Uncovering the Widespread Adoption and the Advent of the Lightning Network in El Salvador and Lugano
Acknowledging the unprecedented potential of Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, El Salvador and Lugano are two of the most significant adopters of this remarkable technological breakthrough.
El Salvador & Lugano Propel the Bitcoin Adoption
As a cornerstone moment for the Bitcoin economy, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on 28 October 2022 between the nation of El Salvador and the city of Lugano in Switzerland. Moving forward, the goal of the MOU is to increase the use of Bitcoin not only in their respective areas but also in the states and nations that are nearby.
Overall, the anticipated aims of the partnership include bolstering cooperation in education and research for both El Salvador and Lugano, assisting initiatives to promote the adoption of Bitcoin and other digital tokens in their respective regions, and encouraging the exchange of students and talent between the two countries.
Exploring the Innovation Brought by the Lightning Network
So far, the scalability of the Blockchain has been a significant barrier to the widespread acceptance of cryptocurrencies from their inception. The Lightning Network’s second layer introduces a cutting-edge solution to this matter, as it intervenes by processing transactions outside the first-layer blockchain mainnet while retaining the mainnet’s robust decentralized security model. By bypassing the official Bitcoin blockchain, the Lightning Network can grow Bitcoin transactions per second (TPS), charge reduced fees, and allow new use cases like micropayments.
In addition, the Lightning Network has the potential to bring financial inclusion and freedom to the developing nations involved, in part because it is a trusted and private network that does not require the participation of third parties or intermediaries. Moreover, it could also lessen the likelihood of governments enacting policies restricting the free flow of capital. It also helps people who do not have access to bank accounts by facilitating transactions in a manner that is almost instantaneous and free of charge, thereby making Bitcoin usable not only as a means of payment but also as a means of exchange.
How Lugano is Leading Crypto Adoption in Europe
Lugano appears to have the same goal as El Salvador: to have all local businesses routinely accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment. However, Lugano does not appear to have the same goal as El Salvador of making Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency legal tender. Although Lugano does not hold such a position in Switzerland, the city of 70,000 people did launch its Plan B programme approximately seven months ago to increase the use of Bitcoin.
In March of 2022, Lugano announced that it would be implementing the Plan ₿ Initiative. Additionally, the technology company Polygon joined as a critical infrastructure partner. Plan ₿ Foundation, a partnership between the City of Lugano and Tether, the technology company behind the public blockchain that supports the largest stablecoin by market capitalization (USDT), has been announced today. This partnership will allow Bitcoin, Tether, and LVGA payments to be accepted in the city of Lugano.
Tether and the city of Lugano have collaborated to create a Plan ₿ aiming to increase the use of Bitcoin and stablecoins throughout the city. This, in turn, is expected to have a beneficial effect on all aspects of inhabitants’ everyday lives. As a result, the city’s financial system will be revolutionized faster than ever, thanks to the widespread use of Bitcoin.
El Salvador – the Pioneering Nation in the Cryptocurrency
In 2021, El Salvador was the first country to acknowledge Bitcoin as a legal tender. Through this avenue, El Salvador became a pioneer in demonstrating how technologies such as Bitcoin, decentralized ledgers, and peer-to-peer networks can accelerate financial literacy and inclusion
Furthermore, Latin America appears to follow El Salvador’s lead and powering Bitcoin mining farms with natural resources (such as energy generated by geothermal activity). Countries of Costa Rica in Central America and Paraguay in South America are also heading in this direction.
Bottom Line
Since most people in Europe are not yet familiar with this idea, a closer relationship between El Salvador and a nation located in Europe could usher in uncharted territory.
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Switzerland Bitcoin Regulation will arrive next year
Switzerland Bitcoin Regulation might arrive next year.
Recently its national railway service “have jumped on the bitcoin bandwagon”, as explained by Coindesk, so now it’s time for Switzerland to start regulating fintech and digital currency.
A few days after the Swiss railway-related announcement, as SBB decided to sell bitcoin through its network of ticket kiosks – the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) announced its plans to regulate fintech with the goal of introducing a new regulation next year.
Key elements include plans for a new kind of license geared specifically toward fintech companies and a so-called regulatory “sandbox” for experimental firms. Under the proposed regime, the Financial Market Supervisory Authority would become the primary regulator of fintech firms working in Switzerland.
In a press release, the FDF explained that it will guide more researches about bitcoin and other digital currencies and it will study the distributed ledger broader applications .
The company explained:
“The FDF should conduct additional clarifications in cooperation with the interested authorities on reducing further barriers to market entry for fintech firms, also those outside financial market law (e.g. legal treatment of virtual currencies and assets).”
During a recent speech, Ueli Maurer, Swiss Finance Minister, commented that the proposed Switzerland Bitcoin regulation would help to attract more brands – even if the nation positive attitude has already attracted the attention of several blockchain-related startups to make their home in the country.
“We assume that with the steps we have prepared and the commitment we have to the overall financial services industry we can provide a solution that puts us among the top (countries) in the world that regulate this,” he explained.
Read more here about the Switzerland involvement in the fintech sector.
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Switzerland to accept Bitcoin for Public Services
Zug to accept Bitcoin
Will this idea succeed?
The city mayor is very upbeat
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