First Hospital in Brazil Embraces Cryptocurrency Payments, Sparking Crypto Adoption in Rio Grande do Sul

The Rolante Hospital Foundation (FHR), a prominent general hospital in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, has made history by becoming the first hospital in the country to accept cryptocurrency payments. Patients at FHR can now utilize crypto to settle medical bills, pay for outpatient treatments, and purchase medication. The municipality of Rolante, where FHR is located, has already gained recognition as a crypto adoption hub in Brazil, with approximately 120 local businesses accepting Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies as payment methods. Hotels, tourism firms, and even hang gliding companies in the area have embraced various tokens, including BTC.

BTC advocates in the state of Rio Grande do Sul have been actively promoting Bitcoin usage and have launched initiatives to boost its adoption as a payment method in commerce. In recent times, there has been an increase in Latin American customers utilizing crypto to make in-store payments, attributed in part to rising inflation in the region. The proximity of Rolante to Porto Alegre, the state capital, adds to the region’s crypto-friendly environment, as Porto Alegre had even added Bitcoin Pizza Day to its municipal calendar last year.