La Chaux-de-Fonds: The “Bee” is a currency that spreads

PublishedOctober 18, 2022, 7:00 PM

La Chaux-de-Fonds: The “Bee” is a currency that swarms

The payment system launched in 2019 has really colonized the watchmaking metropolis, helping to promote a local economy.

The Lime-de-Fonnier municipal councilor Théo Huguenin-Elie launched the “Bee” on November 25, 2019, a currency that so far only exists in the form of a credit card.

lematin.ch/Vincent Donzé

Unlike the “Farinet”, abandoned in Valais following two years of experience, the “Abeille” is a currency which succeeded it in 2019 and which has been gathering since then in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The bee which is worth a franc is a communal symbol inherited from the Freemasons. For three years, his cash app only existed as a credit card.

For the municipal councilor Théo Huguenin-Elie, this local currency is the counterpart of globalization, the “anti-Zalando” and its transport of goods. After distributing “Bee” cards to its employees for a total amount of 100,000 francs, in the form of bonuses or gifts, the City is moving up a gear.

Proximity

“The Bee has colonized the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds and contributes to promoting a local economy”, assure the authorities today. More than 2,800,000 francs have been loaded into “Abeille” since its launch: 70,600 francs are spent every month with 114 businesses accepting the local currency, i.e. 106,162 transactions.

In order to offer more features to its users and “continue its progress with the public”, the “Bee Card” can be used with a new card, but also via a mobile application. The future system promised for October 25 will allow users to recharge their new card or its application online at any time.

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No transaction fees will be levied with the new system.

City of La Chaux-de-Fonds

The new cards allow secure data exchange with a mobile terminal.

City of La Chaux-de-Fonds

It will also be possible to view all the transactions made, as well as the balance. No transaction fees will be charged. “For partner merchants, it will be necessary to have a mobile phone in order to accept the local currency and no longer a payment terminal as is currently the case”, specify the authorities.

The City offers a “100% Chaux-de-Fonds solution”, since two local companies have been commissioned to create the application and the new cards integrating NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which allows secure data exchange between the card and a compatible mobile device.

The municipal authorities hope to attract additional customers, accustomed to paying for their purchases with their mobile.