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Day: May 25, 2026

Best Places to Spend Crypto in France

France has 15,000 plus crypto-accepting businesses. Discover the best places to spend crypto in France, from Printemps to Beaugrenelle and local bars.

Best Places to Spend Crypto in New Zealand 

New Zealand is one of the most open and forward-thinking crypto markets in the Asia-Pacific region. With nearly 1.94 million cryptocurrency users expected by 2025 and the country ranked in Chainalysis’ top 30 Global Crypto Adoption Index for 2023, digital assets are no longer a niche interest here. They are becoming a practical payment method across dining, automotive, wellness, retail, and even charitable giving. From a luxury jeweller in Nelson made famous by The Lord of the Rings to a wellness retreat in the Southern Alps near Queenstown and an oyster bar in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, this guide covers every verified business where you can spend crypto in New Zealand, region by region, with practical tips and everything you need to know about trading platforms and tax. Source: Freepik Key Takeaways An Overview Of Spending Crypto In New Zealand Cryptocurrency is legal in New Zealand but is not recognised as legal tender. Businesses that provide crypto-related financial services must register as Financial Service Providers (FSPs) and comply with Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements under the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is actively exploring a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), a digital version of the New Zealand dollar, which could further reshape how digital payments work in the country. No timeline has been confirmed, but the consultation process reflects a government that is engaged with rather than resistant to digital monetary innovation. On tax, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) treats cryptocurrency as property. Spending crypto on goods or services, selling it for NZD, or trading one cryptocurrency for another are all considered disposal events that may be taxable as income. There is no separate capital gains tax in New Zealand, but crypto gains are generally subject to income tax if the asset was acquired with an intention to sell. Keep accurate records of every transaction, including date, amount, and the NZD value at the time of disposal, and consult a New Zealand tax professional if your crypto activity is significant. But for now, where can you actually spend your crypto? Let’s look at the best places to spend crypto in New Zealand and how businesses are making digital payments more accessible. Best Places To Spend Crypto In New Zealand  S/N Best Places to Spend Crypto In New Zealand Category 1 Aro Ha Wellness Retreat Health & Wellness 2 Dixie Browns Restaurant 3 Oyster & Chop Restaurant 4 Mane Salon Hair Salon 5 Wheeler Motor Companies Automotive 6 Jens Hansen Jewelry Store 7 Mangawhai Osteopathy Health and Wellness 8 Whānau Āwhina Plunket Charity 9 GVI (Genuine Vehicle Imports) Automotive 10 Sterling Cars Automotive 11 Christchurch DJ Solutions DJ Services Aro Hā Wellness Retreat  Aro Ha Wellness Retreat is located in the beautiful Southern Alps, just 40 minutes from Queenstown, New Zealand. It offers wellness programs designed to improve your overall health and well-being.  Aro Ha blends modern medical research with traditional wellness techniques to manage chronic health issues, and now you can easily pay with Bitcoin for their services.  Dixie Browns If you’re looking for a great spot to spend your crypto in New Zealand, Dixie Browns is a fantastic choice. With locations in Taupo and Mt Maunganui, it offers a warm, relaxed setting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  The menu features freshly made dishes, including lakeside specialities, vegetarian meals, and gluten-free options. Additionally, the restaurant mainly accepts Bitcoin. Oyster & Chop Oyster and Chop is an outstanding steakhouse and oyster bar in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. Since opening in 2015, this spot has been serving up premium food with excellent, friendly service and they now accept Bitcoin payments. Their menu features top-quality beef and lamb, sourced both locally and internationally. With beautiful water views from every table, it’s a great place to spend crypto and enjoy delicious food.  Mane Salon Mane Salon is the spot to visit if you’re looking for a fresh hairstyle and a place to spend your crypto. Here, they provide personalized services to suit your style, bring your hair vision to life and also accept Bitcoin payments. The salon also has a welcoming atmosphere and even hosts training sessions for up-and-coming stylists.  Wheeler Motor Companies Wheeler Motor Company in Christchurch is a great place to buy a quality used car using cryptocurrency. They offer a wide selection of vehicles, including popular brands like Mazda, Toyota, Honda, and various European models.  Committed to excellent customer service, they provide flexible buying options to suit different needs. Plus, with the option to pay in Bitcoin, Ripple, and Ethereum, they make it easy for crypto users to make a purchase without hassle. Jens Hansen If you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings or just love beautifully crafted jewellery, Jens Hansen in Nelson is the perfect place to spend your crypto.  Known as the makers of the famous Movie Ring, they create stunning handmade pieces, from wedding rings to bracelets and pendants. Now, you can pay with Bitcoin, making it easier than ever to own a piece of timeless jewelry. Mangawhai Osteopathy Mangawhai Osteopathy provides expert osteopathic care, helping people recover from injuries and improve their overall well-being. With a focus on hands-on therapy, rehabilitation, and health advice, they aim to support long-term health, not just short-term recovery.  Now, you can pay with Bitcoin, making it even easier to access quality care. If you’re in New Zealand and looking for professional osteopathic treatment, Mangawhai Osteopathy is a great choice. Whānau Āwhina Plunket Whānau Āwhina Plunket is New Zealand’s largest provider of support services for tamariki and whānau, helping families with health, development, and well-being. Their work focuses on equity, especially for Māori and Pacific communities, ensuring every child gets the best start in life.  By donating crypto like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Aave, Litecoin, Gemini Dollar and more, you’re helping provide essential support services to families who need them most.  GVI (Genuine Vehicle Imports) GVI (Genuine Vehicle Imports) is one of New Zealand’s leading import car dealers, known for supplying

