More than 650,000 points of sale across South Africa now accept Bitcoin payments, marking Bitcoin's major move into mainstream payment.
South Africans can now use Bitcoin to pay for everyday purchases both online and in-store, with payments instantly converted to South African rand. This expansion is made possible by an integration between MoneyBadger and the Scan to Pay payment service, creating one of the world’s largest Bitcoin acceptance networks.
MoneyBadger announced that it has integrated its system with Scan to Pay, allowing users to pay with Bitcoin as easily as using a debit or credit card. The initiative aims to transform Bitcoin from a store of value into a common means of payment in everyday life.
Users can pay with Bitcoin for a variety of essential needs such as fueling at Engen and Shell stations, buying medicine at Clicks and Dis-Chem chain , shopping for consumer goods at Makro, Game, HiFi Corp, paying for mobile services at Telkom and Cell C, buying South African Airways tickets, paying for parking at shopping malls, and even donating to the Gift of the Givers charity.
Risk-free solutions for businesses
For merchants already using Scan to Pay, the system automatically enables cryptocurrency payments without any additional setup. Bitcoin is converted to South African rand in real time, ensuring businesses receive the correct listed amount without the risk of exchange rate fluctuations or transaction delays.
Payments are designed to be simple, with buyers simply scanning a QR code using their Bitcoin wallet or the MoneyBadger app. Transactions are processed via the Lightning Network, offering near-instantaneous speeds and extremely low fees.
The integration is now live for MoneyBadger users, Binance, Luno, and VALR clients, and Lightning wallet owners like Blink, Blitz, and Aqua. The system automatically links the scanned QR code to the user account, allowing transactions to be completed within the app.
According to statistics, the Sub-Saharan Africa region ranks third globally in terms of crypto asset economic growth between July 2024 and June 2025, with South Africa ranking second in the region in terms of on-chain Capital flows, exceeding $30 billion.
