- Cardano‘s ADA token is now a live payment option across 137 Spar supermarkets in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
- The integration was enabled by the crypto payment standard Open Crypto Pay from platform DFX.swiss, which converts ADA to Swiss francs for merchants.
- The CEO of the Cardano Foundation stated the move is planting seeds for a future where paying with ADA is as routine as using a card.
- Switzerland continues its crypto adoption trend, with hundreds of businesses in Lugano now accepting Bitcoin, despite central bank skepticism.
Consumers in Switzerland can now use Cardano‘s ADA cryptocurrency to pay for groceries at 137 brick-and-mortar Spar stores. This rollout, announced on March 5, 2026, leverages the fiat on-ramp platform DFX.swiss and its Open Crypto Pay standard to facilitate real-time, low-cost retail transactions. Consequently, shoppers can scan a QR code at checkout to spend ADA directly from a native wallet, while merchants instantly receive payment in Swiss francs.
The platform, according to its website, already supports payments in other major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, called the integration “the beginning of a fundamental shift in how value moves through society.” He added that the partnership is “planting seeds” for an ecosystem where “paying with ADA is as natural as paying with a card.”
However, Open Crypto Pay does not implement specific double-spend protection for physical stores, dismissing it as a theoretical issue. Meanwhile, this development extends Switzerland’s reputation as a crypto-friendly nation. For instance, BBC reports indicate some 350 businesses in Lugano accepted Bitcoin by late 2025.
Despite this grassroots adoption, the Swiss National Bank remains cautious. In April 2025, Chairman Martin Schlegel rejected the idea of holding Bitcoin in national reserves, citing concerns over volatility and liquidity.
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