Entrepreneur launches UK’s 1st Cryptocurrency Cafe

A cafe has become the first in the UK to accept multiple cryptocurrencies as a form of payment.

Tayyab Shafiq set up Chai Ada, located in Shepherds Bush, West London.

The cafe is inspired by Pakistani truck art and is located next to White City Bus Station.

Tayyab especially visited Lahore to work with artisans.

The menu offers chai and coffees as well as parathas, biryani and kebabs.

But unlike other cafes, customers can pay using seven different kinds of cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin is accepted as well as Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, XRP, Verge, Litecoin and Horizen.

Cryptocurrencies can be extremely volatile, so cash can decrease and increase at any time.

Tayyab is aware of the risks but he believes cryptocurrency is the future.

He told The Sun: “I honestly believe that crypto is the future, and this is the way that it will be going forward.

“Chai Ada has been set up because I really believe that the Metaverse (digital world) is the future, and this is a great way to help encourage the use of cryptocurrency going forward.

“Both Bitcoin and Ethereum have the highest market capital but they also have high gas fees, so we wanted to make sure that customers get the best for their money.

“It’s a one of a kind café at the moment, and the reason that we offer so many different kinds of cryptocurrency is because of the fees involved in transactions.

“The whole café is designed to look great online, and the coffee cups and packaging on the food all have positive messages.”

Tayyab has also set up an app for the cryptocurrencies. Payments are instantly made from crypto wallet accounts against UK currency.

Within a week of opening, around 20% of the payments are in cryptocurrency.

Tayyab hit headlines in 2020 when he opened the world’s smallest curry house from a disused red phone box.

Customers are also being offered 10% off their orders for life if they buy a non-fungible token (NFT) from the cafe.

But only the first few customers will be able to purchase one.

Tayyab added: “It’s really easy to pay with it, and we are also offering a lifetime discount if you purchase an NFT from us.

“Anyone who does so will get a discount, in this café and in anything else that we choose to open in the future.”