In a pioneering move for educational institutions in the United Kingdom, Lomond School has announced it will begin accepting Bitcoin as payment for school fees, becoming the first school in the UK to embrace cryptocurrency payments.
JUST IN: 🇬🇧 Lomond School became the first UK school to accept #Bitcoin for payments.
They will “look to build a Bitcoin reserve.” pic.twitter.com/xnBoDBJuip
— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) April 11, 2025
Located in Helensburgh in the west of Scotland, the independent day and boarding school will implement this payment option starting from the Autumn term of 2025, following significant interest from both local families and international educational agents.
The historic institution, which educates children from ages three to 18, joins a select group of educational establishments worldwide that accept cryptocurrency payments, including Wharton College of the University of Pennsylvania in the US and several universities in El Salvador, where Bitcoin has been designated as legal tender.
Careful Risk Management
Lomond School has emphasized that a careful approach to risk management will underpin this initiative. The school has established partnerships with FCA-registered providers, including CoinCorner and Musquet, to ensure secure transactions and regulatory compliance.
In the initial phase, the school will convert all Bitcoin payments directly into GBP to mitigate currency volatility risks. However, the institution has indicated openness to potentially building a Bitcoin asset reserve in the future, contingent on the cryptocurrency gaining “broader acceptance in the UK and worldwide.”
Also Read: Arizona Passes Bitcoin Reserve Bill
This announcement comes at a time when cryptocurrency is gaining increasing institutional recognition. In March, US President Donald Trump announced plans for a strategic crypto reserve that will include Bitcoin, signaling growing governmental acceptance of digital currencies.
International Appeal
The decision to accept Bitcoin as payment was reportedly driven by requests from both local families and international educational agents. For families of international students, this payment option offers a significant advantage by removing the uncertainty associated with foreign exchange rates.
Principal Claire Chisholm made the announcement at the Cheatcode Bitcoin conference in Bedford on April 11th, an event featuring prominent speakers from the worlds of finance, business, and economics, including Gemini co-creators Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.
“For generations, this school has nurtured inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and open-minded risk-takers,” Chisholm stated. “We were the first boarding school in Scotland to house both boys and girls under the same roof and recently moved away from the Scottish Government’s SQA curriculum and introduced the International Baccalaureate, a globally-renowned qualification favoured by universities and employers worldwide.“
Innovation Tradition
The school’s embrace of cryptocurrency continues its tradition of innovation. Lomond School proudly counts television inventor John Logie Baird among its alumni, reflecting a heritage of pioneering thinking that the institution seeks to maintain.
By accepting Bitcoin, Lomond School hopes to attract “forward-thinking families” both locally and from around the world, positioning itself at the intersection of traditional education and technological innovation.
The school has confirmed that in all situations, it will ensure full compliance with UK financial regulations, including anti-money laundering and tax obligations.
As digital currencies continue to evolve within the mainstream financial ecosystem, Lomond School’s decision represents a significant step in the adoption of cryptocurrency in educational contexts within the United Kingdom, potentially setting a precedent for other institutions to follow.
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