No. Merchants can use the Bitcoin rails while still settling into USD if they prefer.
The main practical reasons are lower or eliminated fees in some cases, no chargebacks, fast settlement, and added visibility through the Bitcoin community and BTC Map.
Because as of 4/16/26, Square has enabled Bitcoin on existing terminals running the latest software, which may make the path much simpler for many merchants.
No. The goal is to make the path simple and practical, not force merchants to become technical experts before getting started. Follow this link: Accept Bitcoin with Square merchant guide (.docx)
Because Bitcoin only becomes a stronger medium of exchange when people actually use it. For some users, the cash side of Strike may reduce the friction of supporting Bitcoin payments without directly spending long-term BTC savings.
A real Bitcoin purchase, BTC Map listing/verification, photo proof with a “Now accepting Bitcoin” sign, and at least one public social proof post.
Meetup teams are how the initiative turns local relationships and local energy into repeatable merchant onboarding and visible community support.
No. The site should continue to evolve as the initiative grows.