Our local currency for the Berkshire region, BerkShares empowers citizens to help sustain and grow local business while keeping our money local. The new BerkShares scan-to-pay app makes choosing local easier than ever. After connecting to any US bank account, digital BerkShares can be conveniently used with participating local sellers. Digital BerkShares are valued 1:1 to US dollars, and are always free to accept and spend. Paying with the BerkShares app saves our small businesses from high credit card fees, bypassing big tech and big banks while keeping reserves at our community banks.
Dubbed “a great experiment” by the New York Times, BerkShares has served our community since 2006. By fostering personal exchanges and local production, BerkShares is good for people, community and our environment. Let’s grow a thriving, sustainable local economy with BerkShares. It’s money well spent.
Credit cards and payments apps benefit big tech and big banks, meaning money is extracted from our local communities. Now we have a tool to not just shop local but to also pay local. Simply link your bank account to load your BerkShares wallet. BerkShares are 1:1 backed by US dollars held at our community banks. When you spend BerkShares with participating local businesses, you help them save on credit card transaction fees of 3-4% on every sale.
If you’re a local business, accepting BerkShares is easy. You can download the cashier version of the app to your tablet if you use app-based PoS systems, or simply display your static QR code for customers to pay. You can recirculate the BerkShares you earn by spending them with other local sellers. It is always free to accept and spendBerkShares; only if a merchant chooses to cash out is a modest 1.5% fee incurred.