Austrian Telecom Giant Enables Bitcoin Payment Support
Customers of A1 Telekom subsidiary will now be able to make crypto payments based on a recent collaboration with the Austrian crypto payments processor, Salamantex.
Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies Accepted on A1 Payment
The company made the announcement via a press release on Monday (July 27, 2020). According to the release, the inclusion of cryptocurrencies on the A1 payment platform gives companies more alternatives to conduct payment transactions.
A1 payment’s existing solutions enabled users to carry out payment transactions using mainstream credit cards as well as online operators like China’s Alipay. The addition of cryptos like Bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), and dash (DASH) means that users can make payment using cryptocurrency at over 2,500 stores in Austria.
An excerpt for the release reads:
“With A1 Payment, businesses across Austria benefit from digitalization and the growing acceptance of digital currencies. Now, companies with only one terminal have the possibility to accept these currencies alongside conventional payment methods and are thus optimally equipped to meet the diverse needs of their customers.”
Furthermore, the addition of crypto payments was made possible through a collaboration with Salamantex. Merchants accepting cryptocurrencies get to receive the amount paid via crypto in euros, which are converted in real-time. Also, expert knowledge on crypto is not needed and the conversion of crypto to fiat at the cash desk carries no exchange rate or currency risk.
Moving Towards Broad-based Retail Crypto Payment Adoption
The use of cryptocurrencies as a payment option is seeing increased usage by companies and institutions. Also, with the advent of the coronavirus, more businesses are moving towards cashless methods of payments, to reduce physical contact.
As reported by BTCManager this July, major streaming platform Twitch, revealed that users who pay for Twitch subscription using crypto will get a 10 percent discount. Still, in July, major traveling company Expedia collaborated with Travala to enable users to make hotel bookings using cryptocurrency.
In June, a partnership between Coca-Cola Amatil and Centrapay enabled residents in New Zealand and Australia to purchase Coco-Cola with Bitcoin. Also, the e-commerce giant Shopify partnered with crypto payments processor Coinpayments, to bring crypto payments option to Shopify users.