Hashrate Distribution in 2026: How Countries Stack Up

Hashrate distribution

Hashrate distribution is one of the most important and least discussed metrics in the Bitcoin ecosystem. It tells you not just who is mining, but how secure, decentralised, and geopolitically resilient the network actually is. In 2021, China’s sudden ban on Bitcoin mining triggered the largest forced redistribution of mining power in the network’s history. In the years since, the United States has emerged as the dominant force, Kazakhstan has held steady despite political turbulence, Canada has positioned itself as the global leader in sustainable mining, and a handful of other nations have carved out meaningful shares. This guide covers where global hashrate distribution stands today, what it means for Bitcoin’s future, and answers to the most common questions miners and investors ask about hashrate. Read Also: The Rise of Decentralized Finance (Defi) Key Takeaways What is Hashrate and Why Does it Matter? Before we take a look at the numbers, it’s essential to understand what hashrate means. Hashrate measures the computational power used in Bitcoin mining. The higher the hashrate, the more secure the network is against attacks.  Such as the infamous 51% attack, where one entity controls the majority of the network’s computing power.  Hashrate is also a measure of how decentralized the network is, something critical for Bitcoin’s resilience. Read Also: All You Need to Know About Token Generation Event The Global Hashrate Distribution in 2024 and 2025 The post-China landscape has produced a more competitive and geographically diverse mining ecosystem. Here is how the major countries currently compare: Country or Region Approximate Share of Global Hashrate United States 35% to 40% Kazakhstan 13% to 15% China 10% to 12% Canada 8% to 10% Russia 4% to 7% Malaysia 3% to 4% Germany 2% to 3% Iran 2% to 3% Others 6% to 10% Note: Hashrate distribution figures are estimates based on pool data and Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) research. Precise real-time figures fluctuate continuously and vary across different measurement methodologies. Country by Country: What Is Driving Each Nation’s Share United States: The Mining Superpower The US holds the dominant position in global hashrate and has done so since China’s 2021 exit created a vacuum that American operators rushed to fill. Several factors have made this consolidation durable: State-level incentives: Texas, Wyoming, Kentucky, and Georgia have each implemented policies that attract crypto mining through favourable energy rates, tax structures, and regulatory clarity. Texas in particular has positioned itself as the global capital of industrial Bitcoin mining, with its deregulated energy grid and direct relationships between mining companies and energy producers. Renewable energy access: The US has abundant wind and solar resources, particularly in Texas and the western states, which large mining operations have used to reduce operational costs and environmental footprint. Institutional capital: Publicly listed mining companies including Marathon Digital Holdings, Riot Platforms, and CleanSpark have raised significant capital on US markets, allowing them to scale operations far beyond what smaller private operators can achieve. This institutional presence has concentrated a significant portion of US hashrate in professionally managed industrial facilities. Post-halving resilience: Following Bitcoin’s April 2024 halving, which cut the block reward from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, less efficient miners were forced offline. US-based operations with access to cheap energy and modern hardware were better positioned to remain profitable, further consolidating the country’s share. Kazakhstan: Cheap Energy, Persistent Challenges Kazakhstan became the world’s second-largest mining country almost overnight following China’s 2021 ban, as miners relocated seeking cheap coal-powered electricity. The country’s energy costs remain among the lowest globally, which continues to attract mining operations despite significant headwinds. Those headwinds include a 2022 power crisis that led the government to impose electricity rationing on miners, political instability following protests in early 2022, and ongoing debates about the carbon footprint of fossil fuel-powered mining. The government has since implemented a tax on mining based on energy consumption, adding costs for operators. Despite these challenges, Kazakhstan’s combination of cheap electricity and geographic proximity to Chinese mining equipment supply chains has kept it as a top-three mining country. China: The Underground Persistence China officially banned Bitcoin mining in May 2021, leading to a dramatic and rapid drop in the country’s hashrate share. By late 2021, China had gone from controlling over 65% of global hashrate to virtually zero in the available data. However, subsequent data from the CCAF and other monitoring organisations revealed that Chinese mining had not disappeared. It had gone underground. Smaller and more discreet operations continued to run, often under the cover of other industrial activity or in provinces with less rigorous enforcement. China’s estimated 10% to 12% of global hashrate in 2024 and 2025 reflects this persistent underground mining activity rather than any official reversal of the ban. Canada: The Green Mining Pioneer Canada’s mining sector is distinguished by its access to abundant hydroelectric power, particularly in Quebec, British Columbia, and Manitoba. This renewable energy base has made Canada the global leader in what the industry calls “green mining,” or mining powered predominantly by clean energy sources. Quebec’s electricity rates for industrial users are among the lowest in North America when renewables are factored in, and the province has actively attracted mining operations from around the world. Canada’s consistent 8% to 10% share of global hashrate reflects both the quality of its energy infrastructure and a stable regulatory environment at the federal level. Russia: Energy Rich, Regulatory Uncertain Russia has significant natural energy resources and a cold climate that reduces cooling costs for mining operations. Both of these factors are natural advantages for Bitcoin mining. However, Russia’s regulatory approach to cryptocurrency has been inconsistent, oscillating between proposed bans and proposed legalisation frameworks. The geopolitical situation following 2022 has also complicated access to Western-manufactured mining hardware for Russian operators. Germany: Renewable Focus in Europe Germany holds a small but notable share of global hashrate, largely from operations that have integrated with the country’s renewable energy infrastructure. Germany’s higher electricity costs relative to other mining nations limit its competitiveness for industrial-scale operations, but smaller

