From the North to the South of the Peninsula, a growing movement of activists and meetups spreads the principles of Bitcoin through local meetings and grassroots initiatives.
While in many countries the attention is scattered between the price of bitcoin, institutional adoption, and the hype for new financial products, Italian communities maintain an approach focused exclusively on Bitcoin technology and its economic and social impact. This characteristic distinguishes Italy as a context of grassroots adoption, where meetups, events, and educational initiatives develop through the work of local organizers who focus on the fundamental principles of the Bitcoin protocol.
Italian communities show a Bitcoin culture oriented toward the original values described by Satoshi Nakamoto. Local groups focus discussions on topics such as monetary sovereignty, privacy, and autonomous management of private keys. It is a movement that develops territorially, through meetings in bars and local venues where ordinary people discuss technology, cryptography, economics, and monetary theory.
From the early gatherings of the Bitcoin Meetup Milan to the Satoshi Spritz events spreading across the rest of Italy, there has been a steady growth of local groups that kept their activities alive even during bear market periods, focusing on educational content. Cities such as Brescia, Turin, Bologna, Venice, and smaller centers host communities with hundreds, if not thousands, of active members.
To better understand the landscape of Bitcoin communities in Italy, Atlas21 interviewed the main organizers and founders of the most active groups nationwide, collecting their direct testimonies on the evolution, activities, and objectives of each reality.
Bitcoin Valley
Marco Amadori, founder of Inbitcoin, was one of the first in Italy to speak publicly about Bitcoin, with a documented appearance as early as September 2012 during a TEDx talk in Pordenone, when he was a researcher at the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Trento. Bitcoin Valley was born almost by chance: after an internal conference at the research center that unexpectedly drew 200 attendees, a nearby pizzeria agreed to experiment with bitcoin payments. A newspaper article that followed was read in Rovereto by a bartender and the owner of a vegan restaurant, who, through a mutual friend, contacted Amadori asking him to enable them to accept bitcoin payments as well. “It was all a bit of a game,” recalled the founder, who at the time set deliberately high fees to discourage requests, only to discover that merchants were willing to pay them anyway. From that moment on, Bitcoin Valley grew organically around this initial network of merchants, later evolving into the company culture of the Inbitcoin startup.
As the founder recounted, the community’s growth developed through imitation: several waves of merchants came and went over the years, with some businesses closing for reasons unrelated to Bitcoin, while others from the first wave are still active. Among the latter stands out Mani al Cielo, the first bar to accept bitcoin. Today, 100% of merchants who accept bitcoin in Trentino choose to hold it rather than convert it to euros—a significant shift compared to the early days, when most relied on automatic conversion services like BitPay.
Over time, the project has taken on a broader dimension, with Inbitcoin developing various activities: individual training and courses, a physical store in Rovereto that also serves as a small museum attracting tourists and bitcoiners from abroad, and educational initiatives such as courses for teachers and students on cypherpunk-related topics. Bitcoin Valley recently sponsored a Serie A futsal team, where fans can pay in bitcoin at the stadium bar during home matches. Among the local peculiarities, several merchants offer discounts on bitcoin payments ranging from 10% to 22%, a practice that began spontaneously with one of the first merchants to celebrate bitcoin reaching $2,000. As Amadori pointed out, the community’s questions have also evolved over time: “In the beginning, the questions were very technical, then they shifted to why Bitcoin should exist, and now they have changed more towards the how”—how to buy, secure, and use bitcoin in practice.
Villaggio Bitcoin
After organizing several free educational events on a personal basis, in September 2021 Valerio Dalla Costa, founder of Villaggio Bitcoin and Bitcoin 4 Business, decided to open in the province of Brescia one of the first physical points dedicated to Bitcoin in Italy. As the founder explained, the goal was twofold: on one hand, to spread knowledge of Bitcoin, and on the other, to create a physical reference point where people could engage directly, helping to overcome the initial skepticism of those who struggle to relate to Bitcoin’s entirely digital nature.
“Growth in these four years has been steady,” stated the founder of Villaggio Bitcoin: by February 2025 the company surpassed 1,000 paying customers, with an accelerating trend in the last year thanks to the expansion of the team and available resources. Additionally, since 2025, Bitcoin 4 Business was born, a spin-off dedicated to businesses offering bitcoin payment integration via BTCPayServer and specialized tax consultancy. “We believe that companies are the key to Bitcoin adoption,” said Dalla Costa.
Villaggio Bitcoin operates on multiple fronts: support and consultancy for individuals, training through live and online courses, sales of hardware wallets, books, and gadgets, as well as a growing territorial presence. From the main office in the province of Brescia, the project expanded with a branch in Lecco and a new opening planned in Lugano. Company activities also include managing events such as the Villaggio Bitcoin Open Day and co-organizing the BitCare Forum conference.
