Cannes Merchants to Accept Crypto—But Will the Red Carpet Unroll for Bitcoin?

by

In that sun-drenched haven of decadence—Cannes, playground of movie stars and the global elite—whispers echo down the café corridors: “Do you accept crypto?” The question, once the domain of cyberpunks and obscure internet forums, is now poised to crash onto the Boulevard de la Croisette like a tsunami of pixelated francs 🤑.

Artem Shaginyan, a man in possession of both a surname and a relentless optimism, helms Web3 payment company Lunu Pay. He claims the Cannes municipal government wishes for 90% of local merchants to bow before the golden calf of cryptocurrency this very summer. One wonders—will the antique shop selling ‘genuine’ Picasso mugs also accept Ether? Or merely the souvenir stands hawking plastic sunglasses worth seven cents.

“This is a big signal. When a city like Cannes, known globally for culture and commerce, starts integrating crypto at scale, it shows that Web3 payments aren’t just a niche thing anymore. It’s about proving that crypto can work in everyday settings, not just online or in theory.”

A statement so visionary, one almost expects the ruble to make a guest appearance and ask to dance with Dogecoin. In the cold shadow of reality, the mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard—no relation to Satoshi Nakamoto—announced what every French shopkeeper surely dreams of: a crypto payment integration training session. “Monsieur, how do I give change for this thing called ‘blockchain’?”

But this fever isn’t limited to Cannes. All across the world, bureaucrats with trembling hands and hopeful eyes are embracing crypto—like students at their first existentialist lecture, not quite understanding, but too timid to admit it. In Switzerland, Lugano started taking Bitcoin for taxes and muni fees in December 2023. The vision? “Birth of a global crypto hub!” Surely an easier sell than another watch store ⏰.

Ahead of the curve? Other jurisdictions modernize with crypto

Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, commanded taxmen to accept crypto in 2022. Some Americans doubtless tried to pay in meme coins, just to see what would happen. In Canada, Vancouver’s city council felt the existential anxiety of being “left behind,” and so in December 2024 declared themselves “Bitcoin-friendly”—a phrase that, if uttered twenty years ago, would have had you suspected of madness or at least of running a secret LAN party.

Panama, never one to miss out on a trend that promises foreign investment (and, presumably, a few yacht parties), decreed in spring 2025 that fees and taxes could be paid in Bitcoin, Ether, and US dollar-pegged stablecoins. Mayor Mayer Mizrachi—one can only assume the city’s next campaign slogan will be “Panama: Now with 100% more decentralization!”

One can almost hear the ghosts of French shopkeepers, muttering into their pastis, “At least it isn’t another form to fill out.” The future of money, it seems, is to be neither gold nor paper—but, as ever, served with a side of persistent Gallic skepticism…and maybe an NFT receipt for your troubles. Vive la blockchain! 😏

Read More

2025-05-02 23:45