Best Places to Spend Crypto in Thailand (2026): Hotels, Cafes & More

Best places to spend crypto in Thailand

There is a particular feeling that comes with landing in Bangkok or stepping off the ferry in Phuket and knowing your Bitcoin wallet is not just a holding account, it’s a spending account. Thailand gives you that feeling more convincingly than almost anywhere else in Southeast Asia right now. The temples, the rooftop bars, the beach resorts, the street food markets, an increasing number of them are ready for your crypto, whether through direct wallet payment, QR code, or a card that bridges the gap. In 2025, Thailand moved from crypto-curious to crypto-committed. The government launched a national Phuket Crypto Pilot allowing tourists to pay for hotels, restaurants, and experiences directly in Bitcoin and Ethereum through SEC-licensed exchanges. Kalasin province became Thailand’s first “Bitcoin town” with over 80 businesses accepting Satoshi payments. And a growing network of resorts, restaurants, real estate developers, and professional services now accept BTC, ETH, USDT, and more across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, and beyond. This guide covers the best places to spend crypto in Thailand — organised by city and category, with specific payment details so you know exactly what to expect before you arrive. Read Also: Best Places to Spend Crypto in Romania At a Glance: Spending Crypto in Thailand What Changed in Thailand for Crypto in 2025 Thailand’s crypto landscape changed significantly not through gradual market adoption, but through deliberate government action. Knowing what changed makes sense of why spending crypto here feels different now than it did two years ago. The Phuket Crypto Pilot (October 2025) Announced by Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira and launched in October 2025, the Phuket Crypto Pilot authorises foreign tourists to pay for real goods and services, hotel stays, restaurant meals, tours, and sightseeing using Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets. The mechanism: tourists register their wallet with an SEC-licensed exchange like Bitkub and complete KYC. When they pay, a crypto-to-baht clearinghouse converts the digital currency instantly, so the merchant receives Thai baht rather than volatile crypto. Everyone wins: tourists spend from their wallets, merchants get stable local currency. The pilot is limited to Phuket initially, with plans to expand to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya if it proves safe and successful. TouristDigiPay Sandbox Running alongside the Phuket Pilot, Thailand’s TouristDigiPay sandbox is an 18-month government programme designed to test crypto-to-baht spending at scale. It operates with per-tourist spending caps, strict Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and KYC compliance, and is overseen by the Ministry of Finance, the SEC, and the Tourism Ministry. The per-tourist spending limit is designed to limit systemic risk while allowing meaningful travel spending. For tourists, the process is straightforward: register once via a Bitkub account, and spend across participating merchants via QR code. The transaction looks like any other mobile payment on the merchant’s end. Zero Capital Gains Tax on Crypto Until 2029 From January 2025 through December 2029, Thai residents are exempt from Personal Income Tax on capital gains from crypto trading through SEC-regulated