TLDR

  • Tether and Lugano have arranged support of up to CHF 5 million for Plan ₿ Phase II, covering the period from 2026 to 2030.
  • More than 400 merchants in Lugano now accept BTC, USD₮, and LVGA for daily transactions.
  • PoW.space has been instrumental in bringing over 100 fintech and blockchain companies to the area.
  • Since its inception, the Plan ₿ Forum has attracted over 4,000 attendees from more than 60 countries.

Tether and the City of Lugano have extended their collaboration for Plan ₿ Phase II. This next phase, scheduled for 2026 to 2030, focuses on enhancing digital infrastructure and resilience.

The updated agreement outlines a potential contribution of up to CHF 5 million. This support will primarily consist of expertise, infrastructure development, applied research, and training initiatives.

Plan ₿ evolves from payment trials to comprehensive city-wide digital systems

Launched in March 2022, Plan ₿ started as a municipal program for practical use. Its initial emphasis was on real-world payment experiments and assessing adoption in everyday business.

Lugano currently has over 400 local businesses that accept BTC, USD₮, and LVGA. The City also piloted the acceptance of digital assets for certain municipal payments.

According to Tether, the initiative’s scope broadened to include public finance instruments. With technical and strategic backing, Lugano launched a digital bond issuance.

PoW.space and the Plan ₿ Forum bolster the local ecosystem

Tether and the City also established PoW.space, a physical hub for innovation. This center is designed to foster local peer-to-peer projects and blockchain developers.

The partners reported that PoW.space has been key in attracting more than 100 fintech and blockchain companies. They position Lugano as a link connecting conventional finance with decentralized networks.

The Plan ₿ Forum also expanded significantly during the program’s first phase. Event organizers state it now attracts upwards of 4,000 participants from more than 60 nations.

The forum’s program focuses on digital assets and the robustness of infrastructure. Discussions also encompass financial sovereignty and governance issues.

Phase II pillars aim for infrastructure resilience and local self-sufficiency

Phase II is organized around five interconnected pillars for the 2026-2030 timeframe. The collaborating parties stated the objective is to build long-term capabilities and minimize critical external dependencies.

A key pillar involves developing institutional tools for secure management. This pillar also encompasses automated system management for use by the public and institutions.

A second pillar aims to establish Lugano as a center for digital trade and commodity processing. Another distinct pillar is dedicated to sovereign, privacy-focused digital identity solutions.

The plan also incorporates the development of local artificial intelligence ecosystems and autonomous agents. Additionally, it suggests implementing distributed and modular urban infrastructure to ensure operational resilience.

Funding agreement ensures governance remains with the City of Lugano

The renewed memorandum of understanding provides for support of up to CHF 5 million over the 2026–2030 period. The City confirmed that full governance authority continues to reside with its municipal institutions.

Individual projects will be managed via distinct implementation agreements. The City also noted that previous efforts employed a step-by-step pilot approach, accompanied by regulatory compliance verifications.

The City emphasized that it did not take on any structural public risk throughout Phase I. It also confirmed that public oversight was maintained during project assessments.

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, stated, “Phase II concentrates on infrastructure, resilience, and building local capacity.” Michele Foletti, Mayor of Lugano, said, “We are investing in open and resilient civic digital infrastructure.”