Bitcoin Beer
Bitcoin Beer was born out of a specific need within the Italian community landscape. Andrea, aka Mendace, the founder, explained that the initiative emerged from the desire to separate from certain dynamics present in other communities and create a different space. “I wanted to educate about Bitcoin in a welcoming and relaxed environment, rather than always trying to push newcomers away,” stated Mendace, emphasizing how beginners are often hindered by the fear that their questions might be considered inappropriate or off-topic.
Since its inception, the project has experienced steady growth, reaching over 20 local communities nationwide, hundreds of social media followers, and organizing several meetups throughout the year. After an initial consolidation period, the community obtained collaborations with sector companies, including the non-custodial exchange Bull Bitcoin, which helped expand the reach of educational activities. “Initially, it wasn’t easy to be accepted, especially because we were born from a fork, but over time we received many compliments and, above all, collaborations,” explained the founder.
The main activity of Bitcoin Beer remains the organization of live local meetups. The events focus on content quality, often hosting speakers who have represented the Bitcoin movement in Italy for years. “Bitcoin Beer was born precisely to foster in-person connections and community; for this reason, we always strive to improve the quality of our meetups,” commented Mendace. Finally, since 2024, the community launched Unspent, an educational project integrating blogs, podcasts, newsletters, and social media content.
Salento Bitcoin
As explained by the group’s administrator Jacopo Graziuso, Salento Bitcoin was born from the desire to develop concrete initiatives for the Bitcoin movement in Southern Italy, focusing on increasing adoption in the Salento region. “We realized that to do this, two things were needed: convince merchants to adopt Bitcoin and find and unite Bitcoin enthusiasts scattered throughout Salento,” said Graziuso. Therefore, the project was structured around these two main objectives: engage local merchants and aggregate Bitcoin enthusiasts in the area through the Salento Bitcoin Telegram group.
Community growth was mainly based on word-of-mouth, both offline with businesses and online. “We live in one of the most touristic areas of Italy: it was therefore easy to gain the sympathy of other communities,” explained Graziuso, highlighting how the “Salento brand” proved to be a winning element when paired with Bitcoin technology.
Salento Bitcoin operates on three main fronts: outreach through social channels (Instagram and Telegram) to promote initiatives and provide accessible information to beginners; organizing live meetups to consolidate the local community; and supporting businesses in Bitcoin adoption. “Our goal is to help Salento businesses start the journey towards accepting bitcoin,” concluded Graziuso.
Final Step Bitcoin
Final Step Bitcoin represents a case of a community born online. The project originates from the homonymous YouTube channel opened on April 5, 2023, with the aim of sharing knowledge acquired over the years to support those approaching Bitcoin for the first time. “After years of personal study, I wanted to share the information I had learned for all those who feel lost at their first approach to Bitcoin,” explained Plak, founder of Final Step Bitcoin.
Growth has been progressive: starting from zero subscribers, the channel reached about 1,800 subscribers. During this journey, there was an evolution in the type of community interest: “initially, many users asked me questions about other cryptocurrencies and protocols, but over time the community became focused on Bitcoin, which is exactly what I wanted,” stated the content creator.
The main activity of the channel consists of producing video content with a frequency of 2-3 publications per week. Content ranges from practical tutorials, news, interviews with industry experts, to explanations of technical aspects presented in accessible language.
Bitcoin Bologna
Bitcoin Bologna was born in September 2022 from Sylvia‘s initiative, who attended a Satoshi Spritz meeting in Milan with the idea of replicating the format in the Emilia city. “In September 2022, I went to the Satoshi Spritz in Milan to understand how to create one in Bologna,” Sylvia recounted. The first meeting on October 21, 2022, had five participants, still active in the community. Timing proved strategic, considering that other people were evaluating creating a similar group at the same time, explained one of the community founders.
The community reached about 500 members, including merchants, entrepreneurs, and freelancers who accept bitcoin as a means of payment in various sectors: restaurants, pharmacies, taxis, accommodations, legal services, and more. The group maintained regular weekly meetings despite periods of lower participation, with renewed interest recently. “We never missed a weekly appointment even if a couple of times only the minimum number of people attended,” emphasized Sylvia.
Bitcoin Bologna’s activities include fixed events and occasional initiatives. Among the former, PlanBolo, a summer party at Giardini Margherita where payments are exclusively via the Lightning Network, and the Bitcoin Bologna Championship, a monthly quiz on Bitcoin topics. Occasional activities include technical presentations on cryptography and the Bitcoin protocol, free entry-level lessons on fundamentals (purchase, custody, and usage), and practical workshops for installing operating systems like Linux. The community’s approach prioritizes welcoming beginners, aiming to offer practical content accessible from the first meeting. “Our focus is largely on those approaching Bitcoin for the first time; we want them to feel welcomed and take something home from the very first meeting,” commented Sylvia.
