BTC Map

Behind a BTC Map pin there is usually an object in OpenStreetMap, a collaboratively edited mapping database. It has a location, a name and tags: short pieces of information describing things such as payment methods. A volunteer can edit the existing café or submit it through a BTC Map form. A submission needs checking, not simply copying. A visit, contact with the business or its own website can help. Edit history records changes and their reasons; creating a second pin for the same premises would make the map worse. [1] [2] [3]

A business may accept bitcoin directly on its chain, called on-chain, or through Lightning’s payment channels. The tag currency:XBT=yes records reported acceptance without specifying the route. payment:onchain=yes and payment:lightning=yes distinguish those methods; payment:lightning_contactless=yes indicates contactless Lightning. The older payment:bitcoin key is deprecated. These exact strings mainly matter to contributors. For visitors, the important point is that supporting one route does not guarantee another, and a blank field alone is neither a verified yes nor a verified no. [4]

Suppose someone checked the café a while ago. It may since have moved or changed its payment system. That is why the record includes verification as well as status. check_date:currency:XBT means the bitcoin information was checked, check_date covers all present tags, and survey:date means an in-person visit. A phone call or website check must not be presented as a visit. The project aims to verify every place at least annually, which is not continuous monitoring. If a café stops accepting bitcoin, its payment information should change; the café itself has not thereby disappeared. [2] [3]

Check the address, hours, payment method and contact details. For a longer trip, calling first is worthwhile. The map cannot see today’s staff or checkout and does not guarantee liquidity, the capacity to receive a payment through Lightning channels. Some places also require a third-party companion app. It intermediates payment for a merchant who may not even know you are paying with bitcoin. That arrangement differs from direct acceptance; check its conditions beforehand. [3] [5]

A local group may help a café start taking bitcoin and later notice that its opening hours changed. Ongoing care keeps the information useful. A community page tracks maintenance in an area, not proof that every business there pays the others in bitcoin. More pins can mean new shops, but also more volunteer mappers or an import. Removing duplicates and outdated records may reduce the count while improving the map. The number of markers is therefore not a direct picture of actual spending. [6] [7] [8]

BTC Map distinguishes total places, recently verified places and verification age. Comparing reports requires the same area, filters and duplicate-removal rules, as well as the date of each data snapshot. A REST API, an interface through which other programs read information, exposes places, areas and reports, for example. It does not turn those records into audited sales figures. Coverage depends on contributors; online shops and direct trades between people outside the map may be missing. Pins do not reveal customer numbers or payment volume. [8] [9]

People can inspect the source code and reuse data, but mistakes remain possible and use has conditions. BTC Map’s website lists AGPL-3.0 for the program; OpenStreetMap data has its own ODbL licence, which requires attribution among other things. Software, the mapping database and other content are therefore separate licensing matters. If you build your own map, check each component’s rules. Being able to browse another directory freely does not automatically permit copying it. [10] [11]

Form submissions are intended for publication, so private information does not belong there. A business map should not expose people’s homes just because they own bitcoin, or private exchangers without consent. Base corrections on verifiable evidence and necessary business details rather than advertising. And when buying something, you need not tell the cashier how much bitcoin you hold or where and how often you spend it. [12] [2] [3]