Crusty's Cafe in Finedon begins accepting Bitcoin as payment

A cafe in Wellingborough Road, Finedon has started accepting the popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin as payment, in a decision that looks to the future.

Crusty’s of Finedon is a mainstay in the town’s eateries, serving plenty of culinary cafe staples, and with the recent and rapid rise in crypto-based finance, it’s moving with the times.

By allowing people to pay for a coffee and breakfast by using Swiss Bitcoin Pay, an app that acts similarly to contactless payments, Crusty’s are gambling that Bitcoin is going to be a viable, widespread method of payment for years to come.

Owner Ian Mathers said: "I’m learning as I go, it’s all new for me.

"The more people that are aware of it, the more people will use it.”

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have caused quite a stir in recent years. They use blockchain technology that do not rely on any central authority including government or banks.

Naturally, with something as delicate as finance, there is a general feeling of hesitation among many about Bitcoin and how it will fit alongside modern methods of payment.

A YouGov survey in 2021 noted that just 15 per cent of Britons had a positive view of cryptocurrencies, with many citing its fluctuating value and large power requirements when ‘mining’ Bitcoin as barriers against investing in the currency.

On the topic of local people’s view of cryptocurrency, Ian added: “There is a slight ignorance to it, but it is getting there.”

Despite venturing into the world of Bitcoin, Crusty’s of Finedon is still accepting cash and card payments.