Blue Origin, Evan Bezos' venture, now accepts cryptocurrency transactions
The world of space travel and digital currencies have intersected, thanks to a groundbreaking partnership between Shift4 Payments and Blue Origin. This collaboration enables customers to purchase spaceflight tickets aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket using cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, streamlining and expanding payment options for high-value space tourism transactions.
Accepted cryptocurrencies and stablecoins for Blue Origin's New Shepard space travel include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). Customers can pay directly using popular crypto wallets such as Coinbase and MetaMask, allowing for instant, secure, and frictionless payment processing.
This partnership expands payment flexibility for space tourists, acknowledging the growing role of digital assets in commerce. It fits Shift4’s mission to simplify commerce globally, now extending it beyond Earth by enabling payments for commercial spaceflight. Moreover, it makes space tourism more accessible to cryptocurrency holders, facilitating bookings with familiar digital currencies.
Blue Origin, which has already flown over 75 passengers beyond the Kármán Line, offers a new financial gateway for future space explorers to book their seats with crypto assets. The process starts with a $150,000 deposit when applying for a flight, although the full ticket price can vary, potentially reaching around $600,000 for similar experiences.
Meanwhile, Shift4 recently made headlines with its acquisition of Global Blue Holding AG, a NYSE-listed specialty payments and technology platform. The acquisition expands Shift4's global reach and solidifies their position as a leading unified commerce provider. In Q2, Shift4 processed more than $50 billion in volume, with payment volumes growing by 25%, gross revenue rising by 29%, and adjusted EBITDA increasing by 26%.
In the realm of Ethereum, the digital currency has broken the $4,000 mark, and institutions have purchased 1.03 million Ethereum worth $4.17 billion. These developments suggest a growing acceptance and adoption of cryptocurrencies in various sectors, including space travel.
In conclusion, the Blue Origin and Shift4 Payments partnership impacts space travel payments by enabling crypto-based purchases, widening the payment method options and aligning space tourism with the expanding cryptocurrency economy. This collaboration is yet another step towards the integration of digital assets in mainstream commerce.
[1] Shift4 Press Release: Shift4 Partners with Blue Origin to Offer Crypto Payments for Commercial Trips on New Shepard [2] Blue Origin Press Release: Blue Origin and Shift4 Payments Partner to Accept Cryptocurrency for Space Travel [3] CNBC: Blue Origin and Shift4 Payments Partner to Accept Cryptocurrency for Space Travel [4] Coindesk: Blue Origin and Shift4 Payments Partner to Accept Cryptocurrency for Space Travel [5] TechCrunch: Blue Origin and Shift4 Payments Partner to Accept Cryptocurrency for Space Travel
Read also:
- Paid nearly $50 for electricity to power a 180-mile drive in a Rivian EV, causing doubts about the fuel cost savings commonly associated with electric vehicles.
- Remarkable Automotive Leaders of the 20th and 21st Centuries: Wards100's List
- Transportation companies TASARU and Blacklane are shaping the future of mobility in Saudi Arabia.
- Funding secured for $5.9 million in seed capital for the development of a communication platform in space
