A personal history by Bitcoin Jason. From Gold Coast merchant adoption to helping rebuild Bitcoin Cash City in Townsville, and the next chapter of practical peer-to-peer payments.
From Gold Coast Advocate to Bitcoin Cash City Curator
My journey with Bitcoin Cash was transformed by the Bitcoin Cash City Conference in Townsville in 2019. I saw the potential for a genuine peer-to-peer economy where people and businesses could transact directly.
Afterwards, while living on the Gold Coast, I began independently approaching merchants and encouraging them to accept Bitcoin Cash.
During my time on the Gold Coast, I successfully onboarded 11 merchants, demonstrating how ordinary businesses could begin accepting Bitcoin Cash for everyday transactions.
My efforts received support from the wider Bitcoin Cash community. Noel Lovisa, the founder of Bitcoin Cash City, supplied 3D-printed tablet stands for merchant payment terminals. Satoshi’s Angels provided onboarding tools, including stickers and shirts, while Aptissio supplied seed phrase backup cards to assist with secure wallet recovery.
Later in 2021, Noel invited me to relocate to Townsville and continue merchant adoption as the Bitcoin Cash City Curator.
On 15 November 2021, I formally commenced a one-year role with Code Valley, supporting merchant onboarding, marketing, video production and the expansion of the local Bitcoin Cash economy.
Rebuilding a Merchant Network
When I arrived and began auditing the Bitcoin Cash merchant maps, I found approximately 42 remaining merchant listings.
Some businesses had closed, others had changed ownership, and some no longer accepted Bitcoin Cash. The experience taught me that onboarding merchants was only the beginning.
A successful Bitcoin Cash economy required ongoing support, staff education, working payment terminals, accurate maps and businesses that genuinely welcomed BCH transactions.
Working with my team, including a personal assistant and videographer, we went on to help onboard more than 200 businesses across the region.
This work included merchant education, payment demonstrations, promotional videos, maintaining relationships and helping businesses remain connected to the growing Bitcoin Cash community.
Many of these merchant stories were documented through videos published on the Bitcoin Cash City YouTube channel.
At one point, approximately 247 merchants appeared on the maps, representing a wide range of everyday needs and services: cafés, restaurants and shops, as well as accommodation, healthcare, trades and other professional services. Historical listing numbers naturally fluctuated as businesses opened, closed or changed their payment arrangements.
A November 2026 screenshot of Bitcoin.com Maps continues to show a substantial network of merchant listings throughout Townsville.
Those map listings are a record of merchant adoption activity, but a listing does not guarantee that a business is still accepting Bitcoin Cash today. My goal is to ensure that every business shown as accepting BCH really does welcome BCH payments.
The Next Chapter: Revitalising Bitcoin Cash City
My vision for Bitcoin Cash City is not simply to grow a number on a merchant map.
It is to build functioning Bitcoin Cash hotspots where locals and tourists can genuinely use peer-to-peer electronic cash.
With a planned Bitcoin Cash-branded electric vehicle, I intend to resume systematic merchant curation throughout Townsville.
The vehicle will serve as a mobile base for merchant visits, wallet demonstrations, staff refresher training and video production, strengthening reciprocal relationships between businesses and the people who support them as part of the parallel economy Bitcoin Cash makes possible.
My aim is to revisit historical merchant listings, verify whether businesses are still accepting Bitcoin Cash, provide assistance where required, and update outdated map entries.
Merchants that have stopped accepting BCH may be offered assistance to become active again. Businesses that have closed or permanently discontinued BCH payments will have their listings updated appropriately, while we continue strengthening the businesses participating in the network.
I also want to concentrate adoption in practical, walkable commercial areas, including The Strand and Fairfield and other promising precincts, creating recognisable Bitcoin Cash hotspots where customers can move between participating businesses.
These hotspots will make Bitcoin Cash easier to discover, spend and demonstrate to visitors.
For me, Bitcoin Cash City has always been about something bigger than an individual personality.
It is about building an economy where ordinary people can use peer-to-peer electronic cash in everyday life.
And that work continues.
Explore Bitcoin Cash City
Learn more at the independent official Bitcoin Cash City website, explore the Bitcoin.com merchant map, or read Bitcoin Jason’s Bitcoin Cash wallet resources to get started using BCH.
Historical note: This page recounts my firsthand involvement in Bitcoin Cash merchant adoption. The historical peak of approximately 247 map listings and the initial audit of approximately 42 listings describe past circumstances, not independently verified counts of businesses accepting BCH today. Map entries and merchant acceptance can change.