike API key
    • Strike username
    • Business website URL (if they have one)

    Email Us the Details

  3. We'll Send You Back:

    • Their unique PoS URL
    • Login credentials for transaction and reporting access
    • Link to their Monthly Bitcoin Received Report
  4. Notify the MerchantLet them know the store is live and pass along all the relevant information.
  5. Walkthrough & TrainingGo through the PoS, reports, and any other details again if the merchant wants a refresher.
  6. Send the First Transaction ⚡Test it live — send a small payment to confirm everything is working end-to-end.
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.

Alpaca
Alpaca
All-in-one POS, inventory, invoicing, and payments — with built-in Bitcoin and Lightning
▼

A full business operations system with POS, inventory management, invoicing, delivery dispatch, and CRM — all in one browser-based platform. Accepts Bitcoin and Lightning natively alongside cards, cash, PayPal, ACH, and more. Integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and QuickBooks. A serious option for businesses that want to replace their entire stack, not just bolt on bitcoin.

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.

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.

IBEX
IBEX
Enterprise-grade Bitcoin and Lightning infrastructure
▼

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

Onboarding Resources

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