On September 25, 2026, Bitcoin supporters gathered in Finland for the BTCHEL conference to discuss Bitcoin adoption across the Nordic region.
During a keynote panel titled “How is Bitcoin actually taking root across the Nordics?”, Satoshi Consult CEO Sondre Torberntsson revealed that Norway leads the region with 32 verified Bitcoin-accepting merchants on BTC Map. Finland follows with 28, while Sweden has 20.
For the second year in a row, I was honored to represent Norway🇳🇴 on the “How is Bitcoin actually taking root across the Nordics?” panel at @btchelevent 2026.
Thanks @lukedewolf 🙏🏻
Here are my key takeaways on merchant adoption, @BPINorge, Bitcoin accounting etc.
1/8 🧵
— Sondre | satoshiconsult.com (@NorthOfTheWalls) October 11, 2026
Although these numbers are relatively small, industry leaders believe Bitcoin adoption is moving beyond grassroots campaigns towards greater political engagement.
However, accepting Bitcoin in practice remains difficult because of administrative and accounting requirements. Sondre explained that businesses are often eager to announce Bitcoin payment options because of the media attention they attract. But calculating first-in, first-out (FIFO) capital gains for everyday transactions creates bookkeeping challenges.
The main challenge for 2026 and beyond is to develop automated accounting tools that make Bitcoin payments easier to manage. Recent integrations by Kryptosekken are one example of efforts to help businesses accept payments in satoshis while meeting legal requirements.
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The adoption barrier may be cultural
Nordic Bitcoin adoption lags behind global hotspots, suggesting the problem may be a thing of cultural rather than technological. People in these countries already have stable fiat currencies, reliable digital banking applications, and strong welfare systems. Because their existing financial services work well, they have less immediate need for a decentralized, censorship-resistant network such as Bitcoin.
Speaker Rasmus Hansen raised this issue after appearing on a conference panel. He questioned whether the region’s high quality of life and strong public trust in traditional banking systems were the main reasons cryptocurrency had struggled to gain widespread use.
Thank you @btchelevent for a great event!
I was invited to speak on Bitcoin adaption in the Nordics and we wrestled with the question on why Bitcoin adaption is stuffed. Is the quality of life too good? Is the trust in the system too high? What do you think?
See you in 2027! https://t.co/Jwv2tYUTVj
— Rasmus Hansen (@rasmushansen) September 28, 2026
The accuracy of local adoption figures is another concern. During discussions at the event, X user @nathan_day corrected the initial geographic statistics, pointing out that two merchants listed in northern Norway were actually located across the border in Finland.
With fewer than 100 businesses counted across the region, even a small mapping error can significantly affect how Bitcoin adoption is understood in each country.
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Norway’s Bitcoin community is building ties with financial leaders
Beyond retail payments, Norway’s approach to Bitcoin is increasingly focused on building relationships with established financial and political institutions.
A major development in 2026 is the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) Norway, which holds regular “Satoshi Conversations” at Litteraturhuset. These meetings aim to connect Bitcoin supporters with leaders from traditional industries.
BPI Norway has strong political connections. Its Secretary General, Morten Søberg, is a former Deputy Minister of Finance and a sitting member of Norges Bank’s Supervisory Council. His background gives Norway’s Bitcoin community a direct connection to the country’s monetary authorities.
The growth of regional conferences also suggests that developers and Bitcoin supporters are investing in long-term institutional development rather than focusing only on short-term price movements.
BTCHEL co-founder Luke de Wolf highlighted this progress, noting that the industry had continued to build despite a prolonged bear market. Although de Wolf could not attend the event in person, he observed that the large turnout demonstrated continued enthusiasm for Bitcoin and the wider digital asset industry. The community is already looking ahead to the next BTCHEL conference, scheduled for September 2027.
BTCHEL, the conference I co-founded last year with @btcbenchmark and the rest of our great team, just had its second edition, and I didn’t even show up (until the very end)!
We moved to the outstanding Kaapelitehdas (Cable Factory) where we were able to host an expanded expo area plus 3 stages. Despite spending most of the year in a bear market, the turnout was great, and the vibes were off the charts (so I’m told)!
As for why I wasn’t there myself, my second child decided to enter the world the day before! Of course there was nothing to do here but enjoy the time with my wife and our son, but I recorded a message wishing everyone well, and inviting everyone back next year so I can join in myself!
Thanks to all our attendees, speakers, and partners for making BTCHEL 2026 a complete success, and welcome back to next year’s edition, September 10-11 2027, back at Kaapelitehdas!
Now, I’m off to spend some quality time with my family before embarking on any new adventures. See you around!
— Luke de Wolf (@lukedewolf) September 27, 2026
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