South Africans can now pay with Bitcoin for both online and in-store purchases at hundreds of thousands of merchants, as payments are instantly converted into the local currency.
MoneyBadger announced its integration with the payment service Scan to Pay, allowing South Africans to pay for goods and services both in stores and online across the country. The initiative aims to make using Bitcoin for everyday transactions as simple as paying with a debit or credit card, turning the cryptocurrency from a store of value into an everyday payment method.
Through this integration, users can spend Bitcoin on daily needs, including fuel at Engen and Shell stations, prescriptions at Clicks and Dis-Chem pharmacies, and consumer goods at retailers such as Makro, Game, and HiFi Corp. Bitcoin can also be used to pay for mobile services from Telkom and Cell C, purchase flight tickets from South African Airways, cover parking fees at major shopping centers, and even donate to the humanitarian organization Gift of the Givers. In total, the partnership covers more than 650,000 merchant locations across South Africa.
For merchants already connected to Scan to Pay, no additional setup is required. Crypto payments are automatically activated, and Bitcoin is converted into South African rand in real time. Merchants receive the exact amount invoiced, without exposure to currency volatility or transaction delays.
The system makes paying with Bitcoin remarkably simple. Customers only need to scan a QR code using their Bitcoin wallet or the MoneyBadger app. Transactions are processed via the Lightning Network, which enables instant and low-cost transfers.
The integration is now live and available to all MoneyBadger users, as well as customers of Binance, Luno, and VALR exchanges. Holders of Bitcoin Lightning wallets such as Blink, Blitz, and Aqua can also complete payments through the MoneyBadger app, which automatically links the scanned QR code to their account.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranked third globally for crypto economy growth between July 2024 and June 2025, while South Africa placed second in the region for on-chain inflows, exceeding $30 billion.
