{"id":21980,"date":"2023-09-06T04:31:22","date_gmt":"2023-09-06T04:31:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nftandcrypto-news.com\/crypto\/colombian-bitcoiner-aims-to-orange-pill-coffee-lovers-one-bean-at-a-time\/"},"modified":"2023-09-06T04:31:24","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T04:31:24","slug":"colombian-bitcoiner-aims-to-orange-pill-coffee-lovers-one-bean-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nftandcrypto-news.com\/crypto\/colombian-bitcoiner-aims-to-orange-pill-coffee-lovers-one-bean-at-a-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Colombian Bitcoiner aims to orange-pill coffee lovers one bean at a time"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Jos\u00e9 Luis Garcia is a coffee-lover and\u00a0entrepreneur trying to make his mark in the city of Medell\u00edn \u2014 the birthplace of Colombia\u2019s modern coffee industry. <\/p>\n

Since the October launch of his start-up Lightning Koffee, Garcia has two goals in mind: Make a decent cup of joe and spread the word about Bitcoin (BTC). <\/p>\n

His coffee beans \u2014 which he’s called \u201cThe Bitcoiners Coffee\u201d \u2014 are sourced and processed locally and are known for having a sweet after-taste.<\/p>\n

Garcia believes his Colombian coffee can serve as a bridge for his fellow Paisas (Medell\u00edn locals) to lessen their reliance on the unpredictable Colombian peso\u00a0and lean more toward adopting Bitcoin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the best coffee in the world and I want my coffee brand to spread the word about Bitcoin so that other businesses will begin to receive it too,\u201d Garcia said in an interview with Cointelegraph.<\/p>\n

He added it would \u201chelp drive the Bitcoin circular economy\u201d \u2014 where only Bitcoin is traded in exchange for goods and services.<\/p>\n

\n

@LightningKoffee<\/a> \u26a1\ufe0f\u2615\ufe0f #LightningNetwork<\/a> #bitcoin<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/VP6nb235RE<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jos\u00e9\u26a1\ufe0f\u2615\ufe0f (@josebitcoiner) October 30, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lightning Koffee currently doesn\u2019t accept fiat but does accept other cryptocurrencies besides Bitcoin. However, Garcia said he\u2019s a self-confessed maxi and wastes no time converting other tokens to Bitcoin.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a person is going to pay me in shitcoins I will accept it because, at the end of the day, it is money. Then I convert it immediately into Bitcoin which is what I’m interested in.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Garcia said he\u2019ll soon start taking fiat payments through the likes of Mastercard and Visa at which time he plans to stop taking cryptocurrencies that aren’t Bitcoin.<\/p>\n

Lightning Koffee joins other Medell\u00edn businesses bringing together crypto and consumables. In June 2022, Mind Cafe, or \u201cCrypto Cafe,\u201d was one of the first cryptocurrency-focused restaurants in El Poblado, the tourist area of\u00a0Medell\u00edn.<\/p>\n

In addition to accepting Bitcoin and Lightning payments, the cafe offers its customers the opportunity to immerse themselves in a metaverse-themed environment where they can build their own avatars and buy a coffee or some traditional Colombian food with Bitcoin.<\/p>\n

\n

You walk in and they have a BTC machine to purchase and sell #BTC<\/a> <\/p>\n

They also have some merch, shoes, tshirts, hoodies, etc. <\/p>\n

Yes probably not great for OPSEC, but man are we EARLY. <\/p>\n

We got there and were basically the ONLY table . 3\/9 pic.twitter.com\/IboBfVQMwv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Camila Campton (@camilacampton) July 16, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Garcia is part of a group of local Bitcoiners that have come together to help promote Bitcoin\u2019s circular economy\u00a0in the city \u2014 and more newcomers are popping up every month.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe crafty things we’re doing are meetups with other Bitcoiners and people in the city of\u00a0Medell\u00edn,\u201d Garcia said.<\/p>\n

\n

Buying some delicious coffee with #Bitcoin<\/a> in Colombia \u2615\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/K9FfCQqe8w<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Luke Mikic\u26a1\ufe0f 9-5 Escape Artist (@LukeMikic21) April 26, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bram Kumuly, an independent Lightning developer who once lived in\u00a0Medell\u00edn, told Cointelegraph he felt a \u201cnew energy\u201d amongst the Bitcoin community on his last visit to the city \u2014 making him optimistic that Bitcoin’s presence there will remain long-term.<\/p>\n

A Bitcoiner meetup in Medellin in June. Source: Jos\u00e9 Luis Garcia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, Kumuly acknowledged that a wider crypto, nonfungible token (NFT) and blockchain culture exists in\u00a0Medell\u00edn whose values aren\u2019t necessarily aligned with traditional Bitcoiners.<\/p>\n

Some Colombians yet to see the orange light<\/h3>\n

Unfortunately for\u00a0Medell\u00edn’s Bitcoiners, it\u2019s been a tough time convincing everyone of Bitcoin’s merits. <\/p>\n

Kumuly mostly attributed this to Colombians not understanding how money works, how the Colombian peso is failing them and how Bitcoin offers an alternate solution.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people there still think Bitcoin is about trading and getting rich quick,\u201d Kumuly said, adding many don\u2019t realize Bitcoin could be a financial tool that can take power and control away from the politicians that many Colombians have little faith in.<\/p>\n

This knowledge gap is reflected in Bitcoin\u2019s staggered circular economy in\u00a0Medell\u00edn which is still confined to Bitcoiners and isn’t “very strongly or visibly expanding,” says Kumuly.<\/p>\n

“There might be more places accepting it, but currently, only six places that accept Bitcoin are marked on BTC Map and it has been like this for a long time already with no growth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are currently 106 stores in Colombia that accept Bitcoin as payment which lags behind the most Bitcoin-friendly country in the region of El Salvador with its 451 stores, according to BTC Map.<\/p>\n

106 stores accept Bitcoin in Colombia. Source: BTC Map <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kumuly said the lion\u2019s share of Bitcoin spending has come from digital nomads and foreigners with little ongoing local presence. Meanwhile, on the merchant side, Kumuly said businesses are still reluctant to accept Bitcoin because of its price volatility.<\/p>\n

Related: <\/em><\/strong>Micro $3 Bitcoin miners won\u2019t make bank, but that\u2019s not the point: Inventors<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

There are signs of life on the technical side of Bitcoin and Lightning development in\u00a0Medell\u00edn which could increase Bitcoin spending in the area, says Kumuly.<\/p>\n

\n

I asked some rappers in Medellin about #bitcoin<\/a>. Here\u2019s what happened\u2026 <\/p>\n

And yes, I tipped them with
lightning \u26a1\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/2rS5Ocozzb<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Plan Marcus \u26a1\ufe0f\u2623\ufe0f (@plan_marcus) April 6, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He said\u00a0Medell\u00edn-based Bitcoiners need to push momentum by building on Bitcoin culture to potentially win over customers and merchants.<\/p>\n

He believes what Medell\u00edn needs as a next step are “local Bitcoin-only tech companies who build Bitcoin products for the people and merchants of Medell\u00edn\/Colombia, and that are up-to-date on a technological level.\u201d <\/p>\n

Magazine: <\/em><\/strong>Should you \u2018orange pill\u2019 children? The case for Bitcoin kids books<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n