Lugano, a Swiss city by a mountain lake, lets people pay with bitcoin in over 350 shops and restaurants. Even local city services accept crypto, including preschool childcare fees. At a McDonald's, a customer pays $8.80 using a bitcoin wallet on his phone with a special contactless terminal given free by the city council. Nicolas, a French customer, says bitcoin gives "the feeling of freedom" from banks and middlemen. Many local businesses prefer bitcoin because transaction fees are lower—under 1%, compared to up to 3.4% for credit cards. However, bitcoin use is still sporadic. Cherubino Fry, a shop owner, says business is few now but expects bitcoin payments to "grow very big in five, 10 years." The city's Plan B initiative educates about bitcoin and aims to make Lugano Europe's crypto hub. Director Mir Liponi shared an experiment: for 11 days she relied solely on bitcoin when bank access failed. She obtained groceries and medical care but noted public transport, fuel, and energy bills are not payable in bitcoin yet. Despite this local push, bitcoin faces skepticism. A statue of bitcoin's creator was vandalized. Some locals link crypto to crime and risk. Professor Sergio Rossi warns about bitcoin's volatile value and risks of losing funds if digital wallets or platforms fail. He stressed converting bitcoin to safe government currencies immediately. Mayor Michele Foletti dismissed concerns over mafia using bitcoin, saying criminals prefer cash for anonymity. He highlighted that 110 crypto companies now operate in Lugano, marking it as a growing bitcoin center in Switzerland.