Las Vegas Businesses Embrace Bitcoin Amid Gold’s Record Surge

LAS VEGAS (Azat TV) – Businesses across the Las Vegas Valley are rapidly integrating Bitcoin as a payment option, capitalizing on zero processing fees and a burgeoning customer base actively seeking crypto-friendly merchants. This significant shift in consumer payment infrastructure unfolds as gold prices have surged past the historic $5,000-per-ounce mark, signaling mounting investor concern over the US Dollar’s ongoing decline and broader macroeconomic uncertainty.

• Las Vegas merchants are increasingly accepting Bitcoin for everyday payments.
• Square’s zero processing fees until 2026 are accelerating small business adoption.
• QR code payments make Bitcoin transactions fast and accessible for consumers.
• Steak ‘n Shake plans to offer Bitcoin bonuses to hourly employees.
• Gold has surpassed $5,000 per ounce, driven by a sharp decline in the US Dollar.

Bitcoin Gains Traction Across Las Vegas Valley

From local juice bars to national restaurant chains, businesses in the Las Vegas Valley are embracing Bitcoin payments, primarily driven by the opportunity to avoid traditional credit card processing fees, which typically average 2.5% to 3.5%. This movement follows Square’s November 2025 announcement to enable approximately four million U.S. merchants to accept Bitcoin payments with zero processing fees throughout 2026, removing a significant barrier for small businesses.

At Cane Juice Bar and Cafe, district manager Tyler Peterson confirmed that after eight months of implementation, customers can now pay for fresh-pressed sugar cane juice using Bitcoin, alongside cash or card. Peterson highlighted that the digital payment option helps the business ‘move forward’ while attracting new customers who specifically seek out Bitcoin-accepting locations. ‘Bitcoin is getting very popular with mainstream people, not just the people that are actually into things like cryptocurrencies,’ Peterson told Fox5Vegas.

Consumers can easily locate Bitcoin-accepting businesses through dedicated Bitcoin maps or Cash App’s directory feature, creating organic discovery channels for merchants. Jeremy Querci, a Bitcoin consultant with Sovreign, noted that the range of businesses adopting Bitcoin is expanding, from medical practices to children’s play places, with transactions requiring just a few taps on a phone. ‘At the time of checkout, you say you want to pay in Bitcoin and the business can bring up a QR code that you scan with your phone with any Bitcoin app,’ Querci explained, adding that the technology is expected to become even simpler as ‘it’s the future.’

Corporate Adoption and Expanding Customer Reach

The momentum for Bitcoin adoption extends beyond small businesses to major corporate entities. This week, Steak ‘n Shake, the 91-year-old burger chain, announced plans to pay all hourly employees at company-operated restaurants a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 for every hour worked, commencing March 1. These funds will be accessible after a two-year vesting period.

CEO Will Reeves positioned this move as part of the company’s transformation into ‘a real bitcoin company, putting sound money into the hands of working Americans.’ This initiative underscores a growing corporate interest in integrating digital currencies into compensation structures, signaling a broader acceptance of Bitcoin beyond mere transaction processing.

Peterson from Cane Juice Bar also confirmed the tangible benefit of this adoption, stating that customers who would not typically know about his shop are now visiting specifically to use Bitcoin, with regular inquiries about crypto services. ‘That Bitcoin map is helping us out a lot,’ he added, indicating how digital directories are fostering community and driving traffic to participating merchants.

Gold Rockets Past $5,000 Amid Dollar Collapse Concerns

Concurrently with Bitcoin’s growing transactional use, the price of gold has surged past $5,000 per ounce, setting a new historic benchmark. The precious metal established an intra-day high of $5,009 on January 24, now trading around $4,987, reflecting an almost 20% increase in the last 24 hours.

This unprecedented rally coincides with a significant decline in the US Dollar Index (DXY), which has plummeted to 97.45, a multi-month low last observed in September 2025. Market commentary suggests the greenback has lost nearly 50% of its value relative to gold over the past year, marking the largest drop in U.S. history.

Blockchain monitoring firm Lookonchain flagged a striking on-chain move on the Bybit exchange, where a single trader deposited 7 million USDT and withdrew 843 XAUT, the equivalent of $4.17 million in tokenized gold. This sizable transaction highlights growing interest in digital gold as a hedge against fiat volatility and is among the largest tokenized gold movements recorded in recent months.

Divergent Paths for Digital Assets and Gold

While cryptocurrencies have traditionally been considered an alternative to fiat, the latest price action highlights gold’s sustained resilience as a safe-haven asset, particularly during periods of macroeconomic uncertainty. Gold’s recent rally has outpaced the gains of leading cryptocurrencies, with Ethereum trading at $2,958 and Bitcoin at $89,615, indicating a divergence in their performance trajectories.

Analysts warn that sustained dollar weakness is fueling a broader rush into precious metals and other inflation-resistant assets. Investment manager Rashad Hajiyev projected gold could continue its run to $5,400–$5,600, followed by a correction and a climb towards $6,500 by summer 2026, representing a potential 30% gain from current levels. This forecast aligns with Goldman Sachs’ thesis of gold rallying to $5,400 in 2026 and Bank of America’s expectation of $6,000 by Spring 2026.

The surge in gold prices also reflects broader commodity pressures. Billionaire mining magnate Robert Friedland recently underscored structural constraints in the copper market, warning of looming supply shortages critical for global GDP growth and electrification efforts. This confluence of dollar weakness, supply-chain stress, and a historic gold rally presents a complex financial landscape.

The simultaneous surge in Bitcoin’s mainstream transactional adoption and gold’s record-breaking climb as a store of value indicates a dual response within the global financial system: a pragmatic embrace of digital payment efficiency alongside a renewed flight to traditional safe havens amidst persistent concerns over fiat currency stability.