platforms. This tax holiday positions Thailand as one of the most crypto-friendly tax environments in the region, a significant factor for long-term residents and digital nomads deciding where to base themselves. Best Places to Spend Crypto in Thailand Spending Crypto in Bangkok — Daily Use and Luxury Bangkok has the highest concentration of crypto-accepting merchants in Thailand, driven by its large expat community, tech-forward coworking scene, and the adoption of Binance Pay among independent businesses. Spending crypto here feels the most like normal digital spending because in parts of the city, it largely is. Source: Where to spend in Bangkok: For hotels in Bangkok that don’t natively accept crypto, Travala.com allows you to book thousands of Bangkok hotels with BTC, ETH, USDT, and Travala’s native AVA token. Spending Crypto in Phuket — The Crypto Pilot Island Phuket is now Thailand’s most significant crypto-tourism destination, following the government’s Phuket Crypto Pilot launched in October 2025. How the Phuket Pilot works: Tourists register their crypto wallet with an SEC-licensed exchange (primarily Bitkub) and complete KYC verification. The program allows foreign tourists to pay for goods and services from beachside restaurants to villa stays using Bitcoin and Ethereum through a clearinghouse that converts to Thai baht, protecting merchants from volatility. Payments are made via QR code; the clearinghouse converts crypto to baht instantly, and the merchant receives local fiat. From the tourist’s side, it feels like a standard QR payment except it’s Bitcoin. Luxury resorts accepting direct crypto in Phuket: Spending Crypto in Chiang Mai — Thailand’s Digital Nomad Hub Chiang Mai is the beating heart of Thailand’s digital nomad community, and with the government’s Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) making long-term stays easier than ever, the city’s crypto-friendly merchant base is growing in step with its international resident population. The Nimman area, Chiang Mai’s creative district has the highest concentration of independent cafes, coworking spaces, and restaurants willing to discuss crypto payments. Where to spend in Chiang Mai: Spending Crypto in Koh Samui — Island Luxury Koh Samui sits at the intersection of luxury travel and early crypto adoption, with Silavadee Pool Spa Resort having been the island’s first property to accept cryptocurrency back in 2021, a signal of the direction the island was heading. For high-value island stays, Koh Samui offers some of the most polished crypto-payment experiences in Thailand. How to Accept Crypto Payments in Thailand? If you want to accept crypto for your business, here’s how you can do it. Check Thai Regulations Thailand has rules for using cryptocurrency, and the government regulates it through the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Make sure you follow local laws to avoid legal issues. Choose a Crypto Payment Processor A crypto payment processor helps you receive and convert digital currencies. Some popular options are: These services make transactions easy and secure. Set Up a Digital Wallet To receive crypto payments, you need a digital wallet. You can choose from: Display Payment Options Let customers know you accept crypto by adding a “Pay with Crypto” sign at your store or website. Some payment processors provide QR codes for easy transactions. Tips for Spending Crypto in Thailand Here are some tips