If you have bitcoin and would like to actually spend it instead of trade it for Rand on an exchange, there are a few ways you can do that. These days it is getting easier to find stores that accept bitcoin payments directly, and there is also the option of buying vouchers that you can spend at various stores and online in South Africa.
Now the bitcoin lightning payments have taken off in a big way, anyone with a bitcoin lightning wallet can make near instant bitcoin payments to stores that accept bitcoin lightning payments.
Click here for a list of the best bitcoin lightning wallets to use
Shopping at a supermarket with bitcoin in South Africa
Using your bitcoin lightning wallet, customers can shop at retail giant Pick n Pay’s 1,500+ stores across South Africa, also including PnP Express and Pick n Pay Clothing. Customers are also able to buy airtime, electricity, flight and bus tickets, and even pay municipal bills with Bitcoin at the till.
To do this you can use your own bitcoin lightning wallet on your phone, or make use of the VALR or Luno exchange apps on your phone. Download the CryptoQR app for your phone and use that to scan the QR code at the till. The app will convert the Rand amount to bitcoin and use your bitcoin app to make the payment. This all happens pretty much instantly, and is just as fast, if not faster than a card payment.
Read more about shopping at Pick n Pay with bitcoin here
Shop with gift vouchers purchased with bitcoin
To shop at supermarkets such as Woolworths, Checkers or Shoprite, you can use vouchers at checkout that you can purchase with bitcoin.
Many leading businesses in South Africa sell and accept gift vouchers for payment at their outlets. Some well known brands have gift vouchers available that can be purchased with bitcoin, and then redeemed at checkout of the store or website.
Purchase gift vouchers on the Bitrefill website for all your favourite name brand stores.
Visit the bitrefill website to view the complete list of outlets that accept vouchers in South Africa.
Shopping at businesses that accept bitcoin directly
There is a growing number of stores that allow customers the option to pay using bitcoin at the checkout. You can even buy a car with bitcoin in South Africa.
In smaller areas of South Africa there is growing rapidly in communities who are trying to create a circular economy, where they accept bitcoin for payment, and also spend bitcoin at other stores in the area. This is common with spaza shops, coffee shops, restaurants and other small businesses that offer direct services to their customers. From restaurants to boat charters or even guest houses, there are people using the technology to accept payments.
There are thriving bitcoin circular economies in small towns across South Africa, notably in the Garden Route towns of Witsand, Mossel Bay, Swellendam, George and Oudtshoorn.
The BTC Map website provides pin locations of various businesses in South Africa where you can spend bitcoin. Look for places in your area or on your travel route where you can visit to spend your bitcoin.
The BTC Map is being updated on an ongoing basis, so if you accept bitcoin as a method of payment for your business, please add it to the map with location so that bitcoiners can visit your store.
Spending bitcoin via Rand based phone app 6DOT50
6DOT50 money vouchers are a safe and easy way to instantly send and receive money and pay for goods and services. Using the vouchers, users can send Rand to each other, and make payments at more than 40,000 stores and online retailers across South Africa.
Using the 6DOT50 App, you can fund your Rand wallet using bitcoin. Once you have ‘loaded’ your wallet using bitcoin, the Rand value is available in the app for you to use at all the retail stores supported by the app. Read more here
