Working on it ...

According to Metcalfe’s Law, the value of a payment network grows as more participants join it.

That means a merchant accepting Bitcoin today may see little immediate demand, but still benefits from helping the network grow. By staying listed on #btcmap and keeping the option available, the merchant contributes to a larger visible network of acceptance, which can attract more users over time and create a self-reinforcing cycle: more merchants lead to more customers, and more customers make Bitcoin more worthwhile for merchants. In that sense, accepting Bitcoin is not just about current sales, but about positioning for future network growth.

I was super happy a few days ago.
While verifying an outdated merchant on the map, I checked their website and found the Bitcoin logo in the footer.

Great, I thought, that'll be an easy and quick revalidation. But then I checked the address, opening hours, and payment details (on-chain, Lightning, NFC). I discovered that it was an online business only, with no proof of a physical shop or office at the address. I checked the company mentioned on the Legal Notice page. It was situated in the same village, but the same applied here. So I made a test purchase without going all the way. I thought that maybe you have the option of picking up the order at the mentioned address during the checkout.

There was no option for local pickup.
There was also no option to pay with Bitcoin during checkout.

BTC Map is not the place for online businesses. I've removed the Bitcoin tags from OpenStreetMap and sent an email to the owner, asking them to get back to me once they start interacting with customers locally.

Working on verification is exciting because you get to see all kinds of businesses. It's also like detective work. I once saw the reflection of an ATM in the security glass of an exchange office in a photo.

If there is no proof of Bitcoin, I send an email to the owner. Over the last few weeks, I've sent at least 50 emails, but they only reply after one or two reminders. If the email address is not the same as the domain of the website, I also need proof in the form of a bitcoin logo on the website, a social media post, or a photo of a sticker on the door.

As you can see, maintaining the map involves a lot of work.

Some businesses don't use Bitcoin anymore because they never have any customers paying with it. Please use bitcoin as money! Pay and replace, but use it! You often end up having a nice chat with the merchant.

I just wanted to share my passion as a bitcoiner and #btcmap "detective".