Bitcoin EDU Veneto
In the landscape of the most active Italian communities, Bitcoin EDU Veneto stands out, born about a year ago. “In almost a year, we have already surpassed 1,500 members,” stated founder Demetrio Battaglia. The group maintains an educational line focused on beginners, without expecting prior knowledge.
The main activity of Bitcoin EDU Veneto consists of meetups organized throughout the Veneto region, presenting an overview ranging from the birth of the concept of money to the technological protocol, with a focus on the differences between fiat currencies and Bitcoin. “Our goal is to explain Bitcoin starting from the basics, from the history of money to the white paper, without taking anything for granted,” explained Battaglia. The training path is structured progressively: after public meetings, participants access the Telegram group where they can consult educational material organized by specific topics.
For those wishing to deepen practical aspects, the community organizes informative evenings dedicated to using bitcoin: “We organize evenings dedicated to practical aspects: how to buy, how to use bitcoin for payments, and how to safely store funds,” concluded Battaglia.
Satoshi Spritz Turin
Satoshi Spritz Torino represents a case of organic growth within the Italian community landscape. The Turin reality was born as the first “fork” of the original Satoshi Spritz in Milan, which at the time was the only meetup of its kind in Italy. Salvatore, founder of Satoshi Spritz Torino, recounts that the inspiration came after attending Milanese meetings together with the first members of BitPolito. The initial push arose from the desire to create an informal and welcoming space for Bitcoin enthusiasts in Turin. “The timing was perfect, the ground very fertile, and thanks to consistency, we found ourselves having covered millions of kilometers without even realizing it,” commented Salvatore.
From a small group of 4-5 friends, the community reached over 800 people registered on the Telegram group, with one of the highest monthly participation rates in Italy. Today, the Turin meetup is considered the largest in the country with over 40 participants on average per meeting. The founders highlight how growth has also led to demographic changes: initially composed mainly of students or former students, today the community is diverse and transversal, capable of uniting generations, backgrounds, and different professional skills. “Thanks to the Satoshi Spritz and weekly meetings, a bond has been formed that goes far beyond simple friendship, something we could define as a true brotherhood,” declared Salvatore and Nik aka Harvey, community manager of the Turin group.
The main activity consists of fixed weekly appointments every Thursday, maintained consistently for almost three years without interruption. Over time, the format has been enriched with various initiatives designed to give variety to weekly meetings: the 21 (mini-talks of 21 minutes on specific topics, with space for questions and discussion), the Cineforum with film or documentary screenings followed by debates, the Dread Pirate Roberts Book Club, a tribute to the Silk Road forum, dedicated to reading and discussing Bitcoin-related books, and the 10121 Academy for practical meetings for anyone wishing to experience Bitcoin technology firsthand. The long-term vision is to create a Turin Bitcoin City that demonstrates how Bitcoin is not just technology but a different way of living and creating community. “Satoshi Spritz Torino is not simply a meetup: it has effectively become a cultural appointment. A place where people meet, discuss, learn, and recognize themselves as part of a living community,” concluded Nik.
Bitcoin Bitches
Bitcoin Bitches was born from a specific observation in the Italian community landscape. Laura Nori, the founder, noticed growing requests and curiosity among girls on her social media and among friends, who often wrote to her to learn more about Bitcoin. From this need emerged the idea of creating something different in the sector. “I wanted to recreate, as I often say, the soccer group in a Bitcoin version,” Nori explained. The approach differs from traditional meetups: the goal was to create a group to hang out and have fun with, not an exclusively technical space.
The community recorded excellent results during its first year of activity. Monthly meetups and special events were organized, including a birthday party on March 8th with personalized gadgets. The founder dedicated much of her time to the initiative, organizing meetings, writing daily content, and keeping the group active. The first major milestone came when seeing girls from different parts of Italy participating together in industry conferences. “None of us would have gone alone, and that’s when I understood I had created something that really worked,” the founder declared. Among the most successful initiatives was the “Bitcoin Educators Academy”: three days of workshops on Bitcoin, public speaking, and personal growth at a farmhouse near Milan.
The community’s impact is also measured through concrete results in participants’ lives: within a year, five women found jobs in the Bitcoin sector directly or indirectly thanks to the group, while others found the courage to change their lives. The project’s philosophy goes beyond technical education, aiming to experience Bitcoin as part of a community that offers strength and freedom. “It doesn’t matter how many people come to the meetups: what matters is being able to change the life of even just one person, with a free Telegram group,” Nori commented. Currently the community is not active, but the founder is working on a future return with a more scalable approach.
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