Slovenia to Open First ‘Bitcoin City’

A ‘Bitcoin City’ (BTC) is to open in Ljubljana, spread over 250,000 sq m and boasting more than 450 shops and other cryptocurrency-based amenities. In fact, all payment options at the centre are based on the new AI commerce platform Eligma and its cryptocurrency payment system EliPay.

“The transformation of BTC City into Bitcoin City is an important step towards the realisation of BTC’s openness-oriented strategy, providing its customers and business partners with freedom and choice regarding their purchases with new forms of payment,” read statement from the BTC team.

The BTC City was originally founded as a location for warehousing companies in the 1950s. In 1975, the company operating the warehouses became the largest goods and transport centre in erstwhile Yugoslavia and changed its name to Blagovno Trgovinski Center. The name BTC City was born as an acronym for the city, only three kilometres from the centre of Ljubljana.

Besides the shopping outlets, BTC will house 70 bars and restaurants, 17 swimming pools, a mini-golf course, a waterpark and an entertainment centre with a 3D cinema and the Crystal Palace, the highest tower in Slovenia.

Incoming tourists will not need to convert their fiat to local currency and can make use of EliPay instead, although they will have the freedom to choose. Should they wish to use fiat money, the merchant will generate a QR code of the bill with the amount in cryptocurrency. The user can open the payment application on their phone, scan the code and complete the transaction.

“We are endeavouring to place Slovenia among the leading countries in Europe and around the world in the area of development and use of blockchain technology,” said Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar while opening Beyond 4.0, an international conference on the digitisation of society and blockchain technology, organised by the Adriatic Council. “Therefore we are also carefully monitoring and working to influence events in the blockchain industry, including the area of initial offerings for cryptographic coins, or ICOs.”

“I call on entrepreneurs, professionals and all stakeholders involved in the development of blockchain technology to proceed with caution, respect all existing laws and regulations, and above all consistently adhere to the principles of good management,” he continued.