In the U.S. state of Indiana, the number of stores accepting bitcoin payments has spread to about 200, and some business owners have started holding bitcoin received from customers without converting it into dollars.

Bitcoin Magazine reported on Oct. 6 that about 200 locations in Indiana support bitcoin payments based on BTC Map, including coffee shops, restaurants, auto repair shops, cinemas, farms and bookstores. It said this is not official statistics compiled by the government or payment companies.

A representative case is Old Major Market, an artisanal meat business in Indianapolis. Owner Mark LaFay (마크 라페이) said he decided to hold all bitcoin received from customers from this year. He used to convert bitcoin payments into dollars, but said he changed strategy after local users spent more than a year buying bacon and sausages with bitcoin.

Local bitcoin communities are also influencing the spread of payments. Kaffeine Coffee was introduced as a hub for local users, and the winery Rejoicing Vine has also been accepting bitcoin through Square for more than a year.

Square supports eligible U.S. businesses by allowing them to choose whether to settle in dollars or BTC after receiving bitcoin. Bitcoin payment processing fees are 0 percent through the end of this year and are set to be 1 percent after that.

The outlet said it was a case in which repeated spending by local users changed stores' perceptions from bitcoin as a payment method to an asset to hold. It added that bitcoin prices can move sharply, so businesses holding it also bear the risk of fluctuations in asset value.