Here is a BTC maps, merchant adoption update for my home town of Asheville, NC (fast-growing, big small city sitting right in the blue-ridge mountains of WNC)
population = ~98,000 residents
2022 - 2025 : Only 2 merchants accepted BTC (on-chain only). 1 was Reeds Jewelry (large national-chain store) and the other was an insurance agency (also larger chain) I believe.
2025 - 2026: Fast forward to now, I checked BTC maps a couple weeks ago. Right after Square unlocked the ability for their merchants to accept BTC as payment, easily over the⚡️network. Already there are 15 businesses now accepting BTC through ⚡️, along with the 2 chains who still accept on-chain only! Best part is, every single one of these new merchants are small, local businesses! These local shops include micro-breweries/pubs, tattoo-piercing shops, organic foods restaurants, Appalachian wildlife refuge center, an environmental mitigation consulting agency, a family wills/trust co., two local real estate realty co’s and of-course, a handful of produce stands in our popular, local farmers market….ALL ARE NOW ACCEPTING BTC! Thank god for NOSTR and you plebes out there, or I would have know one else to discuss these much more fascinating BTC topics with! 😅
